"As early as 30 October, Chief Yamamoto's flagship, the Yamato, intercepted information indicating that there were frequent enemy activities in the Nagasaki area, especially enemy patrol planes. This strongly suggests that it is possible that an enemy fleet has already departed from its bases off the coast of China. However, the Combined Fleet Command did not even give Vice Admiral Nagumo any warning! ”

"Vice Admiral Nagumo and his staff were indignant when they learned that the Combined Fleet Command had intercepted this radio information and had guessed that the enemy had moved. Why didn't the Combined Fleet Command relay this extremely important enemy situation to the mobile unit in a timely manner, so that it could avoid the danger of any surprise attack and rescue Nagasaki in time? ”

"This unfortunate oversight occurred for two reasons: First, the Combined Fleet Command rashly believed that the aircraft carrier squadron was closer to the enemy than Chief Yamamoto's fleet and would naturally intercept these circumstances, and Vice Admiral Nagumo would make decisions based on them. Secondly, they feared that radio communication between the two forces would reveal their own position to the enemy. ”

In any case, Admiral Yamamoto's failure to give the necessary precautionary instructions to the troops under his command was an important reason for the great defeat of Yamamoto in the Battle of Midway. His fault was to be too preoccupied with keeping the radio silent. At the end of this operation, Rear Admiral Kusaka went to the Yamato to report on the situation of the aircraft carrier squadron and learned of this oversight of the Combined Fleet Command for the first time. It is not difficult to imagine how angry he was and how heavy his heart was at that time. Of course he was going to say, 'Oh my God! How many times have I told them not to do this! It would be great if we kept us up to date on this situation......! ’”

"But it's not just the Combined Fleet Command that's responsible. Tokyo's military command was also partly responsible, as it sent another telegram to the Combined Fleet about the activities of the enemy fleet in the waters near the island of Taiwan. This telegram can only be understood as the enemy has not yet noticed the movements of the Imperial fleet. ”

"The Military Command Department was initially opposed to the Home Combat Plan, but once it agreed to the Plan, it had greater responsibility for the operation as a whole than the Combined Fleet Command. A few days before this decisive battle, it was busy gathering all the information about the enemy's activities. Of particular interest to intelligence officers were indications that a Chinese fleet was still operating around the Solomon Islands. If this is the case, as the Military Command thinks, it is a very strong proof that the enemy has not yet discovered our intentions, for if he did, it would have been clear that the enemy would have recalled from the South-West Pacific all the few aircraft carriers they had left. Although the Military Command Department intercepted the enemy's urgent telegrams in the coastal areas of China on several occasions, they still adhered to their initial judgment. This may be due to the fact that I have always had a tendency to think wishfully, and this tendency has permeated our actions throughout the course of the war. ”

"The storm of battle is coming, and for the first time in months, the god of fate doesn't seem to be beckoning us to smile. However, the battle plan did not change in any way, and the fleets of the Imperial Navy rushed forward in the fog, like horses pulling mail carts galloping blindly under the crackling of a whip......"

Just when Mitsuo Fuchida was anxious and hesitating, the same thing was happening on another fleet.

"Kato-kun, what are you thinking?"

On the bridge of the battleship "Shinano", Vice Admiral Inoue Narumi looked at Chief of Staff Yokosuke Kato, who was standing there, and asked curiously.

Under the strong sea breeze, Kato Yanyou's figure looked a little thin, he held the guard with both hands, and looked at the vast sea from afar, as if he was in deep thought.

"Sir, I'm wondering what kind of reaction the U.S. Navy will have after the loss of Pearl Harbor." Hisunuke Kato said.

