Hong Kong Island: From a small stall to a global supplier

The bad news: the reaction from the person surnamed Wang was more intense than expected.

Bad news: South Wei Island has been attacked.

Bad news: The defenses have been severely compromised.

Bad news: High-precision equipment such as radar was completely destroyed.

Bad news: Several outposts along the northward route have been completely destroyed.

Bad news: The attack resulted in more than 400 deaths.

Bad news: Umbrella's fleet strength has increased, and it is suspected that there are frigate-class ships.

Bad news: Umbrella's fleet has disappeared, and all outposts within the Spratly Islands are under threat.

Bad news: No good news...

"Damn it!" General Ruan Wenhai, the head of the Hu Zhiming Sea Fungus Base, slammed the report in his hand onto the table, his face terribly gloomy.

The air in the meeting room seemed to freeze, and everyone lowered their heads and remained silent, especially the few who had previously advocated removing the two smuggling oil tankers on the route: What did we do wrong? If we didn't remove them, they would definitely become supply points for the other side in the event of a conflict, greatly extending their combat capability. As for the guy surnamed Wang, he's just a dog kept by the other side. Do you think he wouldn't get involved if we didn't remove those two oil tankers?
Most definitely!
So, we were not wrong.

Of course, I only dare to think these things in my mind; it's best not to say them aloud in this situation...

After a long pause, Ruan Wenhai took a deep breath to calm himself down. "Tell me how to deal with it."

The group of people raised their heads slightly, their gazes quickly sweeping across the conference room before they quickly looked down again; there was really nothing to say.

When they were rushing to build outposts, they had a good plan: to form a defensive chain and completely occupy the Spratly Islands. The neighboring islands didn't react at all, just watched silently. Everyone thought the other side was afraid and that victory was assured. But now it seems that's not the case...

When they were actually attacked, they discovered that the so-called defensive island chain was as fragile as paper, serving no purpose other than increasing the difficulty of defense and casualties.

Given the current situation, even if it were rebuilt, it would be useless. The Wang family's fleet could be destroyed at any time. As for raising vigilance... there's no such thing as guarding against thieves for a thousand days.

Besides, what defense can a small outpost with only a few dozen or a hundred people have?

Seeing that everyone remained silent, Ruan Wenhai became even angrier and slammed his hand on the table. "Speak up! Are you all mute?!"

"General, I suggest that we first consolidate our defenses, especially Nanwei Island, which serves as the maritime command center. We should restore the radar and communication systems, expand the docks, increase land reclamation to enlarge the base, and build complete living facilities and missile defense systems. We should transform Nanwei Island into an unsinkable aircraft carrier at sea, and then expand the defense area around Nanwei Island," the chief of staff said in a deep voice.

"I agree with Chief of Staff Li's opinion that construction on Nanwei Island will stop after 80 years, and the current system is no longer sufficient to cope with the new situation."

"Yes, General, I also agree with Chief of Staff Li's opinion..."

A rare harmony prevailed in the meeting room; now was not the time for conflict, and no one wanted to get involved.

Of course, the threat posed by Wang Yaotang also made them rethink their approach.

The fleet consists of only three ships, and even if there is one escort ship, it is only one-fifth or less of the combat power compared to the Annamite. The problem is that this guy has no area to defend, while our side not only has to face the powerful neighbor to the north, but also has to defend the long coastline and maritime strongholds, so our strength is infinitely diluted.

That puts us in a very passive position.

Nguyen Van Hai's gaze swept around the conference room, and finally he slowly nodded, "Suspend construction on the 10 islands and reefs, and focus all our efforts on building Nanwei Island."

"General, I suggest we file a complaint against the North at the United Nations, exposing their cultivation of pirate forces. We must curb the Wang family's expansion; their private fleet is going beyond the rules," someone said.

"And then what? Tell the whole world that we in Annam were attacked by a gang of pirates, that we have no way to deal with them, and that we can only ask the international community for help, hoping that the international community will sanction them?" Nguyen Van Hai asked with a stern face.

The man immediately lowered his head.

Has the leading military power in Southeast Asia and the third largest military power in the world lost all face?
Clearly, this guy didn't consider the political implications and the significant damage to the image of high-ranking officials.

