After Lei Shaoqing announced that the bomber group led by Deng Zichao had successfully bombed the Japanese Emperor's Palace, that the Emperor had issued a special order to commend the First Task Force and the First Air Wing, and that Zong Hanqin, the acting prime minister of the empire, had also personally called the Admiralty to reward the First Task Force, the war room was boiling, especially those staff officers who had taken turns to rest during the day and only learned of the news were even more excited.

Tan Renhao was also very happy, in addition to blowing up the Japanese Imperial Palace, Deng Zichao also returned safely to the mainland airfield of the empire, and among the pilots who followed him to participate in the bombing operation, 54 people returned safely, and only nine "Ospreys" were shot down, and the whereabouts of the pilots are unknown. This price is worth it, because the impact of the bombing of the Japanese Imperial Palace on the emperor is far greater than the loss of nine "Ospreys" and eighteen pilots!

"Guys, our combat mission has been completed, and according to the plan, we should return to Naha Port now, but a new challenge has arisen!" Lei Shaoqing pressed his hand and quieted down the staff officers, "The Japanese Combined Fleet has gone north, and the Navy Command has asked us to find an opportunity to annihilate the Japanese Combined Fleet and achieve the goal of seizing sea supremacy in the Western Pacific." Therefore, we cannot return to Naha Port right now, and we have a decisive battle with the Japanese Navy! ”

The staff officers all quieted down, and they all looked at Lei Shaoqing and Tan Renhao.

"Actually, this is my decision, not that of the Imperial Navy Command." Tan Renhao stood up, he had already controlled his excitement. "The command of the Navy only asked us to decide whether or not to have a decisive battle with the Japanese Combined Fleet, depending on the situation, and I after thorough consideration. I think this is a rare opportunity. ”

The staff officers were all quiet, Tan Renhao had already led the First Task Force (Fifth Fleet) to several major victories, and they did not doubt the young commander's ability to command the fleet in battle, but there were still officers who did not agree with this.

"Commander, we have completed our mission, and now the strength of the fleet is not at its peak. Why should we have a decisive battle with the Japanese Navy? "The question was asked by a captain officer. Because Tan Renhao also started as an ordinary staff officer, he did not restrict staff officers from raising doubts. He was well aware that some of the opinions of the staff officers could have a decisive impact, just as they had been made in those days.

Tan Renhao laughed, he first sat down the captain officer, and then said, "This, I also know very well. We have already achieved the main purpose of this combat operation, which can be considered in terms of the overall situation of the war. If we can seize this opportunity to annihilate the Japanese Combined Fleet, then for the first time, the empire will have a superior position in the naval battlefield and will be able to seize sea supremacy in the western Pacific region, which will have a great impact on the development of future wars. If we miss this opportunity, I'm afraid it's hard for us to get the best opportunity. ”

As soon as the other staff officer stood up and was about to put forward his idea, Tan Renhao immediately raised his hand and asked him to sit down.

"Of course. I also know that now the fleet is missing two bomber units, and in the absence of several dozen bombers, will we be able to win? That's what worries me as well, and I've thought about it for a long time. Tan Renhao walked to the middle of the staff officer, "Let's first consider the actions of the Japanese Combined Fleet. Right now. Yamamoto Sixty-Five must have known about the bombing of the Emperor's Palace, so the Japanese Combined Fleet would inevitably move at full speed to find us for a decisive battle. It's our challenge, but it's also our opportunity. Now, the initiative on the battlefield is in our hands, and it is up to us to decide whether to fight or leave, but the Japanese Combined Fleet does not have this power, and they can only choose to fight. And there is no option to retreat. If Yamamoto Sixty-Five retreats at this time. Then he would be the national sinner of Japan, and he would take all the responsibility for the bombing of the Emperor's Palace. Therefore. Yamamoto Sixty-Five can't retreat, he must catch up. Why don't we take advantage of this opportunity? ”

There was silence in the staff headquarters, and at first none of the staff officers who wanted to give their opinions stood up.