"He is worthy of being Chief Yamamoto's most important staff officer, and he always has unexpected ideas in his head." Inoue Narumi smiled, "I thought you were thinking about how to fight the Shina fleet." ”

In March 1942, after the whole territory of Hawaii was captured by the Japanese army, Pearl Harbor and the fortress of Oahu became an embattled island, and the Japanese army then carried out a fierce attack on Oahu, although the U.S. Navy and Army guarding Oahu resisted for three months, but under the indiscriminate bombardment and crazy attack at any cost, Pearl Harbor was captured by the Japanese army, and most of the forts and fortifications of Oahu were destroyed by the artillery fire and bombs of the Japanese army. In May 1942, the last high-ranking U.S. officers were evacuated in submarines. Some American troops, who did not have time to retreat, used underground fortifications to resist until the end of October 1942.

After the fall of Pearl Harbor, the West Coast of the United States was directly exposed to the bayonets of the Japanese army.

"Although we are reinforcing Chief Yamamoto's main fleet now, it is the aircraft carrier fleet of Chief Nagumo and Chief Yamaguchi who will decide the outcome of the battle." Kato Yanyu looked at the sea and said softly.

Not far away, on the sea, four large aircraft carriers of the "Yunryu" class, "Unryu", "Amagi", "Katsuragi", and "Kasaki" were breaking the waves. Behind the battleship "Shinano" was the battleship "Mino".

Born in Hyogo Prefecture in 1913, the staff officer Kato Yanyu Osa, is only less than 165 cm tall, because of his small stature, and has a handsome appearance that is more outstanding than a beauty, coupled with a soft tone between men and women, so he has the title of "Sea Banshee", Major General Yamaguchi Tawen once joked: "Staff Officer Kato does not need makeup, she is a stunning beauty." ”

In fact, unlike the "Apkiki" fashion of the Navy, Kato Yansuke has never liked to go to geisha clubs or anything, and he never drinks, so much so that some people suspect that he is a woman in the first place.

And it is this person who is like a beauty, but he is the heir of Akiyama Shinyuki, a real genius staff officer recognized in the Navy.

Isuke Kato studied at the University of Pennsylvania in the United States, received a doctorate degree in engineering, and set a record for the fastest graduation in two years and three months!

In addition, Hisuke Kato is a linguistic genius and is fluent in eleven languages. When Yamamoto was a military attache at the U.S. Embassy, he was Yamamoto's first secretary. Hisunuke Kato is a very good person, not as weird as another "genius" who is full of stench smells. As we all know, Tamon Yamaguchi and Tadaichi Nagumo have a very poor relationship, but Kato Yanyu is able to reconcile the two well and prevent malicious quarrels between them.

"You have said more than once that if there are no aircraft carriers, it is better for the combined fleet not to attack." Inoue said, "This time is the best time to test your claims." ”

"It's not clear about the situation of the main fleet of China, so it's hard to say some things." "But one thing is for sure, after this naval battle, the tide of the battle will definitely change significantly." ”

"What a longed-for victory!" Inoue Narumi seemed to be a little unable to suppress the excitement in her heart, "If you can completely destroy the Shina fleet, the Pacific Ocean will be the inner lake of Yuben!" ”

"Yes! But it's not that easy......" said Yokosuke Kato softly, "especially the aircraft carriers of the Shina Navy......"

Just then, a shrill siren suddenly sounded.

"Enemy reconnaissance aircraft spotted!" The lookout post shouted.

Inoue Narumi and Kato looked up at the sky in unison, and the clouds in the sky were very low, and there seemed to be a few small black dots moving in the dark clouds. Hikosuke Kato raised his binoculars and immediately saw a Chinese Navy reconnaissance plane trying to burrow into the clouds.

"It's a reconnaissance plane of the Shina," said Kato Yanyou, "and there may be a fleet of Shinas in this area." ”

At this time, on the Chinese reconnaissance plane, the correspondent looked at the white tracks on the gray sea and hurriedly issued wireless telegrams.

The main Chinese fleet, the battleship "Fuxi", the command tower.

"The news from the Admiralty is that the reconnaissance planes of the 10th Detachment Fleet in the Pacific Ocean have spotted a fleet of the Navy," Zhang Enming said, pointing to the charts, "in the area of the Northern Mariana Sea, two battleships and four large aircraft carriers. ”

"Looks like he's from Hawaii." Chu Yangwei's thick eyebrows suddenly twisted into two black bumps, "It's really fast enough!" ”

"In this case, the location where we and I will fight again will have to be changed." Zhang Enming said.

