On the afternoon of 3 February, about 500 kilometers northwest of Pohnpei Island, a large fleet was sailing southeast at a speed of 20 knots. This fleet is the fleet composed of the 1st, 3rd and 4th capital ship fleets of the combined fleet of the island country's navy. Their goal was to go to Pohnpei Island.

Of course, if the German Navy did not send a fleet to intercept them, this fleet would have taken action against those airfields on Pohnpei Island and destroyed them. And if the German Navy sends the main fleet to intercept it, the combined fleet of the island navy wants to take this opportunity to destroy the main ships of the German Navy in the Pacific Ocean in one fell swoop. Perhaps because of their strong confidence in the performance of their own capital ships, the senior generals of the combined fleet of the island nation's navy believed that they could win the duel.

On the battleship Kii, Vice Admiral Yoshida Zengo had a serious expression. This time, he was ordered to lead three capital ship battle teams, naturally hoping to win. But at the same time, he also knows how big the risks are, and if he makes a mistake, the consequences will be unimaginable.

"How long will it be before it gets dark?" Lieutenant General Yoshida asked.

For this fleet of capital ships, the aircraft of the German Navy will be their worst enemy. Only after dark did those planes not be able to take off for combat. That's when they're really safe.

"General, it will be dark in four hours. Calculate the time, if the Germans were going to send planes to attack us, it should be within this hour. If it was too late, it would have been dark by the time their plane returned. Chief of Staff of the 1st Capital Ship Squadron Furu Shigeru Osaku reported.

Lieutenant General Yoshida Zengo nodded: "How is the situation with the air search radar?" As soon as the Germans find their planes, immediately notify the aircraft carrier team and let them take off their fighters to assist us in air defense! ”

Although, these warships of the navy of the island countries are also equipped with a lot of anti-aircraft weapons. But even so, Lieutenant General Yoshida Zengo did not have the confidence to withstand the enemy's air strike. Fortunately, the 1st and 2nd Carrier Fleets of the Combined Fleet were only more than 200 kilometers apart from them. As soon as the radar detects the enemy, it can immediately request the carrier team to send aircraft to assist them in air defense. In this case, the certainty of resisting the attack of the German Navy aircraft is undoubtedly much greater.

"General, the air defense radar is working well, and at the moment the planes of the Germans have not been detected. The contact with the aircraft carrier force is also unimpeded. The aircraft carrier squadron always maintains dozens of air defense fighters on duty in the sky, and once the enemy is discovered, they can immediately rush to reinforce us. Fukuru Shigeru reported.

After confirming that there were no problems, Lieutenant General Yoshida Zengo breathed a sigh of relief. He knew that as long as they held out until dark, it would be time for them to take the initiative. When the time comes, the powerful main guns of these 12 battleships of theirs can destroy all enemies. This time, the plan will have a very high chance of success.

The combined fleet of the island nation was lucky, although the German navy sent a number of ships, submarines, and planes to search for them. But in the vast sea, even a large fleet is only a drop in the ocean, and trying to find them is like looking for a needle in a haystack. So, until dark, the German Navy did not find any trace of the Combined Fleet. And at this moment, the main ship fleet of the combined fleet is only more than three hundred kilometers away from Pohnpei Island. By two o'clock in the morning on February 4 at the latest, they would be able to reach Pohnpei.

On the USS Aries, Conrad? Admiral Abrecht and Oscar, Chief of Staff of the Fleet? Both of them, Lieutenant General Kumets, frowned. The combined fleet of the island's navy seemed to have disappeared, which made them feel a great threat.

"Damn, where did those islanders hide? Didn't our planes and ships find them? "Conrad? Admiral Abrecht said angrily.

"General, I didn't find it before dark. After dark, it will be even more difficult to find them! "Oscar? Lieutenant General Kumets said.

"What is certain, however, is that the islanders must have come from the airport on this island of Pohnpei. We have a large number of aircraft deployed there, which poses a great threat to the island's navy. Until they find our fleet, they will certainly try to destroy those airfields, just as they did in the Mariana Islands. "Oscar? Lieutenant General Kumetz continued.

Conrad? The expression on Admiral Abrecht's face kept changing, and if the airfield on Pohnpei Island was also destroyed, it would undoubtedly be a great loss for the German Navy. What's more, it was won by the islanders twice in a row, which was also a big blow to the morale of the fleet. These generals are also shameless!

"Let the airfields on the island be prepared, once the navy of the island country breaks through to a more dangerous distance, all the combat planes on the island must take off and transfer to the Bismarck Islands!" Conrad? Admiral Abrecht ordered. In the absence of any other way, the only way to do this is to ask the combat planes on the island to be transferred, so that even if the airfield is destroyed, at least most of the strength can be preserved.

"Yes, General. Perhaps, we can find them too! "Oscar? Lieutenant General Kumets said.

The luck of the island country's navy can't be so good all the time. In fact, it is.

At 8:30 p.m. on February 3, a submarine of the German Navy discovered the traces of the main fleet of the island nation's navy 260 kilometers northwest of Pohnpei Island.

It was only after the island fleet left that the submarine surfaced and sent a telegram.

The telegram was delivered to Conrad for the first time? In the hands of Admiral Abrecht.

"It's good, the islanders turned out to be here! Our main fleet, how far are they from here? "Conrad? Admiral Abrecht asked.

Now that traces of the island nation's navy have been discovered, the next step is to fight. As long as the island navy can be defeated in battle, then the crisis on Pohnpei Island can be resolved.

Although, the vast majority of the capital ships of the island country's navy are cutting-edge capital ships with advanced performance. The main ships of the German Navy were almost all old ships. But, Conrad? Admiral Abrecht was still full of confidence in the main fleet of the German Navy. He believed that even in a head-to-head duel, the main fleet of the German Navy would not be left behind. What's more, it was still fighting at night, and the main fleet of the German Navy should have a greater advantage.