In the 10th Degree Strait between the Andaman and the Nicobar Islands, a fleet of four flat-topped Imperial Navy mobile fleets is returning victoriously.

However, for the two beautiful women who were lying on the flight deck of the "Dapeng" and were bored basking in the sun, the turbulence at sea over the past two months or so was not so much a "victorious march" as it was a killing of chickens with knives and cooking vegetables to make explosives.

This is a small piece of deck protruding outboard from the front of the island, which is the standby position of the deck loss management team during take-off and landing operations, and is crowded with red-painted fire hydrants and coiled rubber water pipes, and several heavy Taiping axes hanging from the bulwark.

In this relatively hidden space, which is just right to bathe in the fresh sunshine of the Indian Ocean at this time, on two randomly spread military blankets, there are two young women in knee-length swimsuits, healthy bronzed skin, and lazy and casual expressions.

Cai Guolan, a 24-year-old captain of the 504 Ship Combat Squadron on the ship, ranked second on the "Ace List" of the mobile fleet with a total record of 11 aircraft, and was also the first winner of the White Tiger Order in the fleet.

The cat-like little beauty on the side, with short ear-length hair and slightly thinner than Cai Guolan, was Qi Bing, 22 years old, a second lieutenant pilot piloting the "Thunder Eagle" attack plane of the 117th Naval Attack Squadron, who had just completed her 12th combat sortie two days earlier.

"Sister Cai, is this okay? I think there are a lot of eyes on us......" Qi Bing muttered lazily and restlessly—though it was she who first offered to run out onto the deck to bask in the sun.

Cai Guolan applied sunscreen to her exposed skin without looking back: "Fool, at this time, a man can lie on the deck bare-chested, at least we are wearing swimsuits, what's wrong with being looked at." Don't tell me you didn't swim with a man when you were in military school. ”

Qi Bing pinched his fingers and looked left and right: "Swimming is one thing, that, that, this situation is another thing entirely, there are more than 2,000 people on this boat......"

Cai Guolan stretched out her hand and pressed Qi Bing's little head: "Don't worry, this is the most hidden corner, can you see anyone if you look left and right?" This is the corner I carefully picked, the fire hydrant. The bulwarks, the anti-aircraft gun mounts, are so tightly surrounded that you can't see it from the bridge......"

"I see it."

A familiar male voice, Cai Guolan hurriedly grabbed the military uniform next to him and covered it on his chest.

"Didn't you just say that it didn't matter? Why did you react so violently? As he spoke, the man flashed out from behind the anti-aircraft gun mount with a wicked smile on his face.

"Brother-badass, eavesdropping." Qi Bing pursed his lips angrily.

The person who came was Qi Bing's brother, Qi Peng, the captain of the 116th Naval Attack Squadron, whose clear eyes were almost indistinguishable from Qi Bing, as if God was destined to prove the DNA relationship between the two in the most superficial way.

Qi Peng waved his hand and smiled: "Wronged." Your brother happened to pass by, why did you eavesdrop. It's the two of you. Basking in the sun, what's the big deal, there's a big area on the deck over there, if you really don't mind, don't keep hiding in this small place, go over there and mingle with everyone. It's really not pleasant to be as sneaky as you are now. ”

Qi Bing's face turned red, and he was about to get up angrily, and shouted in his mouth: "Whoever is sneaky, you will be beaten together." What's the big deal—"

was pulled by Cai Guolan: "You listen to your brother's nonsense, the deck is so big, we can't bask where we like it, and the captain doesn't stipulate that it can't be here." ”

After speaking, he buttoned up his shirt insincerely. He sat up and glanced at Qi Peng: "Is there anything wrong with us?" ”

Qi Peng stretched out his hand: "The two new squadron leaders, for the sake of coordinated operations in the future. It is also necessary to communicate privately. ”

Qi Bing pursed his lips and snorted: "I don't believe it, brother, you obviously have ulterior motives." ”

Cai Guolan tilted her head indifferently: "Sit down and say." ”

Qi Peng grimaced at Qi Bing, and then sat down cross-legged seriously.

"Three squadron leaders were killed in the battle in six months, and two were transferred, why can't this 'Dapeng' keep the squadron commander."

Cai Guolan looked at Qi Peng who was indulging in an emotional atmosphere in puzzlement.

"What do you want to say?"

Qi Peng didn't care about Cai Guolan's strange gaze, and continued to himself: "Not only the squadron leader, it is obvious that the proportion of rookies in each squadron is increasing, even veterans like you and me are feeling exhausted. ”

"Agreed, take a vacation, take a vacation!"

Qi Bing coldly raised his hand and shouted, and was immediately pressed down by Cai Guolan with two fingers: "Bask in your sun." ”

Qi Peng pouted at his sister and reached out to rub the stubble on his chin: "Yes, vacation, it's too difficult, since the start of the war, the carrier-based aircraft unit has not conducted even a week's intensive training." After the plank road and typhoon battle, the fleet returned to the mainland through Hawaii, and took a three-day vacation on the spot when it was repaired in Kaohsiung, and there was no holiday after that. ”

"I remember that your Squadron Leader Huang was martyred in Singapore." Cai Guolan subconsciously interjected.