"We retreated to the southeast, originally because we were afraid that I would not take the bait." Chu Yangwei said, "But now I have a halfway way to bite the gold, grandma's ......"

This time, China's capital ships turned to the southeast and retreated, instead of directly withdrawing to the waters off Taiwan, because the purpose of withdrawing to Taiwan's waters was too obvious, and once the fleet discovered that the Chinese fleet was planning to lure the enemy, it would inevitably lose all its efforts. Therefore, Chu Yangwei planned to attract the Yue army fleet in this way, and when the weather was suitable for the carrier-based aircraft to take off, he would fight with the Yue army fleet again. According to the plan, a fleet commanded by Vice Admiral Chen Dingyuan consisting of the "Chiyou" super battleship, six "Republican" class battleships, and four "Dragon King" class aircraft carriers will depart from Keelung, Taiwan, to support Chu Yangwei's operations. Originally, Chu Yangwei's preset battlefield was to the west of Wake Island and the waters south of the Ogasawara Islands, and the Admiralty's original idea was to let the fleet take the bait, let a group of land-based attack planes attack from Taiwan to the northeast, and then turn to Micronesia in the south, land at the island airfield there, and carry out shuttle bombing, so as to achieve the goal of annihilating the fleet.

But now, the sudden appearance of this fleet at full speed has disrupted the original battle plan of the Chinese Navy.

"The 'Chiyou' formation has already set off from Taiwan." Chu Yangwei looked at the watch on his wrist and said, "It seems that it's not a good thing that the plan is too complicated!" ”

"We'd better turn ahead of now and rendezvous with the 'Chiyou' formation." Zhang Enming said, "Otherwise, once our aircraft carriers are defeated, the entire fleet will be in danger." ”

"That's it!" Chu Yangwei thought for a moment and gave the order loudly, "Turn to the southwest!" Right away! ”

With the order given, the huge ships that sailed in the sea like mountains began to turn their huge bodies and change their course.

"Why did you suddenly change course?"

In the bottom compartment of the battleship "Fuxi", the old sailor Meng Guangliang noticed the change of the battleship and couldn't help but ask.

"It's turned southwest, and it's going full speed." Another more experienced veteran sailor, Cheng Jiawei, also said.

"We're going to play a game of 'speed of life and death' with myself, haha!" Someone laughed.

"How can you turn at this time......" Meng Guangliang muttered.

"What, Meng Ye has an idea?" When a young sailor Wang Antai heard Meng Guangliang's words, he couldn't help laughing, "Do you need to tell the commander?" ”

Listening to Wang Antai's words, the other sailors all laughed.

Wang Antai turned his head to look at Meng Guangliang, and just wanted to say a few more words of teasing, but suddenly saw the terrified look in Meng Guangliang's eyes, and couldn't help but be startled.

"That's ...... In the direction of the 'Sea of Demons'! Meng Guangliang's face suddenly turned a little blue, and he slowly fell down as if he had had a heart attack.

"What 'Sea of Demons'? …… Yes? Meng Ye? What's wrong with you? Wang Antai saw that Meng Guang looked like he was having a heart attack, and the smile on his face couldn't help but stiffen, and Zheng Jiawei also noticed the abnormality, and immediately ran to his side with Wang Antai and several other sailors and helped him.

"'Sea of Demons'!" Sea of Demons' Ah! ”

Zheng Jiawei saw the fear in Meng Guangliang's eyes, and listened to him keep muttering the word "Demon Sea", as if he suddenly remembered something, and his face changed.

"'Sea of Demons'? Where is it? Could it be that we ......" Wang Antai sensed the abnormality and looked at Zheng Jiawei with an inquiring gaze, "Master Zheng, do you know what's going on?" ”

"I've heard of some, mainly from my ......side," Cheng Jiawei said vaguely. Just then, Boatswain Zhao Shi walked in.

