129: Chapter 39 Initiative

Two consecutive victories in anti-landing operations had the Tang Army in high spirits, but Li Ling made a decision that surprised all his generals—to take the initiative and attack.

"Sir, our ammunition consumption is high, and the troops need to rest," the Chief of Staff said, his face full of worry. "Is it too risky to take the initiative now?"

"Risky?" Li Ling stood before the sea chart, his gaze burning. "If we remain on the defensive, the enemy will keep coming, probing us and wearing down our strength. By the time they have exhausted our ammunition and morale, it will be too late for us to strike back."

He turned to look at all the generals present.

"The enemy's reserve fleet is still on the high seas. What are they waiting for? They are waiting for gaps in our defenses, for our ammunition to run low, and for our soldiers to be exhausted. I will not give them that chance. We must strike while they are unprepared."

The generals looked at each other; no one dared to object, but no one dared to support it either.

"Sir, an offensive requires a fleet," Navy Commander Chen Haisheng stood up and said. "Although our capital ships are powerful, we are still at a disadvantage in terms of numbers. If we rush into an attack and get surrounded by the enemy's main force..."

"That is why we must strike first," Li Ling interrupted him. "We have two Longjiang-class Battleships that have just completed their final sea trials and outfitting, and three Longxun-class Battlecruisers have already been launched. Added to our existing six Dreadnoughts and four Pre-dreadnoughts, the number of our capital ships now exceeds that of the enemy's reserve fleet."

He walked to the sea chart and circled a maritime area with a red pen.

"According to Radar reconnaissance and intelligence analysis, the coalition's reserve fleet is currently stationed at this location. They think we will wait for them on the coast, and they think we dare not take the initiative. Therefore, their defenses are loose and their reconnaissance is weak."

"What we need to do is wipe them out before they can react."

In front of the sea chart, the generals formed a circle, and Li Ling's voice echoed in the room. Outside the window, the sea wind howled, beating against the window lattice like the beating of war drums.

The Navy's attack order was issued that night. On the pier, huge cranes hoisted the last batch of ammunition crates onto the warships. Sailors moved shells and fuel, and the sound of iron boots thumping on the deck echoed. Welding sparks flickered in the darkness, like stars falling onto the pier.

When Li Ling boarded the flagship "dragon might," the night was deep. The sea was calm, with only the distant fishing lights flickering faintly. He stood on the bridge, watching the busy port and the warships raising their anchors, a surge of indescribable emotion rising in his heart.

This was not just an attack, but a gamble. He was betting his entire strongest fleet; if he won, the coalition's military power in the Far East would be completely destroyed. If he lost, he would lose the majority of his naval strength, and the coastal defenses would face a huge threat.

"System," he whispered in his heart.

"Yes?"

"Tell me, can I win this battle?"

The System's voice paused for a moment, then said: "Host, you have Radar, satellites, the best officers and soldiers, and the most advanced weapons. If you cannot win, then no one in this world can."

Li Ling smiled, a very light smile, but it was clearly audible in the night wind.

"You are right." He turned to his adjutant and said, "Pass the order, the fleet is to set sail!"

The whistle blew long and loud, and the huge hulls slowly moved away from the pier, white wakes spreading to the sides in the darkness. Six Dreadnoughts, two Longjiang-class Battleships, three Longxun-class Battlecruisers, four Pre-dreadnoughts, and over a dozen Cruisers and Destroyers formed a tight combat formation, cutting through the waves and heading toward the high seas.

In the darkness, the fleet moved like a group of silent giants, approaching the coalition's reserve fleet silently. On the Radar screen, the light spots representing enemy ships became clearer and clearer, with their positions, courses, and speeds fully exposed.

"Sir, eighty nautical miles away," the Radar operator reported.

"Slow down and maintain radio silence," Li Ling ordered. "All ships are to turn off navigation lights; do not expose any positions."

