27: Chapter 27, Fourth Small-Scale Naval Battle

Three days after the transport fleet was attacked, Li Ling formulated a plan for revenge.

"Does Japan think we will shrink back?" Li Ling pointed at the map and said to several captains, "No, we must take the initiative and catch them off guard."

"Young Master, how should we fight?" Lin Yongsheng asked.

Li Ling drew a circle on the map: "According to intelligence, Japan has a small supply base eighty nautical miles to the southeast, which is their outpost in this area. The base has fuel, ammunition, and food, and is usually guarded by one Cruiser and two Destroyers."

"You mean... to take out this base?" Deng Shichang's eyes lit up.

"Not just that." Li Ling sneered, "I want to set a trap. We will first send Torpedo boats to raid the supply base and lure the Japan fleet to come to the rescue. Then our main force will lie in ambush halfway and annihilate them in one fell swoop."

"Good strategy!" The captains nodded one after another.

"However, this plan has a risk." Li Ling said, "If Japan does not come to the rescue, or if too many come, we might fall into a passive position."

"Young Master, let's do it." Lin Yongsheng said, "The brothers are holding back a burst of energy; we want to avenge our fallen brothers."

Li Ling looked at the resolute eyes of the captains and nodded: "Good. We act tonight."

Night fell, and the sea was pitch black, with only flickering fishing lights in the distance.

Li Ling's fleet set off quietly.

Three Pre-dreadnoughts were the main force, hiding thirty nautical miles west of the supply base, waiting to ambush the Japan fleet coming to the rescue. Six Torpedo boats served as the assault team, responsible for raiding the supply base.

Li Ling personally commanded from the "warship".

"System, where are the Torpedo boats?"

"Ten nautical miles from the supply base, expected to launch the attack in one hour," the system reported.

"What is the defense situation of the Japan base?"

"Photos taken by the Reconnaissance Balloon show that one Cruiser and two Destroyers are docked at the base port, and there are several artillery pieces on the shore; the defense is not strong. However, fifty nautical miles to the northeast of the base, there is a Japan patrol fleet, including two Cruisers and three Destroyers, which may come to support at any time."

"Fifty nautical miles..." Li Ling calculated, "After the Torpedo boat raid succeeds, how long will it take for the Japan patrol fleet to arrive?"

"At a speed of twenty knots, two and a half hours."

"That's enough." Li Ling said, "Two hours is enough for us to finish the ambush."

At two in the morning, the Torpedo boat unit launched the attack.

Six Torpedo boats were divided into two groups, rushing toward the supply base simultaneously from two directions. On the sea, the engines of the Torpedo boats made a low roar, but it was masked by the sound of the waves, and the Japan garrison only discovered them when they were close to the port.

"Enemy attack!" The Japan sentry sounded the alarm, but it was already too late.

The six Torpedo boats launched twelve torpedoes from a distance of two kilometers from the port. The torpedoes rushed toward their targets silently beneath the sea, and a few minutes later, violent explosions rang out.

One Destroyer was hit in the ammunition depot by a torpedo, and the entire hull was blown into two pieces and sank rapidly. Another Destroyer was hit in the engine room, lost power, and floated on the sea, tilting. Although the Cruiser dodged most of the torpedoes, it was also hit in the bow by one torpedo and caught fire.

"Retreat!" The Torpedo boat unit commander ordered, and the six Torpedo boats quickly turned and disappeared into the night.

The raid was a success.

Just as Li Ling had expected, the news of the supply base being attacked quickly reached the Japan patrol fleet.

"Baka!" The patrol fleet commander, Major General Yamamoto, was furious, "It must be the Li Family Army's Torpedo boats! Full speed ahead, chase them for me!"

The five warships sailed toward the supply base at full speed, completely unaware that there was a trap ahead.

At 3:30 in the morning, the Japan patrol fleet entered Li Ling's ambush circle.

"Young Master, enemy ships have entered range, distance twelve nautical miles," the Radar operator reported.

"Good." Li Ling took a deep breath, "Attention everyone, target the Japan patrol fleet, fire at will!"

The main guns of the three Pre-dreadnoughts fired simultaneously, shells tearing through the night sky with orange-red exhaust flames, smashing toward the Japan fleet.

In the first salvo, one shell hit the bridge of a Cruiser. The violent explosion blew the entire bridge away, flames shooting into the sky.

"We hit it!" The officers and soldiers cheered.

"Continue firing, don't stop!" Li Ling ordered.

For the next half hour, the three Pre-dreadnoughts continued to fire at a rate of two rounds per minute. Dense artillery fire covered the Japan fleet, and the five warships struggled amidst the gunfire.