"What's going on here? What are you doing? Zhao Shi's gaze swept over the crowd gathered together, and he asked sharply.

"Report to the chief, old Meng ......" Wang Antai met Zheng Jiawei's gaze and immediately shrank the words behind.

"I made a little mistake just now, I've already taken medicine, it's not in the way, it's not in the way." Meng Guangliang stood up holding Wang Antai's hand.

"Is it really okay? Old Meng? Do you need to go to the infirmary? Zhao Shi noticed that Meng Guangliang's face was a little ugly, and his color was a little pale, and asked.

"Boss, it's okay, it's okay." Meng Guangliang waved his hand and said.

"Okay, let's all go back to our respective posts!" Zhao Shi said, and the sailors dispersed.

Zhao Shi checked it, and after making sure that everything was normal, he was about to turn around and go out, but Meng Guangliang suddenly couldn't help but ask, "Boss, are we...... Heading southwest? ”

Zhao Shi was slightly stunned, he looked at Meng Guangliang, and nodded affirmatively, "I found a fleet from Hawaii that is heading towards us, so we have to turn ahead of time so that we can meet the support fleet from Taiwan." ”

"In the midst of the big war, everyone must fulfill their duties, understand?" Zhao Shi said.

"Yes!" The sailors replied in unison. Zhao Shi looked at everyone with satisfaction, then turned around and went out.

As soon as Zhao Shi's figure disappeared, Wang Antai came to Meng Guangliang's side, and he noticed that Meng Guangliang seemed to be "sick" when he heard Zhao Shi's answer.

"I'm really going to the 'Dragon Triangle'!" Meng Guangliang let out a long sigh, "That's the 'Sea of Demons'......"

"What the hell is going on? What dragon triangle, the Sea of Demons? Wang Antai asked in surprise.

"yes, what's going on?"

"Master Meng, you are an old seaworker, how can you let something be scared like this?" The other sailors asked.

"The name 'Dragon Triangle' is my own statement. This area is roughly located between Tokyo Bay, Ogasawara Islands, Guam and Yap Island in the east of Taiwan, and covers an area of about 100,000 square kilometers. Zheng Jiawei looked at everyone and replied for Meng Guangliang, "Like our China, Yueben is also a country that believes in dragons very much, but the dragons of Yueben are not the same as Chinese dragons, and they are not the same as those in the West. In the mythology of the book, the dragon is a relatively terrifying creature with very terrifying powers, which is not the same as our Chinese understanding of dragons. In the ancient mythology of the book, the creator god of the book, Anotesu, once used his sword to cut down an evil dragon, and the dragon is a threat in the mythology of the book, and it is a relatively terrifying image. Calling this place the 'Dragon Triangle' doesn't mean much. ”

"Then why is it called 'Sea of Demons'?" A sailor asked.

"Of course, it's because in this part of the sea, ships often get into trouble." Zheng Jiawei said, "There are many ships, no matter how big they are, when they get here, there is no shadow, as if they were taken away by the demons, so they are called 'Devil's Sea'." ”

"Why haven't you heard of it before!?" Wang Antai asked, "Is there a record in the history books?" ”

"Absolutely. In 1274, Kublai Khan, the ancestor of the Yuan dynasty, organized a huge fleet of more than 900 ships to attack Yuben. The outcome turned out to be predictable. But more than half of the fleet sank in the storm generated by the Dragon Triangle. Thus, the first attack of the Yuan army on Yuben ended in a major disaster. About 25,000 Yuan troops were killed or missing in that disaster. In 1281, Kublai Khan again launched a larger attack on Yuben. This time, he sent 3,000 warships and 140,000 men to attack Yuben, but he suffered a similar disaster, most of the ships were destroyed, and more than half of the officers and men were killed and wounded. Because of these two events, the Dragon Triangle gained a reputation for ferocity and viciousness, and it is said that he himself has a legend of the terrible evil dragons that live there underwater. ”

"This is to say that in the past few years, not to mention foreign countries, there are many people who have disappeared there." Cheng Jiawei said.

(To be continued)