Beginning on September 6, a raging storm swept across the entire eastern Indian Ocean, and waves crashed onto the foredeck of the "Pinghai" in waves.

Before the war began, it unexpectedly lost an important surveillance force against the enemy -- the only large flying carrier "Penglai," and the storm that lasted for 24 hours made it impossible to carry out follow-up aerial reconnaissance, and now the only surveillance force that can be counted on is the mobile cordon deployed in the southern Bay of Bengal consisting of 12 small submarines of the Shark. However, it seems close to a luxury to expect the crews to find the enemy ship from the gloom and the monstrous waves in the midst of the violent turbulence and the rushing rain and waves, using the telescopes mounted on the submarine's low command platform......

Although he can understand that the "Penglai" will largely depend on luck to encounter the enemy air ship in the sea of clouds at close range, but Major Raleikorn's description of the form of the enemy's air ships, especially the characteristics of the enemy air ships flying in battle, all confirm some of his previous predictions: the gap between the British and us in terms of combat concepts and weapons and skills is not as big as some people in the center imagined, what we have. It's hard to guarantee that the British will not have ......

Although Sa Zhenbing could not understand how some senior members of the center came up with the arrogant idea that "our army's concept and technology are absolutely superior", although the facts since the start of the war have also proved that this idea has a basis, however, Sa Zhenbing is more willing to believe in his own rational cognition, and judging from his understanding of the development process of the navy in the world, in the past one or two hundred years, the West has always been far superior to China in military concepts and techniques. And only in a decade or two. It is unreasonable for China to turn the tide in one fell swoop and climb to the position of "absolute lead."

Can one or two inventions, one or two whimsical ideas, decide the outcome of a war?

Of course, Sa Zhenbing knew how this unprecedented empire had grown to this point, and he understood that in this battle, he was full of hope to defeat the enemy with unilateral leadership in combat concepts and weapons and techniques, and it was obviously a lack of thinking and a sense of responsibility.

Imperial Navy. In other words, the modern naval career of the yellow race is undergoing the most severe test in two years.

Person. The most fundamental factor in war is people.

On the premise that the weapons of both sides are comparable, the above assertion will be most fully proved.

This time. We will prove the quality of the East Asian navy. And...... I, Sa Zhenbing, the commander of the East Asian Combined Fleet, deserves a well-deserved ability!

The hatch of the commander's bridge was pushed open with a "creak".

"Report, call from the Admiralty at the base camp."

"Read."

"First, the weather in the Bay of Bengal is forecast to improve after September 8; 2. Due to the impact of the storm, the completion of the unloading of the landing force may be postponed until after 11 September, and the escort force should hold its position until the unloading is completed. 3. Mobile units may suspend surveillance missions and first join up with reconnaissance units; Fourth, the mobile cordon should be adjusted to the position close to the landing site; 5. The main force should move as close to the landing ground as possible, and beware of the enemy's rapid troops from breaking into the landing field by taking advantage of the gap; Sixth, pay attention to air defense. Before the landing force seizes the locally available base. The theater of operations does not have access to ground-based fighter support. Above—"

"Sure enough, Your Majesty also noticed something...... Her Majesty the Empress has personally presided over the base camp. Looks like it's changed a bit......"

With such a muttering in his heart, Sa Zhenbing took the telegram to confirm the contents, drew a circle and returned it to the staff officer who sent the telegram: "Call back: Obey the instructions." The small submarine with the word "Shark 3" scribbled on it was undulating like a toy in the cloudless crests and valleys, and the three men in pullover raincoats huddled together and struggled to observe the surrounding sea with high-powered telescopes in their hands or fixed on the spin seat.

One of them, a middle-aged man standing at the front of the command platform, with his beard and eyebrows all fascinated by water, suddenly leaned into the ear of his companion and asked loudly, "Second Lieutenant, what have you found?" ”

The young lieutenant turned and exclaimed, "No, captain—forgive me, I'm afraid we'll be swept over by the waves!" ”

Indeed, this second-class submarine, built six years ago, with a displacement of only about 300 tons and a maximum surface speed of only 16 knots, was thrown high to the top of the wave again and again in such strong wind and waves, and it really looked like it was about to be overturned by the next wave.

The captain, Captain Zhong Qianli, led two of his men to wander around the hot and humid Bay of Bengal for a week on this "elder boat" of the Imperial Navy, and had long since exhausted all the fresh vegetables and fruits that had been put on board from Yangon, and from today they could only eat canned food except for rice or steamed buns.

At first glance, Captain Zhong Qianli, who is not bearded all the time, looks much older than his actual age - 30 years old - the boss, he was already the captain of the Shark 3 before the war, and the biggest trouble so far is that he has not been able to achieve even a single result in nine months!

Correspondingly, under the "cautious command" of Captain Zhong, whose mantra is "safety first", the Shark 3 did not suffer any damage during a total of 11 combat voyages - not a single screw was lost, and the crew did not suffer any casualties - not even a cold.

While his colleagues ridiculed him for being "a bad breed" behind his back, and his boss also pointed at his nose and scolded him for being "incompetent", there was a rumor among the sailors that "Captain Zhong is protected by the gods, and nothing will happen if he does it under him".

Zhong Qianli always laughed at all kinds of discussions around him, but when the relevant investigation department asked his subordinates for evidence, he got a public answer: "The captain is not afraid of death, but our luck is too bad." ”

The investigators, who could not find any flaws in the logbook, gave up further investigation, Zhong Qianli's captain's seat did not move, and the crew of the Shark 3 continued their happy and safe voyage...... Until today.

"Don't worry, second lieutenant, it's nothing, you haven't seen ......"

Before he finished speaking, the captain lying at the back of the command platform raised the alarm: "Attention, there is a ship shadow in the direction of 9 o'clock!" ”

Zhong Qianli and the young ensign immediately turned around and raised their mirrors electrically, and looked to the left of the stern of the boat—

Lewdness, no, natural innocence, no, indeed an obscene smile hung on the corners of Zhong Qianli's mouth.

"We've finally run out of luck...... Listen to me! Full speed on both sides, full rudder on the right! Let's lean over and see ......."