At 10 a.m. on August 18, the flagship of the British and French Combined Fleet's Warrior, the Combined Fleet Commander John Murphy was aboard the battleship. Admiral Jericho's brow furrowed. After two hours of pursuit, the distance between the main forces of the Combined Fleet and the Indian Ocean Fleet of the Chinese Navy had increased to more than 20 kilometers, but the battle cruiser formation of the Combined Fleet was only eight kilometers away from the Indian Ocean Fleet of the Chinese Navy. At the same time, the battle cruiser formation of the Combined Fleet had already launched an attack on the Indian Ocean Fleet of the Chinese Navy, but at a speed of up to 24 knots, the hull was very turbulent, and the strict zhòng affected the performance of the gunners, and after wasting more than a hundred shells, even the side of the Indian Ocean Fleet of the Chinese Navy had not yet been touched. Moreover, the reaction of the Indian Ocean Fleet of the Chinese Navy also made the British and French Navy Combined Fleet very puzzled, and in the face of the attack of the combined fleet's battle cruiser formation, the Chinese Navy did not show the slightest appearance of fighting back, and kept fleeing with a sullen head.

"Your Excellency, the Chinese Navy's cousin is very strange! Do they think that if they escape to Sicily, they will be able to escape? There are still two hours left at most, and the battle cruiser formation will be able to intercept them! "Chief of Staff of the Combined Fleet, Roslyn. Lieutenant General Wells said with some puzzlement.

"It's strange, I always feel that those cunning yellow-skinned monkeys have prepared some kind of trap. However, I can't guess exactly what the trap is. Did they deploy submarines in the sea area ahead, or did they lay mines? "John. Admiral Jericho said that he could only think of these two points if he wanted to break his head. However, the Combined Fleet has already mobilized dozens of destroyers, and even if the Chinese Navy launches a submarine attack, it may not be much cheaper. So, why didn't the Chinese Navy choose to evade, but took the initiative to provoke it. Although, now it seems, the sudden appearance of the Chinese Navy is more like a lure, drawing the combined fleet into the ambush circle of the Chinese Navy.

"Perhaps, they think they have deployed enough traps to defeat us!" Roslyn. Lieutenant General Wells said.

"Hmmm! Now it seems that this is the only possibility. Send a telegram to the battle cruiser formations to tell them to be vigilant, and to join us as soon as they find that something is wrong. In addition, the destroyer formation was ordered to strengthen anti-submarine patrols, so that the Chinese submarine forces could not take advantage of the loopholes! "John. Admiral Jericho said. He can only think of ways in these areas now, and if the Chinese really plan to use submarines as the main force of the ambush, he believes that the combined fleet will be able to deal with it. The Chinese Navy used submarines in the naval battle of the South China Sea, which caught the British Navy by surprise. The subsequent naval battle in the Red Sea was also a submarine deception of the Chinese. And the Germans used submarine tactics to the fullest in the North Sea and the Atlantic. Although the British Navy paid a heavy price for this, at the same time their anti-submarine capabilities were greatly improved. British scientists have already begun to detect instruments for submarines, but they are not yet at the practical stage.

Although the proper deployment was made, as the fleet moved further and further east, John . . . Admiral Jericho was also becoming more and more worried, and he felt that there was no reason in his heart, and that Yan Zòng's crisis was great. This may be the so-called sixth sense!

The flagship of the Indian Ocean Fleet of the Chinese Navy, the battleship Han Mingdi, at the moment the fleet is sailing at a high speed of 23 knots. In the flanks and rear of the fleet, the three battle cruisers of the British Navy were constantly closing the distance between the two sides, and at the same time constantly firing at the Chinese fleet.

However, without exception, these shells fell into the sea, splashing columns of water, and did not cause any casualties to the Indian Ocean Fleet of the Chinese Navy. Admiral Li Haitao, commander of the Indian Ocean Fleet of the Chinese Navy, was looking at a telegram from the commander of the theater of operations on the island of Sicily, saying that the air forces of two wings of the Navy had taken off and were heading towards the sea area where the Indian Ocean Fleet was located, and it was expected to arrive in half an hour.

The Naval Aviation is equipped with the 'Puffin' fighter with a maximum speed of 180 kilometers per hour, while the 'Osprey' of the 'Osprey' has a maximum speed of only 120 kilometers per hour, and the 'Fish' Eagle and dive bomber have a maximum speed of only 150 kilometers per hour. Such a speed and combat radius greatly limit the combat power of naval aviation. However, the Chinese Air Force and Navy have joined forces to develop more powerful fighters, and the speed and combat radius of the fighters will be greatly improved.

