Empire Conquest

Empire New Calendar year 78, October 31, the flames of global war had been burning for four years, three months, and three days.

Autumn had passed, and the autumn wind was beginning to rise.

...

To the east of the Empire's Xu Sea, Watcher Strait.

This hourglass-shaped strait was the Empire Navy's lifeline, and the Northern Sado Islands and the South Sado Islands to its south and north gripped this lifeline like a pair of massive hands.

Over four hundred years ago, pioneers of Eastern navigation led an expedition fleet through here into the East Ocean, and to facilitate the passage of ships, they built a navigation lighthouse on the unnamed reefs in the middle of the strait. The Empire subsequently stationed troops on both Guard Island and Wang Island to the south and north of the strait, thus integrating Watcher Strait and the North and South Sado Islands into the Empire's territory, making the Xu Sea the inner lake of the Empire's Navy, and the East Ocean on the other side of the strait became a training ground for the Empire's Navy.

But now, this strait had become the Empire Navy's gate of ghosts.

The storm that had raged for several days had passed, the sky was cloudless, and the sea was calm.

To the west of the strait, six towering battleships were cutting through the waves, speeding eastward at a velocity of twenty-five knots. Leading them was the "North River," a Fast Battleship that had just been commissioned three months ago, the newest and most powerful of the Empire's Navy, with a full load displacement of over fifty thousand tons.

The five ships behind were also battlecruisers.

This was the Empire's Navy Domestic Fleet's 21st Sub-fleet, the most powerful Battle Patrol Squad in the East Ocean!

Inside the "North River's" command bridge, dozens of officers and men had long since taken their positions.

Standing beside the left hatch was a junior officer, a lieutenant named Bai Zhizhan, who had graduated from the Imperial Naval Academy three months ago and was assigned to the 21st Sub-fleet.

However, he would not be able to get a permanent position until the six-month probationary period was over.

In wartime, probationary officers were primarily responsible for damage control and medical aid, maintaining order at critical moments, and acting as guards for the Commander and other key personnel.

Bai Zhizhan's current duty was to guard the command bridge.

Plainly speaking, he was a sentry.

This cabin, wrapped in several hundred millimeters of steel, was the brain of the Sub-fleet. Operational orders were issued from here—more precisely, from the steadfast, pine-like Sub-fleet Commander standing behind the forward-facing windows, with a telescope hanging from his chest and wearing a wide-brimmed hat indoors.

He had been standing there, motionless, for four hours.

At two in the morning, after receiving the telegraphed orders from Fleet Headquarters, the 21st Sub-fleet had entered a state of combat readiness and sped towards Watcher Strait at full speed.

According to the plan, the 21st Sub-fleet would take advantage of the chaos created by the storm to break through Watcher Strait before the enemy could redeploy their Main Battle Ship. They would destroy the patrols on the eastern side of the strait and cover the subsequent main sub-fleets pushing into the East Ocean, seeking an opportune moment to engage in a decisive battle with the Joint Fleet of the Alliance Group.

The critical moment hung in the balance—success or failure rested on the 21st Sub-fleet.

"Report, six warships spotted ahead, suspected to be the Enemy Fleet's First Battle Patrol Squad."

Instantly, the air on the bridge seemed to solidify, and the atmosphere became extremely tense.

Bai Zhizhan swallowed and clenched his teeth to resist the urge to wipe his sweaty palms on his pants.

In the midst of the tension, several minutes flew by quickly.

"Report, preliminary identification as six battlecruisers, distance 36; Enemy Fleet's course 255, speed not less than 20 and accelerating."

After a moment, the Major General turned around and nodded to several senior staff advisors waiting for his orders.

The operational commands were passed down in an orderly fashion.

"Report, the lead ship confirmed as the 'Reputation,' the following ship as 'Reprisal,' the other four are still being identified, but are tentatively recognized as the First Battle Patrol Squad of the Joint Fleet."

During the Combat Staff Advisor's report, several faint and barely visible smoke columns appeared on the horizon to the left front, indicating that the enemy's sailing speed was definitely not slow.

If they could be seen from tens of kilometers away, the enemy's ships must be moving fast.

At this point, the Combat Staff Advisor called over several subordinates to draw up a battle sequence.

Although they had not expected the First Battle Patrol Squad of the Joint Fleet to appear here, it did not hinder the 21st Sub-fleet from operating as planned.

Destroying the Joint Fleet's Battle Patrol Squad was already the 21st Sub-fleet's primary mission.

"Report, enemy fleet spotted to starboard bow."

To the starboard bow?

Everyone thought they had heard wrong, and some officers looked towards the reporting Combat Staff Advisor, possibly thinking he had misspoken.

The Major General had already raised his binoculars and was looking towards the right front of the ship.

"Report, a total of five large warships spotted, lookouts compare and guess the lead ship is 'Queen Yisha' class, suspected to be the Joint Fleet's Fast Battle Squad."

The atmosphere instantly tightened to its limit, and Bai Zhizhan clearly saw the Major General's hands trembling slightly as he held the binoculars.

Facing six Battle Patrols, there was nothing to fear, but add five "Queen Yisha" class Fast Battleships to the equation, and there was no chance of victory.

These were Fast Battleships designed specifically to counter battlecruisers!

The Alliance Group composed the Fast Battle Squad from five Fast Battleships specifically to counter and deal with the 21st Sub-fleet of the Empire's Domestic Fleet.

In almost any situation, five "Queen Yisha" class Fast Battleships could crush six battlecruisers.

Being attacked from both sides would leave them without a chance.

"How long?" the Major General finally spoke.

"Twenty-five distance to the enemy fleet ahead, maintaining our current speed, we'll engage within fifteen minutes. Even if we change course now..."

When the Major General looked over, the Nautical Advisor immediately shut his mouth.

"Enter the Maze Channel in five minutes," said the Combat Staff Advisor, stepping forward a few paces to speak for the Nautical Advisor, "If we're retreating, we need to turn before that."