The fleet sailed north for ten hours, and had reached the eastern waters of Wake Island, and the chickens and themselves had gradually darkened, because they sailed downstream, so the fleet's sailing speed was actually more than 24 knots, in order to keep the battleship in good condition as much as possible, after dark, Huang Xiaotian asked the fleet to reduce the speed to 18 knots to avoid serious accidents, so as to delay the fleet's actions.

In the morning, Huang Xiaotian revised the fleet's reconnaissance plan, and he did not contact the shore-based aviation units on the Kwajalein Atoll, because the fleet was too close to Wake Island, and the short-wave signal from the radio station was very likely to be picked up by the US military station on Wake Island, thus exposing the fleet's whereabouts. The fleet still maintained a combat state, but before six o'clock, after the last batch of reconnaissance planes returned to the fleet, Huang Xiaotian told the pilots to seize the time to rest, and no one knew whether they would encounter the Fifth Fleet tomorrow, or what kind of trouble they would encounter.

The navigation operations of the fleet were all in charge of Yan Yulong, and Huang Xiaotian didn't worry about it. During the day, after making two rounds around the battleship and dealing with a few minor problems, he had been thinking about the danger he was facing. Like Tan Renhao, Huang Xiaotian is not the kind of person who will easily change after making a decision, which also reflects his perseverance and tenacity, but he always feels a little uneasy. It's as if someone is spying on his every move, making him feel as if he is wearing nothing, naked and left to others to "figure it out". It's a very uncomfortable feeling, it makes him feel very uncomfortable, it is also very awkward, and it makes him feel uneasy.

After dinner, Yan Yulong returned to the command cabin, Huang Xiaotian did not persuade him to rest, as far as Huang Xiaotian knew. Yan Yulong's physical fitness is quite good, probably this is directly related to his background in an army family. After Yan Yulong served as the chief of staff of the Fourth Task Force, there were several days and three nights without rest. He still maintains vigorous energy and a clear head, and this time, he has not rested for a day and a half. Many times, Huang Xiaotian had to envy Yan Yulong, and he finally came to the conclusion that the senior officers and generals of the navy were seriously lacking in physical exercise, and perhaps it should be suggested that a separate fitness cabin should be set up on the aircraft carrier, so that the officers and men on the battleship would have the opportunity to exercise. And not like it is now. After the shift change, I went to play poker or brag.

Huang Xiaotian didn't go to rest, he wasn't tired. It was the strong sense of uneasiness that prevented him from calming down, which made him a little extra excited. And can't go to rest. He jogged twice on the flight deck before heading towards the island. Sweating made his blood flow faster, and it also made his breathing more rapid, and after the exercise, a large amount of oxygen was sent to the brain, making him feel extraordinarily awake, and it was at this time that Huang Xiaotian suddenly found the reason for his uneasiness.

"Yulong, follow me. Bring a sea map! ”

Yan Yulong was discussing something with several staff officers in a low voice, and he looked up at Huang Xiaotian in surprise. Then he rolled up a few charts on the chart table and followed Huang Xiaotian out of the command cabin. The two went straight to Huang Xiaotian's cabin, and after closing the door, Huang Xiaotian asked Yan Yulong to spread the chart on the table leaning against the bulkhead, less than half a square meter, while he himself went to pour two glasses of white water.

"I started to think a little bit out of the blue." Huang Xiaotian was thirsty, and after sweating profusely, he felt a dry mouth. "Do you think that the U.S. bombing of Gardner and Lysan was a little too early?

Yan Yulong frowned slightly, and his expression suddenly became vigilant.