The fleet continued to advance, approaching the enemy fleet silently in the darkness. The sea wind was strong, rolling up layers of waves, slapping against the hulls and making a low, monotonous sound. Everyone held their breath, waiting for that moment to arrive.

When the distance narrowed to thirty nautical miles, the coalition's reconnaissance ships finally discovered Li Ling's fleet. Alarms sounded in the enemy fleet, light signals flashed in the darkness, and Destroyers began to accelerate forward, attempting to intercept.

But it was already too late.

"Fire!" Li Ling gave the order.

The main guns of the six Dreadnoughts and two Longjiang-class Battleships fired simultaneously. Dozens of large-caliber shells tore through the night sky, dragging orange-red tails as they smashed into the enemy fleet. In the first salvo, two shells hit the coalition flagship—an old-style Battleship of Meijian Country. The shells penetrated the thin armor and exploded inside the hull, the soaring flames lighting up the entire sea surface.

The coalition fleet was caught off guard. They had not expected Li Ling to take the initiative to attack, let alone that his fleet would suddenly appear at this time and in this location. Cruisers and Destroyers tried to counterattack, but their gunfire was inaccurate in the darkness, the shells falling far around Li Ling's fleet without even grazing them.

"Keep firing!" Li Ling ordered. "Free fire!"

The fleet's main guns roared continuously, shells raining down on the enemy fleet. The coalition ships were hit one after another; some caught fire, some had their hulls broken, and some had their ammunition magazines explode, turning into huge fireballs. Explosions rang out one after another on the sea, flames shot into the sky, and thick smoke obscured the starlight.

The battle lasted less than three hours. When the morning light rose from the eastern horizon, fifteen of the twenty-odd ships in the coalition's reserve fleet had been sunk, five were severely damaged, and the rest had scattered and fled. The sea was covered with burning wreckage, floating corpses, and struggling survivors, and oil slicks spread across the sea, refracting the morning sunlight into a dazzling golden color.

Li Ling stood on the bridge of the flagship, looking at the messy sea with a calm expression.

"Sir, a great victory!" The adjutant's voice was filled with uncontrollable excitement. "Fifteen enemy ships sunk, five severely damaged, three captured, and over five thousand enemy troops annihilated!"

Li Ling nodded without speaking. He raised his binoculars and looked toward the distant horizon where the sea met the sky. There, several fleeing enemy ships were desperately running toward the high seas, their wakes clearly visible in the morning light.

"Pass the order," he lowered his binoculars, "pursue the remaining enemy ships; do not let a single one escape."

"Yes!"

The fleet launched a pursuit, with Destroyers and Cruisers advancing at maximum speed and Torpedo boats flanking from the sides. The fleeing coalition ships suffered heavy losses under the pursuit, and several more were caught and sunk. When the fleet finally returned, the coalition's reserve fleet was practically destroyed, leaving only a few heavily damaged Cruisers and Destroyers that luckily escaped back to the nearest port.

On the fleet's return journey, Li Ling stood alone on the balcony of the bridge, watching the battlefield that was gradually receding. The sea breeze blew on his face, carrying the mixed smell of salt and gunpowder.

"System," he said softly.

"Yes?"

"Tell me, what expression do you think General MacArthur has now?"

The System's voice carried a hint of imperceptible amusement: "Probably an expression of wanting to curse but being unable to."

Li Ling smiled, but did not laugh out loud. He knew this was just the beginning; the real challenge was still ahead. General MacArthur would not give up, and Meijian Country and Britain and France would not abandon their interference. They would regroup and come back again.

But he was not afraid. Because he had already proven that in this sea area, he was the master.

"Pass the order," he turned and said to his adjutant, "the fleet will enter a rest state after returning, and all officers and soldiers will have a three-day leave. After three days, reassemble and prepare for the next battle."

"Yes!"

The fleet moved slowly in the morning light, the sea was sparkling, and the sun was rising, dyeing the whole world a warm gold.

And Li Ling knew that a new storm was brewing on the other side of the horizon.