aircannonsinc Chapter 213 The East China Sea Hunting Grounds Officially Open
Chapter 213 The East China Sea Hunting Grounds Officially Open
On the bridge of the light cruiser Zhen Dong.
Off the coast of Fujian, the fog over the Taiwan Strait has been torn apart by the sea breeze, and gray-white waves ripple out from both sides of the bow of the ship, like the bellies of two fish that have been cut open by a knife.
No one on the bridge was gossiping.
Lin Chengzhang gripped the binoculars, not daring to blink even once.
Hans stood beside the chart table, pencil tip pressed against the channel line outside the mouth of the Minjiang River, and whispered, "Young Marshal, the two Japanese destroyers are still heading north. They're going seventeen knots, and their formation is very wide open. They're testing our radio signals and the direction of Mawei."
Chen Zijun glanced at the system panel, then turned his gaze back to the nautical chart.
A light cruiser.
There were also two escorting destroyers!
Eight submarines.
If this thing existed in the Republic of China era, it would be like a piece of Tang Monk's flesh in the eyes of the navy.
China hasn't had such a "powerful" naval fleet for many years. Although it is still very weak compared to the navies of the great powers, for the Chinese navy, this represents the beginning of modernization.
Zhendong, Zhendong, Zhen is one of the eight towns and seven remote towns, and Dong is the east of the Japanese devils!
There wasn't a trace of a smile on his face.
Money can buy steel, torpedoes, and sets of equipment that others can't understand.
But the rules of this sea cannot be bought with money.
We need cannons!
Shen Li came out of the radio room with a stack of short reports between his fingers.
"Young Marshal, the Shanghai newspapers have already released the news that the Zhen Dong is the first cruiser independently built by the Jiangnan Shipyard system. The foreign trading companies are in an uproar."
Chen Zijun said calmly, "What's all the commotion about?"
"Some say it's a purchased shell, others say it's an assembled piece. Still others say Chen Jiajun just repainted an old ship to fool the Chinese people into tears."
Lin Chengzhang's hand tightened.
The old navy man's neck turned red.
"Young Marshal, have the Zhen Dong fire a shot! Even if it doesn't hit, just scare them! Chinese warships aren't meant to be displayed at the river mouth for foreigners to inspect!"
Hans immediately shook his head.
"We cannot be reckless. The Zhen Dong ship has just gone out for sea trials. If we pursue the enemy alone, we are easily lured into the shallows outside the Minjiang River estuary. Destroyers are faster and more agile than us."
Chen Zijun raised his hand.
The bridge fell silent.
"Zhen Dong isn't here to play the hero today."
His voice wasn't loud, but everyone could hear him clearly.
"It's bait, and it's the back of a knife. But more importantly, it's a deterrent! What really bites are those mouths underwater."
Shen Li's lips twitched slightly.
"Young Marshal, rest assured, the radio over Mawei has been silenced. The eight U-boats are divided into two groups, four on the east side of the channel and four in the shadows on the south side. The captains have all received strict orders not to seek credit or reveal the base's location."
Chen Zijun nodded.
"very good."
He walked to the porthole.
Several merchant ships in the distance were giving way outside the shipping lane, their flags on their masts being pulled straight by the sea breeze.
It's been too long since Chinese warships have stood tall in this sea.
Over time, foreigners came to believe that any ship flying the Chinese flag was only fit to give way, to be cursed at, and to have its head pressed down by cannons.
cut.
The usual routine?
Starting today, someone else will write it.
Mawei Outer Sea.
More than 20 meters below the surface, the U91-type No. 3 boat, like a black fish, glided slowly along the cold undercurrent.
Only a few dim red lights were on inside the cabin.
The smell of diesel fuel, sweat, and engine oil mingled together, making one's chest feel tight.
Captain Zhao Dezhu was wearing headphones, with half of his face close to the hydrophone.
thump.
dong dong.
It's very light.