One Destroyer was hit in the boiler and exploded, burning on the sea like fireworks. Another Cruiser was hit multiple times in succession, its hull tilted, and it finally capsized and sank.

Major General Yamamoto's flagship was the last to sink. He stood on the bridge that was about to sink, looking desperately at the flashes of gunfire in the distance, muttering to himself: "How did they know we would come..."

No one could answer him.

At 4:20 in the morning, the battle ended.

All five Japan warships sank. The Li Family Army suffered no casualties.

Early in the morning, the sunlight shone on the sea, sparkling.

Li Ling stood on the bridge of the "warship", looking at the debris and oil slick floating on the sea, expressionless.

"System, how many Japan warships did we sink in this battle?"

"One Cruiser and two Destroyers from the supply base; two Cruisers and three Destroyers from the patrol fleet. A total of three Cruisers and five Destroyers," the system reported, "In addition, the coastal defense facilities of the supply base were also destroyed by the Torpedo boats."

"Eight..." Li Ling muttered, "Adding the previous three times, Japan has already lost more than a dozen warships."

"Their Kwantung Army fleet has been severely damaged," the system said, "They shouldn't dare to provoke again in the short term."

"Not enough." Li Ling shook his head, "What I want is to completely annihilate them."

"Then wait until the Dreadnought is built," the system said, "With a Dreadnought, you can actively attack their homeland."

Li Ling nodded, his eyes firm.

Back at the naval port, the system popped up a prompt.

"Detected that the host has achieved the fourth naval battle victory, completely annihilated eight enemy warships, and successfully destroyed the enemy supply base, judged as a minor achievement."

"Lucky draw?"

"Lucky draw," the system said, "Congratulations to the host for obtaining: Upgraded Torpedo Technology — can produce 530mm caliber torpedoes, with a range of eight kilometers, a speed of forty knots, and power increased by thirty percent."

Li Ling's eyes lit up: "This torpedo is even more powerful than the last one!"

"Of course," the system said, "The last torpedo technology was just the basic version, this time it is an improved version. With this type of torpedo, your Torpedo boats can attack enemy ships from a greater distance, and their survivability will be greatly improved."

"Great." Li Ling was overjoyed, "Can the production line be upgraded?"

"Yes. Upgrading requires 500 resource points."

Li Ling checked his resource point balance: 800.

"Upgrade!"

After the torpedo production line was upgraded, it began to produce new torpedoes. Li Ling ordered another ten Torpedo boats, adding to the existing twelve, for a total of twenty-two Torpedo boats, all equipped with the new torpedoes.

"When these Torpedo boats form combat capability, let's see if the Japan warships dare to approach again," Li Ling said proudly.

"Don't get carried away," the system said, "Torpedo boats are only auxiliary; the main force is still the Battleship."

"I know." Li Ling nodded, "How is the progress of the Dreadnought?"

"Eighty-five percent. It will be launched in five days."

"Good." Li Ling rubbed his hands, "When the Dreadnought is launched, I will go to Japan to settle the final account."

In the evening, Li Ling went to visit the families of the victims of the transport fleet.

The pension had already been distributed, one hundred taels of silver for each family, which was a huge sum in this era. But Li Ling knew that money could not buy back lives.

He visited them one by one, bowing and apologizing to the families of every victim.

A teenage boy stood before Li Ling, teary-eyed, and said: "Young Master Li, my father died for you. I don't blame you. I have only one request—let me join the army to avenge my father."

Li Ling looked at the boy, was silent for a while, and then nodded: "Good. From today on, you are a member of the Li Family Army."

The boy stood at attention and gave Li Ling a non-standard military salute.

Li Ling patted his shoulder: "Train hard, don't lose face for your father."

"Yes!"

Back at the manor, Li Ling sat in the courtyard, looking at the stars in the sky.

"System," Li Ling said.

"Hmm?"

"Sometimes I wonder, am I too cold-blooded? For the sake of my ambition, letting so many people die."

"What is your ambition?" the system countered.

"To make this country strong, so that the common people are no longer bullied."

"Then that is not cold-blooded," the system said, "That is responsibility. A leader's responsibility is to lead the people to a better future. In this process, there will be sacrifices, but their sacrifices are valuable."

Li Ling was silent for a long time, then nodded: "You are right. I cannot stop moving forward because I am afraid of people dying. What I can do is make every sacrifice valuable."

"That is the principle," the system said, "Sleep, there are many things to do tomorrow."

Li Ling stood up, stretched, and walked toward the room.

Walking to the door, he looked back at the stars in the sky and whispered: "Brothers, rest in peace. I will definitely avenge you."

He pushed the door open and walked into the room.

Outside the window, the stars and the sea.

Tomorrow is another new day.