Chapter 668: Two More Chapters Until the Fight Begins

Zhao Dengyu was silent for a few seconds.

"Tell the scouts to locate the minefield. When it's time to strike, let the engineers go in first."

Li Tiejun nodded: "Yes."

In the distance, a jeep sped toward the command post and stopped at the doorway. The communications soldier leapt from the vehicle and ran over to salute.

"Commander, the President sent an urgent telegram!"

Zhao Dengyu took the telegram and glanced at it by the flashlight's beam.

Then he smiled.

Li Tiejun leaned in: "What news?"

"The President rejected Meilika's mediation. He wants us to be ready; we may act at any moment."

Li Tiejun was stunned for a moment, then also smiled.

"Commander, you seem quite pleased?"

Zhao Dengyu stared at the dark desert in the distance.

"We've waited so long; finally it's time to move. Do you think I'm happy or not?"

In the deep Indian Ocean, 3 a. m.

Zhang Haisheng stood in the submarine's conning tower, holding a night‑vision binocular and watching the distant sea surface. There, several faint plumes of smoke drifted slowly—a fleet of Yingguo merchant ships.

The deputy commander climbed onto the tower and whispered in his ear: "Captain, three merchant ships and one escort destroyer. Distance twelve kilometers."

Zhang Haisheng nodded.

"Dive. Periscope depth."

The order was relayed. The submarine descended slowly, seawater washing over the tower and hull, until only the tip of the periscope remained above the surface.

Zhang Haisheng pressed his eye to the periscope, watching the fleet draw nearer.

"Torpedoes ready. Target: that destroyer first."

The deputy commander was startled: "Captain, strike the destroyer first? Not the merchant ships?"

"If we take out the destroyer, the merchant ships can't escape. Hit the destroyer first to strip their protection."

The deputy commander nodded and went to relay the order.

The fleet drew closer: ten kilometers, nine, eight—

"Torpedo tubes ready. Tubes one, two, three, four, aim at the destroyer."

"Ready."

Zhang Haisheng's hand rested on the launch button, his eyes fixed on the destroyer's silhouette.

Seven kilometers.

Six kilometers.

"Fire."

The submarine shivered slightly. Four torpedoes slipped out silently, trailing white wakes beneath the surface, homing in on the destroyer.

Five minutes. A long five minutes.

Then a muffled boom echoed from afar, followed by a second, third, and fourth blast.

Through the periscope, Zhang Haisheng saw the destroyer's hull ripped open with several large gashes, flames spewing from the breaches, thick smoke billowing. It began to list and sink.

The merchant fleet panicked. The three merchant ships swerved wildly, trying to flee.

"Surface. Deck gun ready."

The submarine broke the surface. The deck gun roared. Shells struck around the merchant ships, sending towering columns of water skyward.

The first merchant ship was hit, caught fire, and stopped.

The second merchant ship was also hit and began to list.

The third merchant ship raised a white flag.

Zhang Haisheng watched the flag‑bearing merchant ship and was silent for three seconds.

"Cease fire. Let them abandon ship."

The deputy commander was startled: "Captain, stop firing?"

"They've surrendered," Zhang Haisheng said. "Surrendered ones are not killed."

Twenty minutes later, all crew from the three merchant ships boarded liferafts. Through his binoculars, Zhang Haisheng saw the rafts drifting on the sea, with someone waving at them—unclear whether it was a plea for help or a curse.

"Send a signal," he said, "tell them the nearest coast is east, four hundred kilometers away. Wish them luck."

The signal light flashed. The people on the rafts saw it, and someone raised a hand as if saluting.

Zhang Haisheng lowered the binoculars.

"Dive. Heading 270. Continue searching."

The submarine dived again, vanishing into the deep blue water.

This was Lanfang's submarine force's first victory.

In the coming days, similar scenes would play out countless times across the Indian Ocean.

Borneo naval base, 6 a. m.

The sun just rose above the horizon, tinting the whole sea gold‑red. The dock buzzed with voices; the roar of machines, officers' shouts, and soldiers' footsteps intertwined like a chaotic yet powerful symphony.

Zhou Zhen guo stood on the bridge of the Zhenyuan, holding a telescope and watching the Sakura Nation soldiers disembarking. The second wave of transport ships docked at 5 a. m., with fifty thousand troops gradually landing. Combined with the first fifty thousand, Borneo now had gathered one hundred thousand Sakura Nation soldiers.

