It was discovered that the submarine No. 371 of the 52nd task force was lurking under the sea surface for four hours, until the listener did not hear any noise, Xu Lei let the submarine rise to the periscope depth, searched several times with the periscope, and confirmed that there was not even a fishing boat on the surrounding sea, he ordered the submarine to stretch out the antenna, sent the telegram, and then urgently dived to 120 meters, still returning to the southwest at a speed of 3.

The four hours of hiding under the sea made Xu Lei almost collapse, there were at least dozens of warships on the sea, and the number of destroyers would not be less than ten, maybe as many as twenty. Several destroyers had their sonars on, one of which passed near the Project 371 submarine. At that time, Xu Lei thought that this time was over, as long as it was caught by the destroyer's active sonar, the submarine had almost no chance to struggle. However, the US destroyer "miraculously" did not discover the No. 371 submarine under its belly, probably because the wind and waves at sea were too strong, which affected the active sonar on the destroyer and the judgment of the sonar crew.

Like Xu Lei, the other 65 officers and men on the submarine all spent a thrilling time, and it was not an easy thing for anyone to endure death knocking on the door for four hours without even daring to go out of the ground. Xu Lei didn't dare to go to the port of San Francisco anymore. Now that he wanted to get out of this place as soon as possible, his curiosity almost killed 65 of them and didn't want to risk it again.

It took 30 hours and the Project 371 submarine ran almost 100 miles to the southwest. Finally got out of the most dangerous area. Xu Lei did not risk any more, and the submarine reached the depth of the snorkel four hours before dawn and began to charge the battery. He had to recharge the battery, and after more than two days of continuous diving, the submarine was almost running out of electricity. And raise the snorkel ground at the same time. The ground communication antenna connected to the snorkel also extends out of the sea. During this period, Xu Lei received a telegram from the submarine base on Kauai

"Damn, isn't this telling us to die?" The chief engineer was very dissatisfied after reading the telegram, "We finally avoided the US ground fleet and let us catch up, it seems that the group of bastards in the rear didn't care about our life or death at all."

"And we don't know where the U.S. fleet is going now, how to pursue it?" The second mate was a little more tactful, and he also agreed with the chief engineer's opinion.

"But we have more than 30 torpedoes. None of them are used, do you want us to return with these torpedoes? "The gunner is not happy," 650 mines have a range of more than ten nautical miles, as long as we find the 52nd task force, we don't need to get close at all, and we will retreat after firing a few at a distance. It wouldn't be dangerous, would it? ”

The chief engineer and the second officer both glared at the gunner, what is the use of this and waste? Launch a torpedo at a distance of ten nautical miles . That's just a waste of torpedoes!

"We can't return yet." Xu Lei spoke, "It's only been less than a month, and it's still a long time before the patrol ends, and we have to find something to do for ourselves."

"Maybe the U.S. military will send a third convoy." The Chief Engineer made it clear that by staying outside the San Francisco Harbor, he could deal with the U.S. convoy without having to pursue the more dangerous U.S. fleet.

"It's unlikely." The second officer's attitude wavered, "The U.S. military just sent two convoys, and we received information before. The U.S. military doesn't have many transport ships in San Francisco Harbor, and the other fleets haven't returned, so we don't necessarily have much to gain by staying here."

"yes, then it's better to go to the American fleet!" The gun commander is still the most aggressively .

Xu Lei looked at the chief engineer, the chief engineer is the "second master" of the submarine on the ground, Xu Lei does not want to work against the chief engineer. The chief engineer pondered for a moment, then nodded. See!

"Alright, then we'll do as ordered." Xu Lei squeezed through the crowd and came to the chart table." First of all. We need to roughly determine the true intentions of the U.S. fleet's departure from the port, and then determine their approximate route. Finally, choose a sea area and ambush it."