"Actually, the Japanese Combined Fleet is not as terrible as we imagined." Lei Shaoqing also walked over, "Although the Japanese Combined Fleet also has three aircraft carriers, the actual number of fighters carried is about the same as ours. Of course, we would not have given the Japanese battleships the opportunity to bombard with their main guns. Finally, even if we can't beat it, we can escape, and we can choose to retreat west at any time. ”

"We will not retreat easily, and the Imperial Navy will never fear any enemy." Tan Renhao walked to the front desk, "Everyone, from now on, the fleet is in a state of combat readiness, if the Japanese Combined Fleet goes north at full speed, we will probably contact it at dawn tomorrow." It is believed that the Imperial Navy, the 1st Task Force will once again achieve a brilliant victory! ”

Lei Shaoqing arranged for the staff officers to return to the command cabin, and after Tan Renhao issued the battle order, the staff officers would be divided into two shifts, and the duty time of each shift would be increased to 12 hours, and at the beginning of the battle, all the staff officers must stay in their positions, so as to ensure that there were enough personnel to command the combat operations of the fleet.

Tan Renhao didn't go back to his cabin, he leaned against the railing next to the porthole, and then lit a cigarette.

"Renhao, are you confident that you can take out the Japanese Combined Fleet?" Lei Shaoqing is the one who believes in Tan Renhao the most.

"Shaoqing, what I'm worried about is not the Japanese Combined Fleet, but the attitude of the Americans." Tan Renhao smiled bitterly and handed a cigarette to Lei Shaoqing, "After the Japanese Imperial Palace was bombed, Yamamoto Sixty-five will definitely be blamed, because it was the United Fleet that had a problem that allowed us to reach the waters near the Japanese mainland, and also sent a bomber group." Do you imagine what Sixty-Five Yamamoto would be like now? ”

Lei Shaoqing immediately laughed. "You must be scolding your mother, right? However, I heard that the old boy's cultivation should be good, how to say, he is also the most talented general of the Japanese Navy in the past few decades. ”

"But he won't have a very small temper, if he doesn't scold his mother. Then I won't talk about it! Tan Renhao also laughed, and then regained his composure, "Yamamoto Sixty-Five doesn't have any choice, if he lets us go, I'm afraid he will even lose the position of commander of the Combined Fleet, he will definitely kill him!" ”

Lei Shaoqing let out a sigh, talking about Renhao's analysis is correct. But the question is, how to fight this naval battle?

followed Tan Renhao to climb on the chart table and watch for half an hour. Lei Shaoqing couldn't insist on doing it anymore, he straightened up and hit his waist a few times. "Renhao, do you want something to eat?"

Tan Renhao shook his head, still holding the scale and comparing it on the chart.

"I'll go have some supper and bring you some later." Lei Shaoqing let out a sigh, he was suspecting that Tan Renhao's waist was made of springs.

Tan Renhao shook his head. Then he nodded again, still not looking up.

Seeing his friend like this, Lei Shaoqing sighed and left the war room. There are three kinds of supper sold in the officer's canteen at night, and the flavor will be changed every night, tonight is selling cabbage and meat stuffed dumplings, Lei Shaoqing asked for two, he was going to eat in the canteen first and then go back. After thinking about it, he asked the cook on duty to put both dumplings into the lunch box, and then rushed back to the war room.

Tan Renhao still climbed on the chart, and in addition to the scale, he also had an extra pencil.

"Dude, it's time to eat. Are you going to go hungry to war? Lei Shaoqing shook his head, and pulled Tan Renhao over, and then helped Tan Renhao open the lunch box, "The cabbage and meat dumplings that have just come out of the pot, don't waste them." ”

Tan Renhao picked up the chopsticks, and as soon as he picked up a dumpling, his hand stopped in mid-air. "Shaoqing, do you think it is possible that the Japanese will choose not to attack us directly?"

Lei Shaoqing just stuffed the dumplings into his mouth, and he swallowed them hard. "Come on, let's finish eating first. You can go to war hungry. I can't! ”

Tan Renhao laughed awkwardly, and immediately buried his head in eating. As a result, in less than three minutes, twenty dumplings were wiped out by him, and even the soup was drunk. Lei Shaoqing has just eliminated half of it.

"Alright, we're done eating, let's get down to business!" Tan Renhao took out a cigarette as he spoke.

