Chapter 183: How Many Capital Ships Do You Think Lanfang Has?

Tokyo time, eight o'clock that same morning.

In the operations room of the Combined Fleet headquarters at Yokosuka naval port, the atmosphere was so heavy it could almost be wrung dry of water. A huge chart of the East China Sea hung on the wall, and the tables were covered with documents, telegrams, and photographs.

Combined Fleet Commander-in-Chief Kato Tomosaburo stood before the chart, holding the latest intelligence. Behind him stood Chief of Staff Shimada Shigetaro, Operations Staff Officer Hei dao Kamejin (Yamamoto Isoroku's aide, assigned to his post early), Intelligence Director Ogawa Kanji, and other core staff officers.

"Is it confirmed?" Kato did not turn around, his voice low.

"Confirmed, sir." Ogawa Kanji stepped forward, holding a folder. "The Lanfang Fuxing battlecruiser departed Pontianak harbor at exactly six o'clock this morning. Based on intercepted radio signals, their announced route goes through the South China Sea, the Taiwan Strait, and the East China Sea, finally arriving at Qingdao. The entire voyage is estimated to take six to seven days."

Kato's finger moved across the chart, from Pontianak to Qingdao, then stopped at a certain position in the East China Sea: "Here, is this the designated position?"

"Yes, sir." Operations Staff Officer Hei dao Kamejin replied, "According to the weather forecast, heavy fog will appear in that sea area in three days, with visibility possibly below five nautical miles. These are ideal ambush conditions."

"What about the force disposition?"

"Per your instructions, we plan to deploy the First Squadron and the Second Squadron." Hei dao began his detailed report. "The First Squadron consists of the flagship Vajra and the Hiei under my command, two Kongo-class battleships; the Second Squadron includes the Haruna and the Kirishima, also Kongo-class. In addition, four Chikuma-class cruisers and eight Fubuki-class destroyers are attached, responsible for reconnaissance, escort, and finishing blows."

Kato nodded slowly: "Four Kongo-class ships against a single Fuxing... the firepower is overwhelming. But we must remember that this Lanfang ship is equipped with 381mm main guns, more powerful than our 356mm guns. If they fire first and score a vital hit, we will suffer heavy damage too."

"Therefore, surprise is of utmost importance." Chief of Staff Shimada Shigetaro chimed in. "We plan to close to within ten thousand meters in the fog, then have all four ships concentrate fire simultaneously. According to simulation calculations, at this Distance, our 356mm armor-piercing shells can penetrate the Fuxing's Armour Belt. And the first salvo from four Kongo-class ships will deliver over twenty tons of steel and explosives."

"Ten thousand meters..." Kato repeated the number. "In fog, the effectiveness of the Optical Rangefinder will be greatly reduced. What about fire control?"

"We've already installed new baseline rangefinders on the Kongo-class; even under poor visibility, accuracy can reach ninety percent." Hei dao replied. "Moreover, the four ships can mutually correct firing parameters. As long as one ship scores a hit, the others can quickly adjust."

The operations room fell silent for a few seconds. The large clock on the wall ticked, its second hand jumping one notch at a time, the sound especially clear in the stillness.

"Do the officers and men know the nature of this mission?" Kato suddenly asked a seemingly unrelated question.

Ogawa Kanji hesitated: "Per security regulations, only officers of captain rank and above know the full plan. But most of the officers and men have guessed it... after all, an emergency deployment of this Scale couldn't possibly be ordinary training."

"How is morale?"

"Very high, sir." This time Chief of Staff Shimada answered. "The officers and men all believe this is the Imperial Navy's chance to prove itself. It's been nearly ten years since the end of the Russo-Japanese War. Many are eager for a true victory, to prove that the Imperial Navy is still the most powerful force in Yazhou."

Kato turned around, his gaze sweeping across everyone present. These officers, ranging from their twenties to their fifties, ranks from lieutenant commander to Major General, every one of them had the same fire burning in their eyes — the fire of yearning for battle, yearning for victory.

"You all know what this means." His voice was soft, but every word struck the men like a hammer. "This is not an exercise, not training — it is real war. Once we open fire, there is no turning back. Lanfang will retaliate, the international community will condemn us, and even Britain and America may intervene."

He paused, then continued: "But as you said, this is the opportunity the Imperial Navy has waited ten years for. The Europeans are slaughtering each other, the Yingguo have no time to look east, the Americans only want to do business. If we can destroy the Lanfang Navy in one blow, the entire South Ocean will become the empire's backyard. Rubber, tin mines, oil... these resources we've dreamed of will all be within reach."

The officers' breathing grew heavy.

"But," Kato's tone shifted, "what if we fail? What if the Fuxing escapes, or worse — what if we are defeated instead?"

This question silenced everyone.

"Then forty years of the Imperial Navy's accumulation will be destroyed in a single day." Kato answered his own question. "We will lose command of the sea, lose our colonies, and possibly even lose the security of the homeland. By then, we will be sinners of the nation."

He walked to the window and looked at the steel behemoths moored in the harbor outside. The Vajra's massive turrets gleamed cold in the sunlight, and sailors were busy on deck, making final preparations for departure.

"So I ask you," Kato did not turn around, his voice filling the entire operations room, "to consider every detail. From ammunition ratios to communications, from weather changes to mechanical failures, from the best case to the worst case. What I want is not 'possible victory,' but 'certain victory.'"

"Yes, sir!" All the officers stood at attention and answered.

"Departure time?"

"Tomorrow at four in the morning, the ships will leave port in sequence." Hei dao reported. "After leaving port, they will assemble on the open sea, then proceed in cruising formation toward the designated waters. Estimated to arrive at the ambush position in three days, waiting for the Fuxing to enter the trap."

Kato looked at the calendar on the wall — today was July 30th. Three days later would be August 2nd.

"August 2nd..." he murmured. "Twenty years ago on this day, the Imperial Navy fired the first shot of the Sino-Japanese War in the waters off Fengdao. Twenty years later, will history repeat itself?"

No one answered. But everyone had an answer in their heart.

"Go." Kato waved his hand. "Make your final preparations. Before sunrise tomorrow, I want to see the Combined Fleet's flag raised over the East China Sea."

The officers left one by one. In the end, only Kato and Chief of Staff Shimada remained.

"Sir," Shimada hesitated, "there's something... I feel I should remind you."

"Speak."

"All of our plans are based on one premise — that the Fuxing will sail according to the designated route, and that no other Lanfang warships will accompany her." Shimada walked to the chart and circled the Fuxing's route with his finger. "But what if this is a trap? What if the Lanfang people have already guessed our intentions, deliberately using the Fuxing as bait, then ambushed other capital ships nearby..."

Kato was silent for a long time, so long that Shimada thought he wouldn't answer.

"Shimada, how many capital ships do you think Lanfang has?" he finally spoke.