Chapter 181: Combined Fleet Movements

Chen Feng nodded and turned his gaze toward the four blue light dots. "What about the Bismarck formation?"

"All combat readiness checks have been completed." Li Te walked to the console and operated it a few times. Small text labels appeared beside the blue light dots: "Changjiang," "Huanghe," "Huaihe," "Zhujiang."

"Per your instructions, the four ships will depart twelve hours after the Fuxing, maintaining a distance of fifty nautical miles. Total radio silence throughout — receive only, no transmissions. Communication will rely on preset light signals and flag semaphore." Li Te paused. "Additionally, we've installed a special long-wave radio aboard the Fuxing. Its power is very low, but in an emergency it can transmit a simple coded signal. Once the Bismarck formation receives the signal, it will immediately close in on the signal source at full speed."

"What are the conditions for sending the signal?"

"Two scenarios: first, the Fuxing confirms it is under attack by the Japanese Navy's main battleships; second, the Fuxing determines it cannot break contact and needs support."

Chen Feng thought for a moment. "Tell Lin Hai to go by the first scenario. If they only encounter reconnaissance ships or small-scale harassment, don't send the signal lightly. We're after big fish — we can't alert the snake by beating the grass."

"Understood." Li Te noted the instruction, then hesitated. "Grand Commander, there's a question... what if the Japanese Navy doesn't deploy its main force, and only sends submarines or destroyers to conduct harassing attacks?"

"Then the Fuxing handles it herself." Chen Feng's answer was crisp. "A thirty-eight-thousand-ton battlecruiser that can't even deal with destroyers — then Lin Hai has no business being a captain."

He walked to another table, where the order-of-battle chart of the Japanese Combined Fleet lay spread out.

"According to intelligence, among Japan's ten capital ships, the four Kongo-class are the ones we need to be most wary of. They're fast, heavily armed, and best suited for raiding missions." Chen Feng's finger tapped the names "Kongo," "Hiei," "Haruna," and "Kirishima" in turn. "If Kato Tomosaburo is smart enough, he'll use at least two Kongo-class ships against the Fuxing, backed by a group of cruisers and destroyers."

"Then our four Bismarck-class ships against two Kongo-class plus an Escort Fleet — the advantage is obvious," Li Te analyzed. "But the problem is, Japan might deploy more capital ships. For instance, all four Kongo-class ships, or even bring along a few old-style battleships."

"So they need time to assemble." Chen Feng walked back to the sea chart. "From the Fuxing's departure to entering the preset ambush zone in the East China Sea, there are at least six days. During those six days, the Japanese Navy needs to complete troop movements, draw up detailed plans, and finally move into ambush position. And our Bismarck formation only needs to quietly trail behind."

He looked at Li Te. "Where do you think Japan will choose to strike?"

Li Te picked up a pointer and drew a circle on the sea chart. The position almost perfectly overlapped with the circle Kato Tomosaburo had drawn in the Tokyo Naval Ministry conference room.

"Here, in the central East China Sea, near 125 degrees east longitude and 28 degrees north latitude. Far from the coast, sufficient water depth, and fog is common in this season, which helps concealment. More importantly, it's roughly equidistant from Japan's bases in Taiwan and Okinawa — they can sortie quickly and withdraw quickly."

Chen Feng studied the position carefully, then nodded slowly. "Consistent with my judgment. Then tell the Bismarck formation to maintain maximum distance before entering this zone. After entering, they may close to thirty nautical miles."

"Thirty nautical miles..." Li Te calculated. "That's at the edge of the Main Gun's Effective Range. If fighting breaks out, we'd need at least twenty minutes to reach the battlefield."

"Twenty minutes — the Fuxing should hold." Chen Feng's voice was calm, but Li Te detected a barely perceptible tautness. "And if Japan really deploys its main force, their first target will certainly be the Fuxing. Before sinking the Fuxing, they won't divert attention to search the surrounding waters."

The command center fell quiet. On the massive sea chart screen, the red and blue light dots continued to drift slowly, as if chess pieces of fate were moving toward their predetermined positions on the board.

"Grand Commander," Li Te suddenly asked a question he had pondered for a long time, "why are you so certain Japan will make a move? Perhaps they'll worry about international reaction, perhaps they'll choose a more cautious approach..."

"Because like us, they have no way back." Chen Feng's answer was unexpectedly simple. "Japan is an island nation — scarce in resources, limited in market. To keep a modern industrial state running, to feed a growing population, they must expand outward. And the biggest obstacle to that expansion is us."

He walked to the window. Night had fallen, and the lights of Dubai Harbor reflected on the sea surface like a fallen starry sky.

"In the Sino-Japanese War, they defeated the Qing and gained Taiwan and a huge indemnity. In the Russo-Japanese War, they defeated Russia and gained Korea and Manchurian interests. Every victory made their appetite larger, their ambition more swollen. Now they see a third opportunity — Europe in chaos, Britain and France too busy to look east. If they can defeat us now and seize Borneo, the entire South Ocean will be theirs."

Chen Feng turned around. The light cast deep shadows across his face.

"Li Te, have you read history? The rise of every empire is a string of gambles. Win the bet, and you become the next world hegemon. Lose, and you shatter to pieces. Japan is at the gambling table right now, and their wager is the entire nation's future."

"Then what's our wager?" Li Te asked softly.

"Our wager?" Chen Feng laughed, and in that smile was a sharpness Li Te had never seen before. "We haven't placed a bet. We're simply telling the gambler that we're not playing this game."

He walked back to the sea chart and pressed his finger hard on the red dot representing the Fuxing.

"What we need to do is chop off the claws reaching toward us, viciously. Let everyone know that Lanfang is not fat meat — it's steel plate. Anyone who wants a bite had better be prepared to lose every tooth in their mouth."

The telephone rang. Li Te picked it up, listened for a few moments, and his expression turned grave.

"Grand Commander, urgent telegram from Director Zhou of the Security Bureau. Tokyo confirms that Japanese Navy Combined Fleet Commander-in-Chief Kato Tomosaburo left Tokyo this afternoon, headed for Yokosuka. His entourage includes the Operations Director, Intelligence Director, and other core staff."

Chen Feng's eyes narrowed. "Yokosuka... that's where the Combined Fleet headquarters is located."

"Yes. And according to reports from our observer in Nagasaki, Kure Naval Base and Sasebo Naval Port have been abnormally busy since yesterday. Multiple capital ships are making emergency preparations to put to sea, and supplies are piled mountain-high on the piers."