"If the U.S. military's purpose is to attack Midway, and use Midway to force us into a decisive battle with the Fifth Fleet, then the U.S. military has no reason to expose their intentions in advance." Huang Xiaotian pulled a chair over and sat down next to Yan Yulong, "According to the speed of the Fifth Fleet, it is already very good to reach the waters near Midway Island on the 25th. Even if the US military wants to destroy the airfields on Gardner Island and Lysan Island in advance to prevent the Fifth Fleet from being discovered by our shore-based reconnaissance planes, then concentrating its forces on bombing on the 24th is the best choice; even if it cannot reach the target within one day, it is impossible for our long-range reconnaissance planes and long-range water patrol planes to be dispatched during the US bombing, and the Fifth Fleet will still be able to pass near these two islands without knowing it. And today is only the 23rd, and the bombing campaign of the US military can only expose its fundamental intentions! ”

After speaking, Huang Xiaotian took another sip of water, it was from this point that he sensed the danger, and his feeling was no longer uneasy, but real danger.

Yan Yulong thought quickly. "Indeed, as long as the intentions of the US military are exposed, then the possibility of forcing us to appear is much lower, and it is clearly telling us to take advantage of our position as soon as possible to avoid a surprise attack by the Fifth Fleet."

"In addition, Han Shaofeng also has enough time to prepare, and it will be even more difficult for the Fifth Fleet to sneak attack Midway." Huang Xiaotian walked towards the corner of the wall with a water cup in the thermos, he wanted to have another drink, "Spruance can't ignore this important issue, so why did the U.S. military start bombing today?" ”

Yan Yulong turned around, his gaze stayed on Huang Xiaotian for half a minute, and when Huang Xiaotian put down the thermos, he said, "You mean, this was deliberately arranged by the US military?" ”

Huang Xiaotian nodded, and then sat back in his chair. He set the glass aside, then picked up a pencil and marked the route of Task Force 4 on the chart. "If we do not know the fundamental intentions of the US military, and insist that the US military will take the opportunity of attacking Midway to launch a surprise attack, then we will certainly return to the waters of Midway as soon as possible, and appear west of Midway Island to occupy a favorable defensive position, and then the Fifth Fleet will not dare to bomb the airfield on Midway Island easily, but will deal with us first. And we are now taking the shortest route. ”

"If the Fifth Fleet is ambushed here......" Yan Yulong hesitated for a moment, "There is a problem, unless Spruance already knows that we are in the southeast waters of Wake Island, he will not be able to ambush us on this route. ”

"Even if Spruance doesn't know that we're setting off from the waters southeast of Wake Island, he still has a chance to ambush." Huang Xiaotian marked several other routes on the chart. Finally, a sea area was circled with a red pencil. "At the very least, Spruance knew that we would operate under the cover of shore-based fighters and try to avoid taking risks. Therefore, he will judge that we may be on those routes. And if we want to reach the western waters of Midway, then these routes will eventually converge in the waters southwest of Midway! ”

Yan Yulong's gaze was fixed on the sea area on the chart. "If the Fifth Fleet is ambushed here, then we are in danger."

"Nine times out of ten, the Fifth Fleet is here." Huang Xiaotian tapped this place with his fist, "Moreover, we are waiting for us to throw ourselves into the net!" ”

Yan Yulong didn't rush to speak, but quickly calculated, and then said, "If the Fifth Fleet sails east on the 20th." Even if you go at cruising speed. It's possible to get here now. If it had been determined that MacArthur had requested the Fifth Fleet to move to the Southwest Pacific theater, they would have only needed to maintain a speed of 18 to 20 knots and would most likely have reached this area this evening. ”

Huang Xiaotian nodded slightly. "And we're going to be in the sea tomorrow afternoon. One afternoon was enough time for Spruance to organize the bombers on six aircraft carriers. Four rounds of bombardment were launched in a row. ”

"Then let's slow down ......"

