Koya is Koya.

Just after two o'clock in the morning, after passing by the four battleships of the second main battle group, Takano gave orders to several light cruisers that had gone forward.

Firing flares into the sea area where the main detachment of the home fleet is located.

This trick can be said to be very clever.

Although more than half an hour had passed since the last report sent by the Fifth Cruiser Squadron, that is, the main detachment of the home fleet was able to sail more than ten nautical miles during this period, Takano let the light cruiser fire the flare in order to make the light cruiser become a cicada in the mantis cicada.

The flares that came out, and the muzzle flashes from the firing, were like the chirping of cicadas in the silence of summer.

In this way, the first main team can play the yellow finch in the back.

In addition, Takano occupies a favorable objective factor.

The dense cloud layer that was in the northwest of the strait before had been blown by the north wind, and at this time it was over the strait, that is, above the first main team.

That is, even if the home fleet is far enough away, it will be exposed after firing.

On the contrary, as long as the two "Gate" class ships did not open fire, they would not be exposed.

Takano's wishful thinking is very simple, use light cruisers to lure or force the main team to show up, and then hit the opponent by surprise.

As for the result, Takano didn't have much hope.

In any case, the first main team has only two battleships, and in terms of combat effectiveness, the "Damin" class and the "Longxing" class are at most equal.

In fact, this is also the reason why Takano did not let the first main team go deep into Asahimi.

It is naturally best to be able to win. Even if they can't be defeated, as long as they are near the strait, they can withdraw to the Guia Ocean if necessary.

At 10:10 p.m., the four light cruisers that came out of the front fired flares one after another.

In fact, Gao Ye did not overestimate Gui Boyong.

At about half past one, after killing the Fifth Cruiser Squadron, Gui Boyong was extremely dismayed to find that he had once again lost visual contact with the Second Main Squadron. From the distance offset during the turn, it can be roughly inferred that the distance to the second main team has expanded to more than 20 kilometers.

For the "Longxing" class, which does not have a radar, this distance is too far.

To explain the point, even if the enemy ship is on fire, at a distance of 20 kilometers, in the sight, the source of the fire is only a small point of light.

Due to the accuracy of the rangefinder, there is no way to accurately measure the distance.

There are two other questions that Gui Boyong can't avoid.

First, the fire on the four narrow battleships was extinguished.

Secondly, the dark clouds drifting from the north are moving south, and will soon reach the sky over the Watcher Strait, and the sea where the main team is located will soon be illuminated by the moonlight.

It was precisely in this way that at about 1:45 a.m., Gui Boyong gave the order to sail in a northwesterly direction.

Gui Boyong is scared?

Apparently not!

In the circumstances, this was a very sensible thing to do.

Don't forget, Gui Boyong came with the home fleet to entangle the main force of the Narrow Navy and create a favorable situation for the retreat of the White Stop War.

The previous battle was actually enough.

Besides, Gui Boyong did not order a retreat, but only retreated to a relatively open sea.

Attacked by heavy cruisers before, even if he avoided torpedoes, Gui Boyong was still apprehensive, not to mention that there were several enemy light cruisers operating in the south.

As a result, at 10 o'clock after 2:00, the four light cruisers fired flares, and the main detachment had already sailed north for more than ten kilometers.

At that time, the "Longxing" was more than twenty-five kilometers away from the "Damin"!

It's too far indeed.

Interestingly, after seeing the flares fired by the four light cruisers, Gui Boyong resolutely retreated.

The first main team has been killed, and it is looking for a decisive battle with the local fleet, why not withdraw?

Of course, to be precise, retreat dozens of kilometers, waiting for the first main team to come over.

This is also where Gui Boyong is smart.

Although the first main team had not been discovered at that time, after all, it was too far away and could not see the situation on the other side of the strait, but according to what happened before and after, Gui Boyong had enough reason to believe that the second main team had been defeated, and the four old battleships must be more than lucky.

It's just that Gui Boyong made a mistake, but the result was an unexpected judgment.

The second main force did not retreat, and the four capital ships, at least a few of them, had lost the ability to sail independently because of the heavy losses. It is precisely because of this that Gao Ye led the first main team to kill, and put on a desperate posture of actively looking for the local fleet.

In that case, isn't that what happens?

As long as it is delayed for a few hours, even if the battleships of the second main team are all saved, will they still be able to escape after dawn?

At that time, Gui Boyong was convinced of this.

Totally understandable.

If the second main team is finished, or is about to be destroyed, there is no reason for Gao Ye to bring the first main team to kill at this time.

Not to mention anything else, the four battleships of the "Longxing" class of the home fleet were all unscathed.

No matter how powerful Gao Ye is, he doesn't dare to challenge the four "Longxing" with two "gates".

Only in order to save the second main team will Gao Ye dare to take risks and put on a decisive posture.

To put it bluntly, it is nothing more than a bluff.

As a result, at 2:15 a.m., Gui Boyong gave the order to turn to the southwest and control the speed to within 16 knots.

Gui Boyong has already thought about it, unless the first main team kills it, it will be consumed until dawn.

No matter how much trouble Takano makes, the battle will end after dawn.

The permanent fleet returned with a feather, and even if the two main teams were retained, they would lose the strategic initiative because of the loss of the Watcher Strait.

From the perspective of the Liang Xia Navy, a complete victory is already a sure thing, so why fight for the length of the moment?

After losing all the aircraft carriers, after Gao Ye returns, will he still be able to set off stormy waves?

Don't say he's a person, even if it's a dragon, he has to lie down honestly!

By half past two, four light cruisers fired a second batch of flares.

On this side of the strait, the two "Gate" class ships of the first main force have also turned their course to the southwest, and they have also distanced themselves and are ready for battle.

This is to cope with the unforeseen.

Before the first flares fired by the light cruiser went out, Takano had already thought about it, and to be precise, confirmed the previous inference.

In order to preserve its strength, the home fleet has turned to retreat after defeating the second main warband.

It's just that Takano didn't take it lightly.

The home fleet retreated, but it would not leave the battlefield, at least not until dawn, after all, reconnaissance aircraft could not be sent to monitor the Watchman Strait after dawn.

In addition, in the south-western direction, the battle between the cruisers of both sides is not over.

At 2:45, when the second batch of flares was about to be extinguished, the battle in the southwestern direction ended. A light cruiser sent the final report of the battle, to be precise, a message of martyrdom in addition. At the same time as the telegram was sent, the captain had already given the order to sink himself.

By this time, the four battleships of the second main force had already entered the Watchmen Strait.

The wind and waves were calm near the strait, and the night battle seemed to be over.

At least, that's what Takano thinks.