"The telegram said that the U.S. military was likely to go to the south." The second officer marked a route on the chart, "Judging from the situation when we finally separated from the American troops, they were indeed sailing towards the open sea, and if we could have tracked the land for several hours, we might have been able to know their route accurately."

"At that time, it was simply impossible for us to keep up with the American fleet. The problem is, if they go directly south, we won't be able to catch up at all! "The chief engineer actually doubles as the chief navigator of the submarine ground." The U.S. fleet cruising at a speed of 16 knots. And they must have been around 20 knots at the time. Our speed is definitely not able to catch up with the ground. Therefore, we can only have one inference, and that is. The U.S. fleet will not immediately go south, but will operate in the open sea for a period of time and then go south."

Xu Lei nodded. And that's all it can be, anyway. If the U.S. fleet doesn't go south, then we'll have a chance to go around in front of them." finish

"Then we'll have to make sure the new land patrols the sea." The second officer marked two routes on the chart, "If they're going to the Hawaiian Islands, then we'll have to patrol the west, and if they're going to Christmas Island, we'll have to go south."

Xu Lei looked at the chief engineer, the gap between these two routes is too big, and it is impossible to take care of them at the same time.

"I don't think there's anything wrong with the telegram saying that the U.S. fleet is likely to go to Christmas Island." The chief engineered his chin, "Now the Marines are storming Oahu. The U.S. military will certainly not be able to hold the Hawaiian Islands, and even if the 52nd Task Force passes, it will not be of much use, and even the shore-based air force will be defeated, and there is no need to send a fleet to deal with them. Therefore, it is much more likely that the US military will go south to Christmas Island."

"Then we should set up a new Zelp patrol area to the south, the problem is. We don't know when the U.S. military will go south, and we don't know how long it will take to get around to the front of the U.S. fleet." The second officer made another analysis.

"Then we'll follow this route south." Xu Lei pointed at the route that connected to Christmas Island. We should strive to leave the search range of the shore-based anti-submarine patrol aircraft as soon as possible, so that we can sail on the surface of the sea during the day, so that we can increase our speed."

"I'll immediately set up a new route map." The second officer nodded, under normal circumstances, if the chief engineer had something else to do. The second officer is responsible for the submarine navigation operation, and on the submarine, the second officer is the only all-round commander other than the deputy captain, who can be qualified for almost any position on the submarine.

"How much more time will it take for us to be able to fully charge the battery?" Xu Lei looked at the chief engineer.

The chief engineer glanced at his watch. About an hour."

"Then, the submarine will now turn to this route, dive in an hour, and sail at four speeds, so that it will take us about two days to leave the search range of the US shore-based anti-submarine patrol aircraft." Xu Lei has already made a decision." In two days' time, we will speed up our way south and rush to the front of the American fleet."

The officers and men on the submarine were quickly mobilized, and there was no secret in this small space, and when the submarine retracted the snorkel, most of the officers and men knew that the submarine was pursuing the US fleet in front of it. It's both exciting and scary.

Before leaving the ground search range of the US shore-based anti-submarine patrol aircraft. The submarine has been diving at a speed of 4° under the sea surface during the day, and at night, it is generally around 10, that is, most of the US patrol planes that carried out the last round of patrol missions during the day have returned to the base, and when the night patrol planes of the first round of night patrol missions have not yet reached the outer sea areas, the submarine floats to the background of the sea. Sail fast at 16 knots while charging the battery. Because the submarine is in a dangerous sea area, it is necessary to sail on the surface of the sea. Only lookouts, as well as navigators, are allowed to move outside the boat. The rest of the officers and men had to stay in the boat, and the submarine was ready to dive at any time.

Two days later, the 371 submarine left the dangerous sea area and surfaced for the first time during the day, because there was no need to charge the batteries at the same time, and the submarine's ground speed was increased to a maximum of 21 knots in the morning." The maximum surface speed of the submarine is 22 knots, but most of the times it cannot reach this speed. Being able to reach 21 knots is pretty good.