But it's very clear.
That was the sound of a propeller churning the seawater.
The scuba diver swallowed hard and whispered, "Captain, two targets. One is northeast, the other is slightly behind, and the distance is still decreasing."
Zhao Dezhu did not speak immediately.
He raised his hand, and everyone in the cabin held their breath.
The small door to the radio room was tightly closed.
The silence flag has been raised.
Now, anyone who dares to post a single random word is handing Mawei Base right to the enemy's guns.
"Reduce noise."
Zhao Dezhu's voice sounded like it was scraping against sheet metal.
"Everyone follow the training procedures. Don't think of yourselves as heroes. The Young Marshal once said that the first rule for submariners is to launch a torpedo alive."
A young torpedo operator had sweat on his forehead, but his hand remained firmly on the valve of the launch tube.
"clear!"
On the sea.
On the bridge of the Japanese destroyer, Commander Major Yamamura held up his binoculars, looking at the fog line in the northwest.
His advisor sneered.
"A Chinese cruiser? Hmph, most likely a secondhand one they bought. It dares to sail right under our noses as soon as it leaves the river mouth; it's got some guts. If we sink it, do you think we could get transferred to the Combined Fleet in return?"
Major Yamamura did not put down his binoculars.
"The bolder they are, the more they want to cover their tracks. If that submarine force really exists, it must be hiding near the mouth of the Minjiang River. As long as we force them to turn on their radios, their location will be revealed."
"Where is the Zhen Dong warship?"
"Let it keep an eye on us. They're only 5,000 tons, and they're new ships. They need training and integration; they don't have much combat capability. They're probably just out here to make their presence known!"
Major Yamamura's lips curled up.
"The Chinese have just acquired a decent ship, and they are reluctant to fight it or lose it. The closer we get, the more anxious they become. As soon as they fire first, the newspapers of the great powers will write that Chinese warlords are disrupting international shipping lanes."
The staff officer laughed along.
"Ha, Chinese people really are only good at being trapped by rules."
No sooner had he finished speaking than the lookout shouted, "Smoke column to the right front! Extremely far away!"
Major Yamamura holds up a mirror.
At the edge of the gray fog, a ship's silhouette slowly emerged.
The bow is sharp.
The turret cover has been removed.
The dark muzzles of the cannons pointed towards the sea, like a row of open eyes.
The laughter in the bridge stopped.
That wasn't a dilapidated old ship.
That was a cruiser that could actually run, turn, and raise its gun barrels!
Major Yamamura's face stiffened for a moment, then he snorted coldly.
"Maintain course. Keep the radio on. It dares not fire first."
The bridge of the Zhen Dong warship.
The rangefinders' calls to count came one after another.
"Enemy Number One, 13,000 yards away!"
"Enemy Number Two, 14,200 yards away!"
"The enemy ships have corrected their course and are still approaching the mouth of the Minjiang River!"
Lin Chengzhang gritted his teeth.
"Young Marshal, the artillery rangefinding is complete. One salvo should be enough to bring it to a stop!"
Chen Zijun did not look at him.
He stared at the two small red targets on the nautical chart.
Beyond the enemy ships lies the submarine fan-shaped area.
Almost.
Almost there.
It's like playing cards.
There's a cruiser on the card, and eight torpedoes hidden underwater.
The opposing team thought they had the initiative.
Chen Zijun sneered inwardly.
Shen Li suddenly whispered, "Young Marshal, another brief report has arrived from the newspaper office. The British trading company has already started sending messages to the consulate, saying that if the Zhen Dong warship opens fire in international waters, it will be a provocation by the Chen family army."
"provocative?"
Chen Zijun turned around.
"Archive the coordinates of the enemy ship crossing the line, the warning messages from our ship, and the records of merchant ships avoiding the enemy. Record them every five minutes. Let them argue about it later."
"However, I really don't like it when people talk to me like that, even in this small corner of Shanghai..."