"Yes, we suffered a lot of losses in that assault, and we lost half of the old birds." Said

Peng's expression darkened suddenly.

"Maybe they're still alive, stuck on the island of Singapore, and now that Singapore has been liberated, they'll be back when the fleet reaches Singapore." Cai Guolan comforted.

—

Qi Peng sighed sadly, shook his head and said, "Not everyone is as lucky as you and Bing'er......

Cai Guolan lowered her head helplessly: "Okay, don't talk about this, do you mean, the base camp has a problem with the use of the mobile fleet?" ”

"Well, what do you think? First Singapore, then Java, then Sumatra, then Chittagong, Visakhapatnam, Trincomalee, Colombo, don't you think the mobile fleet is attacking too often? Forget about the Indian Ocean, and leave the bad things in the South China Sea to the army or the base air force, there is no reason why you have to use a mobile fleet, right? ”

"After this series of operations, each squadron has gained considerable combat experience, can't you just think about it from this aspect? As for the losses, they are not to the point of breaking their muscles and bones, and the situation of your squadron can only be described as a special case. And, what's the use of questioning the decisions of the base camp as we are? Obeying the orders of our superiors and working hard to kill the enemy and serve the country is our duty. ”

Qi Peng patted his leg anxiously and said, "But...... In any case, if you don't take the time to take a break from training, I'm afraid it will be difficult to go into the future big battle in the best condition. ”

"The big war ahead?"

"After the British navy succeeded in Kiel, it was natural that it would divide its forces to the south to defend India, and judging from the battle reports released by the British, the mobile forces that could be drawn should be considerable, and the empire in order to open up contact with the allies as soon as possible, following the liberation of Singapore, it was imperative to launch an Indian attack. When the two strong meet, there will be a fierce battle! ”

Qi Peng was still impassioned, and a generous figure flashed behind him, and he slowly praised: "Yes, very motivated." ”

Qi Peng was startled, and when he glanced back, it turned out to be Major General Bi Lingbo, commander of the First Air Brigade of the Flag Garrison, who couldn't help but jump up like a spring and salute loudly with his legs.

Qi Bing, who was in a pure swimsuit over there, suddenly turned crimson, and stood up in a panic, but Cai Guolan, who had already put on his shirt, was not shy at all, and her movements were swift and swift, and she snapped her exposed calves that were still shining with sunscreen oil, and saluted the general before Qi Peng.

Bi Lingbo smiled like an uncle next door: "Isn't this our No. 2 trump card, and the pink rose of our team-Second Lieutenant Qi, don't be formal, I'm also preparing to bare my arms and bask in the good sunshine of the Indian Ocean." ”

"Report to the commander, we are talking about the ...... of the troops Morale issues. Qi Peng straightened his neck and said.

Bi Lingbo smiled evilly, suddenly hugged his shoulder, and said in his ear: "Don't worry, I didn't want to be crooked." ”

Qi Peng was stunned: "This ...... Commander, I-"

Bi Lingbo raised his head and smiled: "Ha Lu haha, young man, still a young man," laughed, patted Qi Peng on the shoulder, "Sit, sit down and talk." ”

After the four of them sat cross-legged, Bi Lingbo said: "I have heard what you just said, and I have thought about it, recently, everyone has been running around day after day, the results of the battle are heavy, and the losses are not small, to be fair, thirty percent is the enemy's factor, and seventy percent is the weather and the plane itself." Many of the good players at Pearl Harbor failed to come back in time, and the rookies who were replenished had never been on the ship before and had to be taught from scratch, and some people felt that it was a burden and would drag them back, which is understandable. However, do you feel that the army does not become weaker and weaker the more you fight, on the contrary, it gets stronger the more you fight? Things that have not been practiced in the past, such as taking off and landing at night, such as attacking ships in the middle of the voyage, have become familiar with it through actual combat, and the cohesion of the troops has not become sluggish because of the loss of some old birds, on the contrary, a series of victories since the beginning of the war have created a number of benchmark aces and a number of model squadrons...... Honor, competition, unity, forge ahead, a bloody scene of you chasing me, you can also feel it, right? ”

Qi Peng didn't flinch from this: "That said, but-"

Bi Lingbo raised his palm to stop Qi Peng.

"I understand what you mean, but you probably didn't expect that it was precisely because of our mobile fleet that our mobile fleet worked tirelessly and attacked in all directions that Commander Sa's warship unit had time to practice its artillery formation and prepare for a repeat of a larger-scale naval battle in the South China Sea."

"Isn't that improvisation?" Cai Guolan blinked, her beautiful eyelashes flickered, and she didn't seem to be at ease with the commander.

"It's a matter of sharpening guns in battle, and if you can sharpen your guns for two or three months more than the other side, it's not a matter of destroying one or two more enemy ships when you engage in battle."

"So the mobile fleet doesn't have to sharpen its guns?" Qi Peng whispered dissatisfiedly.

"It's going to grind, it's mainly grinding while fighting, but it's not just grinding while fighting, and I can tell you here that Colombo is our last target before the next decisive battle begins."

Qi Peng's eyes lit up: "In other words, during this period, you can rest and recuperate?" ”

Qi Bing was even more excited, clenched his little fists and quietly recited the slogan: "Vacation, vacation, long live vacation-"