"If we slow down, we'll pass through this area tomorrow night. But the problem is that if Spruance also thinks that we will feel threatened, and take advantage of the night to go north. He would then make the fleet as maneuverable as possible, and we would not be able to leave the range of the two task forces of the Fifth Fleet in one night, and eventually we would still be ambushed, but the time would be changed from the afternoon of the 24th to the morning of the 25th. ”

"But ......," Yan Yulong suddenly glanced at Huang Xiaotian in surprise. You mean, we use this opportunity to deal with the Fifth Fleet? ”

Huang Xiaotian immediately laughed. "Since the Fifth Fleet can ambush us. So why don't we ambush the Fifth Fleet? Spruance did not dare to engage in a night battle with us, at least the little escort warship in his possession could not match a dozen of our heavy cruisers and nearly 20 ground destroyers. Therefore, Spruance had to expand the search area as much as possible, and we sailed between 210 and 360 nautical miles in a night, and to ensure a successful ambush, the distance between the two American task forces was more than 100 nautical miles, so that the search could be completed and there would be enough time to attack. As a result, Spruance's two task forces are separated, and it will take at least three hours to rendezvous, and we can take advantage of this opportunity to take out one of the task forces before dealing with the other. ”

"The question is, how do we find one of the task forces and avoid getting out of range of the other task force?" Yan Yulong asked a very realistic question, "We don't even know the specific deployment of Spruance now, these are all speculation." ”

"Then we'll be on standby in this area." Huang Xiaotian circled a Xindi sea area on the chart, "The fleet will be able to reach this sea area tomorrow morning, and I will adjust the flight route of the reconnaissance plane." The two task forces of the Fifth Fleet are most likely to be deployed in the north and south, we will try to capture this fleet in the south, and then concentrate all our forces to destroy it, and then go south at full speed to avoid engaging the other task force at the same time, and when we have replenished the lost bombers and pilots, and get rid of the pursuit of the American fleet, we will reflexively kill back to Midway Island and have a break with Spruance! ”

Looking at Huang Xiaotian's confident look, Yan Yulong was not so sure. He pondered for a while, and then asked, "What if the U.S. forces attack Midway directly?" ”

"Does Spruance have the guts to attack Midway before he finds us?"

Yan Yulong frowned slightly, this is indeed Spruance's death hole.

"At the very least, Spruance will decide to clean up us first or blow up Han Shaofeng's fighters on the ground after he knows our approximate location." Huang Xiaotian took out a cigarette, and after he started to get excited, he didn't have a habit of smoking. "As long as we don't show up, Spruance will have to leave a way out, and the most he can do is arrange for a task force to bomb Midway, and the other task force will have to hide. This is our chance, as long as the two task forces of the United States are separated, then it is easy to be attacked, and Spruance will not make such a mistake, he is quite risky to keep the two task forces 100 nautical miles apart. ”

"Then we can't stay in this sea area for too long, otherwise, we will be easily discovered, and even be flanked by two task forces." Yan Yulong said as he took out a cigarette from his cigarette case.

"Yes, one day at most." Huang Xiaotian lit a cigarette for Yan Yulong. "It's tomorrow, it's best to find the target, if we can't find it, then we will immediately run for our lives and make a circle to the western waters of Midway."

Yan Yulong nodded, and he didn't raise any further objections.

Half an hour later, Yan Yulong revised the course and speed of the fleet, and then worked out a new navigation route with the navigation staff. And he also had a very important thing, which was to design several escape routes for the fleet, and if he did not encounter the Fifth Fleet, he had to design a new route to the western waters of Midway.

Huang Xiaotian re-planned the flight route of the reconnaissance plane that night and adjusted the bombing plan. In order to spot the Fifth Fleet as quickly as possible and eliminate possible dangers around it, he had to let the reconnaissance planes set off before dawn. Moreover, the key reconnaissance direction is the sea area north of the fleet. Of course, Huang Xiaotian has not forgotten the threats that will definitely arise in other directions, especially in the east and south. Therefore, when arranging reconnaissance operations, he still arranged a few reconnaissance planes to the east and south of the fleet, and perhaps these reconnaissance planes would not be fruitful, but they would be much stronger than nothing.

By the time I was done with all this, it was already past two o'clock in the morning. Huang Xiaotian returned to the cabin, ready to seize the time to rest for a while, he didn't ask Yan Yulong if he went to sleep, as far as he knew, even if Yan Yulong was allowed to rest now, Yan Yulong couldn't sleep, who called him so energetic that people envied?