"Boom! Rumble! Rumble! "The cannonballs fired from the three battlecruisers of the battle cruiser formation of the combined fleet of the British and French Navy fell on the sea on the right side of the battleship 'Emperor Han Ming, and after the splashed column of water fell, it smashed on the surface of the sea with a crackling sound, as if it were raining rain.

"Don't these Brits know that they are wasting shells? Large-caliber shells for naval guns are not cheap, right? Vice Admiral Wu Zhiyuan, chief of staff of the Indian Ocean Fleet of the Chinese Navy, pursed his lips disdainfully and said with some distress.

"The British have money, whatever they do. It is not a problem for them to be the overlord of the sea for a hundred years, and they have plundered so many wealth points from all over the world. When we win this war and land in Britain, we must find a way to get back the wealth plundered by the British! Admiral Li Haitao, commander of the fleet, said. When the Manchus ruled China, they suffered a lot of losses at the hands of the Western powers, and many Chinese people wanted to take revenge one day. And the big war that is going on now is undoubtedly an excellent opportunity. Of course, the prerequisite is to win this war.

"Commander, how long will it take for naval aviation to come? The British were getting closer, and the shells were getting more and more accurate. Maybe it won't be long before the shells will fall on our heads! Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Wu Zhiyuan said.

"It's coming! There are more than ten minutes left! Our current location is only about 70 kilometers from Sicily. At the speed of aviation, it will take more than half an hour at most to arrive! Admiral Li Haitao said after glancing at the watch on his wrist.

Almost the officers and men of the Indian Ocean Fleet of the Chinese Navy are waiting for the appearance of naval aviation. Everyone was originally a little dissatisfied with the task of serving as a decoy this time, but thinking that the combined fleet of the British and French navies was so powerful, it could not bear the strength of the Indian Ocean Fleet alone, and it could only be used for naval aviation. However, maybe in the end, they will have a chance to beat the water dogs!

At 10:45 a.m. on August 18, 40 'Puffin' fighters of the 1st Wing of the Naval Air Force first appeared in the eastern sky, followed by H50' Ospreys and torpedo attack planes of the 2nd Wing and 40 'Fish Eagles' dive bombers of the 3rd Group.

The 4th Wing of Naval Aviation was more than 10 kilometers behind the group. The two wings, consisting of a total of more than 200 fighters, were overwhelming, and from a distance, they looked like a large flock of migratory birds. However, when these migratory birds get closer, they will show their huge bodies.

"Behold, what is that, is it a bird?!" On the battlecruiser Princess, the Royal Princess, in the Combined Fleet battlecruiser formation, a looker pointed to the eastern sky and asked his companion next to him.

"Is it migratory birds? However, the current season is not the season for migratory birds! The other lookout said, then picked up the binoculars and looked to the east.

Soon, he could see the black spots in the east, and they were not migratory birds, but planes.

"Oh God! That's not a bird, it's an airplane! Chinese planes, there are too many, all over the sky! The celebrity exclaimed.

Soon, the battle alarm sounded on the 'Royal Princess,' Although the lookout didn't know what these planes were for, he sensed that something was wrong and immediately sounded the alarm.

"What's going on?" The royal princess, the captain of the battlecruiser, asked in surprise.

"Captain, lookout hand reports that a large number of planes have appeared in the eastern sky." A staff officer reported.

"Airplanes? Planes for the Chinese? But what's the use of that thing? Did they think that toy-like thing of wood and canvas would be able to sink a battleship? ”

Royal Princess, the captain of the battlecruiser smiled disdainfully.

The other British naval officers on the bridge also laughed loudly. Although, the Chinese Air Force has used warplanes to bomb the U.S. Army on the battlefield in Mexico, and has achieved good results. Britain, France, and the United States have also joined forces to develop new aircraft, but for the majority of British officers and men, they still regard airplanes as toy, and in many cases, airplanes are only used as reconnaissance planes.

In less than ten minutes, a huge group of aircraft in the sky flew over the formation of battlecruisers of the combined fleet of the British and French Navy. Even though the officers of the British Navy were very disdainful of these planes, they were still deeply shocked when hundreds of planes appeared and almost filled the sky.

"The fighters continued to fly westward, looking for the main forces of the combined fleet. The following battlecruisers will be handed over to the brothers in the back to deal with! Rear Admiral Chen Guoguo, Wing Commander of the 1st Wing of the Naval Aviation, ordered. As the debut of naval aviation, he also personally flew fighter planes to participate in this attack.

Under the orders of Rear Admiral Tran Quoc National, the 40 Puffins of the 1st Wing, fighters continued to fly westward, searching for the main forces of the Combined Fleet. And the 40 H50' Osprey, torpedo attack aircraft and 40 H50' Fish Eagles, dive bombers in the back took the three battle cruisers below as targets and began to attack!