Xu Lei has never lived a stable life, and it is a risky operation to pursue the enemy's fleet. Like other submarine captains, Xu Lei hopes to defeat several U.S. military and ground main warships before the end of the war, and if he can take out the battleships and aircraft carriers, then he will definitely become a "hero captain", just like Wen Haomao, the best submarine captain in the submarine force. But at the same time, he also knew very well that to take the initiative to pursue a large fleet of destroyers escorting the ground was almost no different from sending him to death. If it was in the early days of the war, Xu Lei would not have felt afraid. Because no one knows if they will be able to hold out on the battlefield for years and see the final victory. However, now that the war has reached its advanced stage, perhaps in a year, two years, the war will end, and for those veterans who have been on the battlefield for several years, they want to see the moment of final victory, not to become the cornerstone of the top of the throne of victory!

"Major, I still think it's too risky." The chief engineer doesn't go directly against the captain, but he doesn't give up his landlord easily. On the submarine, the pressure of the chief engineer is even greater than that of the captain, and he must ensure that every machine on the submarine is in normal operation, and he must also ensure that the submarine is on the normal course. In general, the Chief Engineer will support the captain in front of others and express his thoughts to the captain in private. Now, the chief engineer is trying to say what Xu Lei thinks when he goes to the deck to breathe.

"I know. Actually, after we left the port, what day was not an adventure? Xu Lei leaned on the railing of the platform, "War will be risky, and we are submariners, that is the most adventurous profession."

"However, we don't have to do that, and even if we don't go after it, no one will blame us."

"Yes, but what do we think about ourselves? If we return now and miss a chance to kill, what will we think in the future? Xu Lei looked directly into the chief engineer's eyes, hoping to see through the chief engineer's thoughts. "Lore" refers to a submarine sneaking up on the enemy's capital ship and sinking the enemy's capital ship. See!

The chief engineer shrugged his shoulders. But no one knows if we're going to get that opportunity."

"Then we have to try it more, if we don't try, we will never know." Xu Lei didn't say anything more, he had said enough.

The crew rotates to the deck to breathe, and there are not many opportunities for three months of sea life, and if the weather conditions are bad, they may not even see the sun outside for three months.

"Major—"

Xu Lei was startled and reflexively picked up the telescope.

"30 degrees, my God, it's an airplane!"

It was indeed an airplane, and one was turning, and not flying directly towards the submarine

plane, maybe the pilots on the plane have not yet discovered the submarine on the surface of the sea, and it seems that it is not an anti-submarine patrol aircraft, but more like a much smaller fighter jet.

"Urgent dive!"

The alarm sounded, Xu Lei was the last to return to the interior of the submarine, the watertight hatch was quickly closed, and the seawater poured into several water tanks in front and behind the submarine, the diesel engine on the submarine has been turned off, and the battery is turned into power for the propulsion motor, and in less than a minute, the submarine disappeared from the sea.

"What is it?" The officers all came to the command compartment.

"An airplane, which looks like a fighter, should not have spotted us." Xu Lei wiped off the sea water on his head, "Depth 120, speed 4, keep quiet."

"Depth 120.Speed 4.First ten, five on the tail, steady point, don't be too fast!"

"Major, sound contact, damn it, we've hit the jackpot this time!" The listener shouted.

Everyone became nervous, Xu Lei glanced at the surrounding officers, and their guess was not wrong, the 52nd Task Force did not immediately go south, and the destination was Christmas Island

"What now?" The chief engineer turned his head back.

"The torpedo is ready for launch." Xu Lei gave an order to the gun commander, "Now, let's wait patiently, maybe the U.S. military won't find us."

The red light flashed, and the officers and men became nervous, and the six torpedo tubes located in the bow of the boat were all equipped with 650-meter heavy torpedoes. Xu Lei has always remained calm, he did not panic, and now panic will not have any effect. And Xu Lei did not forget an important thing, that is, to report back the situation of the discovery of the US fleet.