Empire Conquest
Chapter 97 - 93 How is the Heavenly God Trained

Chapter 97: Chapter 93 How is the Heavenly God Trained

The dive bombers of the Liangxia Navy continued to perform miracles until the "Feilong," when their luck ran out.

This time, the miracle maker was the "Feilong," along with numerous battleships such as the "Wudao," providing anti-aircraft cover.

In about ten minutes, these battleships intercepted four squadrons, at least thirty enemy planes, shooting down thirteen of them directly and forcing seven torpedo bombers to drop their torpedoes outside the effective range, causing several dive bombers to deviate from their course during the bomb drop.

Crucially, the "Feilong" avoided all bombs and torpedoes!

When the battle report came in, from Lan Yun downwards, no one believed it.

For this reason, Lan Yun even had the communications advisor specifically review the report from the "Feilong."

Having just boarded the "Jiahe," and not even reached the command bridge, Lan Yun immediately issued an order to turn back, only to cancel it shortly after.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t cancel it, but that he needed to recall the ship-borne aircraft returning from the mission.

In fact, not just Lan Yun, after the sinking of two carriers, even Tanimoto lost the confidence to continue fighting, and there was no longer capital to do so.

The "Feilong" was indeed intact, but there were no more than fifty serviceable aircraft left, most of which were zero fighters with no attack capabilities. The ship bombers and ship attackers, capable of carrying out attack missions, might not even total twenty, and more than half of them had returned damaged.

With such limited strength, what can be done?

Moreover, the Liangxia Navy’s First Aviation Mixed Fleet had not yet been located!

Also, this was the Flame Sea, with the Liangxia Empire mainland to the north; even if the special mixed fleet suffered great losses, it could still receive timely supplies from the mainland.

Perhaps, the Liangxia Navy had already sent additional ship-borne aircraft to the special mixed fleet.

Even if only the First Aviation Mixed Fleet was available, two carriers could deploy seventy aircraft and possibly annihilate the mobile fleet in at most two waves of attacks.

Moreover, Liangxia Navy’s Third Aviation Mixed Fleet’s two carriers had already left Cizhou Port, heading south at full speed, definitely able to arrive within two days.

Thus, the opposing side would have at least four fleet carriers.

The Mobile Fleet?

Even including the Fifth Air Corps, which had not entered the Flame Sea, together with the "Feilong," there were only four carriers, and the two "Ruihe" class carriers had what fighting power.

If they didn’t retreat, what else could they do?

But, where to retreat to?

Obviously, this was a must-consider issue, and a decision had to be made quickly.

Around four o’clock, as the last few returning ship-borne aircraft landed on the "Feilong," Lan Yun issued the order to return home, later instructing the fleet to enter radio silence.

Since no orders had been received from Takano, they could only return according to the original plan, first rendezvousing with the main fleet.

Meanwhile, dozens of kilometers northwest of the mobile fleet in the ocean, lay scattered, a hundred or more Imperial Navy Air Force pilots.

Among them was the top hero of this last attack, Lieutenant Wei Chengwen, who led the fighter group to charge at the mobile fleet and strafe the carrier "Chicheng."

Unfortunately, his luck was not very good.

After strafing the "Chicheng," before he could pull up, his "Typhoon" was hit by a high-altitude gun.

Fortunately, the fighter did not crash directly into the sea. After flying another ten kilometers or so, the engine cut out, giving Wei Chengwen enough time to prepare for an emergency landing.

Because of this, he managed not to get injured during the emergency landing.

After landing, he also found two parachuting pilots, precisely the crew of a dive bomber, then managed to retrieve an inflatable lifeboat before the dive bomber sank. Next, the three of them paddled the lifeboat around, searching for and rescuing other comrades who had fallen into the water.

For this, Wei Chengwen was awarded the "Imperial Gold Sword Medal," symbolizing the highest honor, personally bestowed by the Emperor.

He became the first Empire soldier to be awarded the highest honorary medal in this great war.

Over four hundred kilometers to the southeast, in the main battle corps.

Upon receiving a telegram from Lan Yun on board the "Jiahe," Takano returned to the command cabin, locked the door, and allowed no one to disturb him.

Although in the telegram, Lan Yun emphasized their achievements, which included sinking two carriers from the Second Aviation Mixed Fleet and wiping out almost the entire Southern Fleet in the morning’s raid, Takano saw it as a disastrous defeat for the Saiyi Navy that day.

Aren’t there still two carriers left with the Mobile Fleet?

Even if the "Jiahe" could be repaired immediately, what of it?

Not to mention still being in the Flame Sea, even if they had already retreated to the East Ocean, they were not far from a moment of defeat.

The victory or defeat on a strategic level had little to do with the battle of the Mobile Fleet.

At noon, Takano received a telegram from the Military Command Department. Due to the temporary maintenance work on the road outside the embassy, the Imperial Country’s ambassador stationed in the Liangxia Empire did not deliver the declaration of war to the Privy Council before eight o’clock, Liangxia Empire time, as scheduled.

What did this mean?

The Saiyi Navy’s raid on Chengjiang Port had turned into a sneak attack, and what was supposed to be a war declared before combat had become undeclared warfare!

Was this a coincidence or a trap?

It had definitely been a set-up!

By not declaring war, the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom became the aggressor, and the Liangxia Empire became the victim, occupying the moral high ground and having ample reason to harshly punish the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom!

Importantly, the Newland Federation and Bulan Kingdom might not find justification to send troops to help the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom.

Even if it led to a global war, no one would be able to stay out of it, but with just a few months’ delay, the Liangxia Empire would be able to seize strategic initiative.

Just on this point alone, the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom was bound to lose!

Of course, if the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom could hold on for a few years, perhaps there would be a chance for a turnaround.

But could they hold on for a few years?

If this was a trap set by the Liangxia Empire, what followed would be a tempestuous reprisal, and the lone Saiyi Imperial Kingdom might not withstand it!

If they lost command of the sea, the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom might have to surrender unconditionally to the Liangxia Empire and once again fall under its protection. Considering its actions over the past few decades, especially during the last huge war, one could completely envision the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom’s dire situation after defeat.

The key was control of the sea, supported by the Navy!

Regardless, they must preserve the Mobile Fleet, especially the two carriers!

Though he hadn’t personally commanded the Mobile Fleet’s battle, nor had he been at the frontline, Takano had already made his judgment based on the intermittent battle reports he received.

From now on, the decision of the naval battle’s outcome, to dominate the ocean battlefield, would no longer be the battleships.

Don’t forget, in the just-ended battle, neither side fired the main guns of their eight fast battleships.

More than a decade ago, the Liangxia Navy had already made this judgment and bet everything on carriers that didn’t even carry heavy guns.

Takano was very sentimental, as just a few years ago, the Saiyi Navy had still been thinking about constructing the strongest battleship in the world.

However, the immediate priority was to find a way to safely leave the Flame Sea and return to the Saiyi homeland.

The Liangxia Navy would certainly not let up!

While Takano contemplated their retreat, Liu Xiangzhen was engaged in another matter, which was to send all the deployed seaplanes from the accompanying fast battleships and heavy cruisers. Not to search for the Mobile Fleet, but to seek and rescue those pilots who had not returned.

For Liu Xiangzhen, the immediate priority was rescue.

These pilots were the most precious assets of the Imperial Navy, and when they once again flew into the blue skies in their fighters, they would become invincible Heavenly Gods!