On the dock, the soldiers formed a long line as they marched down. They wore earth‑yellow uniforms, carried Lanfang‑made rifles, and at their waists hung Lanfang‑made bayonets, water canteens, and first‑aid kits.

A young soldier stepped off the gangway onto Borneo's soil. He looked around curiously—it was his first time leaving the Sakura Nation, his first time seeing such a blue sky and such green sea.

"What are you standing around for? Move forward!" an older soldier behind him shoved him.

The young soldier staggered briefly, steadied himself, and kept moving forward.

On the dock, Lanfang's logistics officer was directing the unloading. Boxes of ammunition, sacks of rice, barrels of cooking oil were taken off the ship and piled into little hills. Trucks came and went, hauling the supplies to the temporary camp.

Zhou Zhen guo put down the telescope and turned to face the officer on the bridge.

Shanben Yifu walked over.

Zhou Zhen guo looked at Shanben Yifu and asked.

"One hundred thousand troops have arrived. Equipment, provisions, medicines are all ready. How many days of rest do you need?"

Shanben Yifu thought for a moment: "Three days. The soldiers need to adjust to the tropical climate and become familiar with the terrain. After three days they can depart at any time."

"Very well. After three days, Zhenyuan and Jiyuan will depart first, patrolling the waters between Borneo and Singapore. Let the British see and become nervous. Wait for my orders."

Shanben Yifu nodded: "Understood."

The two walked side by side toward the command post. Behind them, the crowd on the dock kept surging like a river that never ceases.

Three hundred kilometers east of the Sinai Peninsula lies Huo Er Da Sa.

Zhao Dengyu stood on the sand dune outside the command post, looking at the dense camp before him. One hundred twenty thousand troops, six divisions, had all assembled. The tents stretched from his feet to the horizon like a white ocean.

In the distance, a tank unit was conducting its final drill. Over three hundred Type‑1 and Type‑2 tanks formed an attack formation, raising clouds of dust in the desert. The roar of the engines could be heard for several kilometers, shaking the sand beneath their feet.

Chief of Staff Li Tiejun climbed up and stood beside him.

"Division commander, we just received news. The scouts have mapped the British Army's defenses across the canal."

Zhao Dengyu turned: "Speak."

Li Tiejun spread out a hand‑drawn map.

"At the Cantara crossing, the British have two camps, about fifteen hundred men. They have built three bunkers on the east bank and positioned over twenty machine guns. The area in front of the crossing is mined; the minefield is roughly two hundred meters wide and fifty meters deep."

Zhao Dengyu looked at the map, squinting.

"Mines. Can the engineers clear them?"

"Yes, but it will take time. The scouts say the mines are shallow, likely laid temporarily. The engineers can work through the night and open a passage before dawn."

"Before dawn?" Zhao Dengyu thought, "Then we strike at night. Let the engineers go first, clear the mines, and the tanks will cross the river afterward."

Li Tiejun nodded: "Understood."

Zhao Dengyu pointed at another point on the map.

"What about here? The Rhodes Island crossing?"

"The garrison there is smaller, only a company. But the channel is wide and the current strong, unsuitable for a pontoon bridge."

Zhao Dengyu was silent for a few seconds.

"Then we focus the main attack on Cantara. Let the second and third divisions feint at Rhodes Island and another crossing to tie down the British. The first mechanized infantry division will spearhead Cantara, and after breaking through, head straight for Suez City."

Li Tiejun recorded: "Understood."

In the distance, the tank drill ended. The steel beasts slowly drove back to the camp, the dust raised by their tracks gradually settling.

Zhao Dengyu watched them and suddenly asked, "Old Li, what do you think the British are doing now?"

Li Tiejun thought: "They are probably reinforcing their defenses. Our activity here is so loud that their reconnaissance aircraft come daily."

"Good," Zhao Dengyu said, "Let them see it, let them get nervous. When we actually launch the attack, they'll have been waiting for several days, tired and scared—best to strike."

He turned and walked down the dune.

"Send orders to all divisions: this evening hold a pre‑battle conference. Starting tomorrow, each unit will conduct targeted training as planned. Engineers focus on mine clearing, infantry on river crossing, tank crews on covering fire."

Li Tiejun followed behind: "Understood."