Lei Shaoqing shook his head and had to gobble up the remaining dumplings. He took the cigarette handed by Tan Renhao and said, "What did you start saying?" Little Japan is not going to attack us directly? ”

Tan Renhao nodded, his expression sank, he walked to the chart table in two or three steps, and after Lei Shaoqing followed, he said: "Come and see, the Japanese fleet is going north after arriving at the Truk base, and geographically speaking, they have two routes to choose from, one is to go north from the Mottlock Islands and take the route east of the Mariana Islands. The second is to go north from the central waters of the Caroline Islands and take the route west of the Mariana Islands. ”

"What does it matter?" Lei Shaoqing glanced at Ling Tianxiang suspiciously.

Ling Tianxiang let out a sigh, dragged a chair over, sat down and said, "Think about it carefully, if Yamamoto Sixty-Five thinks it's a trap, what will he do?" ”

Lei Shaoqing also dragged a chair over, and then sat down as well, but he didn't rush to answer this question.

"Based on the average speed of 24 knots, if the Japanese fleet takes the western route, then they will appear in the sea area about 300 nautical miles south of us tomorrow morning, and as long as our ground reconnaissance planes can determine their specific position in time, then we will launch an attack tomorrow morning." Tan Renhao grabbed Lei Shaoqing's shoulder, "If the Japanese Combined Fleet takes the eastern route, then they will be able to pass through the Mariana Islands at noon tomorrow and enter our strike range, if we can't find it at this time, then we have to prepare to retreat." ”

"Shall we reschedule the reconnaissance mission, then?" Lei Shaoqing immediately understood. If the exact location of the Japanese fleet could not be determined after dawn, then the opportunity to surprise would be lost, and in order to avoid being overtaken by the Japanese fleet at night, then the only option was to retreat.

"That's for sure, after dawn, first look for the sea to the south and determine the specific location of the Japanese fleet. The number of reconnaissance planes can be sent a little more, so that the remaining bombers are ready to attack. Tan Renhao had already thought of a way to deal with it, "If we can't find the Japanese fleet tomorrow morning, then we must let the bombers left behind reconnoiter the waters in the southeast at noon tomorrow, look for the Japanese fleet, and prepare for bombing." In this way, we can bomb at least once before it gets dark, and if we are lucky enough to find the Japanese fleet at noon, then we can strike twice. ”

"Then I'll arrange ...... right away"

"Just leave these things to the staff officers below to do, how can you, the chief of staff, act like a servant?"

Lei Shaoqing smiled bitterly, there was naturally a reason why he was so diligent. Tan Renhao is an out-and-out member of the Fifth Fleet, but he is not, he is transferred from the Southwest Fleet. In the eyes of many officers and men of the former Fifth Fleet, Lei Shaoqing relied on Tan Renhao's friend to become the chief of staff of the First Task Force, otherwise he would not have been able to sit in this position at all. In order to establish his prestige and be recognized by other officers and soldiers, Lei Shaoqing worked extremely hard.

"Actually, what worries me the most is the attitude of the Americans." Tan Renhao lit a cigarette again, and now he almost never left the cigarette in his hand, "After the assassination of Xue Xiyue, the actions of the Americans have been restrained a lot, probably because they feel disgusted with the behavior of the Japanese, or they are afraid that the empire will be angry with it." But who knows what kind of action the Americans will take? If nothing else, those US military reconnaissance planes on Guam alone are enough to put us in a desperate situation. ”

"So what should we do?"

Tan Renhao glanced at Lei Shaoqing. "What to do? Cold salad, if the Yankees dare to help Japan at this time, they will provoke Lao Tzu and blow Guam to the ground! ”

Lei Shaoqing and Tan Renhao both laughed, they both think that the United States is a powerful opponent, especially the Pacific Fleet of the United States, which is a powerful opponent, but they are not afraid of the United States.

The fleet was still sailing at full speed, and Tan Renhao spent the night in the war room looking at charts, thinking about possible scenarios. Lei Shaoqing also leaned back in the chair and fell asleep. All night, nothing happened to the fleet, and two hours before dawn the fleet woke up from its slumber