Of course, suing is useless. Without direct evidence, they can't do anything to Wang Yaotang. They're not in a prison.

……

Meanwhile, the Umbrella Fleet returned to Yongxing Island, and Wei Jinzhong told the person in charge on the island about the matter. The news quickly reached the ears of the South China Sea Governor.

"Hahaha, well done! I never expected our young comrade to be so hot-tempered and so ruthless. The Annamese are in for a rough time now." After hearing the report, the Governor of the South China Sea laughed loudly, feeling that most of the anger that had been building up in his chest had dissipated, and he felt much more relaxed.

OK, OK!

They should be beaten hard!
I heard that the Hong Kong comrade did something big, and all the high-ranking officials in the base came over to ask him about the details.

"Putting a 107mm gun on a speedboat, this..." The staff officer shook his head with a smile, "They say the orthodox way isn't always the right way, but this unorthodox way is truly unorthodox!"

Everyone burst into laughter.

"How could someone think of putting the 107 on a speedboat? My God."

"I never would have imagined it could be done like this."

The crowd chattered amongst themselves, while the Hainan governor remained silent, simply watching with a smile. It had been a long time since he had seen such genuine smiles on everyone's faces...

Especially during this period, the construction of the meteorological observation station was frequently harassed by the Annamese. They even occupied nearby islands and reefs right under our noses. We could only watch helplessly as foreigners occupied our territory without being able to stop them. This was an extreme humiliation for them!
The crowd was in a frenzy, and many people had already come to him asking for a fight!

Don't you want to go to war?
no!
There's no other way!
The warships we have are limited in range, and there aren't many ships that can operate in the southern region. We don't even have a place to resupply.

The military has only two supply ships, both located in the East China Sea and Yellow Sea, where the situation is more complex and difficult.

As for someone like Wang Yaotang who converts a cargo ship...

"Let's try putting the 107 on the small boat too! This thing's instantaneous firepower delivery is amazing!" someone suddenly shouted.

The office fell silent instantly, everyone frowning in thought.

After a long pause, someone shook their head. "I don't think it will work."

Our side has never modified 107mm rockets onto ships, whether on a large scale, a small scale, or in an experimental manner.

The 107mm rocket was independently developed by our side and entered service in 63.

The first to do this was 'YL', which began in the 2010s and made its first public appearance in the 'Great Prophet 9' exercise in 2015. Each speedboat was usually equipped with 1-2 12-tube 107 rocket launchers, along with heavy machine guns or portable anti-aircraft missiles. The speedboats intercepted US warships multiple times and demonstrated their rocket deterrence capabilities during escort operations.

The Persian Gulf has an average width of only 55 kilometers. The 8.5-kilometer range of the 107mm rocket launcher is sufficient to cover the main routes of enemy ships, and the high-speed maneuverability of the fast boats can evade enemy anti-missile systems.

(I thought it was an original creation of the old fireworks company, but after reading comments that some countries had done it before, I did some research and found that... Damn it, they actually stole the idea from the old fireworks company!)
"Why not?" someone asked.

"The 107mm howitzer has too short a range, not as good as the 57mm howitzer, and its accuracy is too low. Even in terms of firepower delivery, the twin-mounted 57mm howitzer is not bad."

Everyone thought about it and realized that this was indeed the case.

"Yes, the advantages of the 107mm rocket are portability and surprise, but warships have no chance of getting within 8 kilometers when facing enemy radar search. In order to avoid radar, it can only be installed on small speedboats, but the noise generated by the engine of the speedboat when it charges can also be detected by active sonar, so it is still impossible to get close."

"Our wealthy comrade is remarkable because he is quick-witted. He chose to launch the attack at night, and after getting close enough, he approached by rowing. In addition, the reef is very large, and the active sonar in the extended area is blocked. This completely avoids radar and sonar detection, and fully utilizes the portability and suddenness of the 107 rocket to complete the impossible mission."

After this analysis, everyone nodded in agreement. Indeed, the conditions for use were too demanding, unless it was in a narrow body of water where a large aircraft equipped with a 107mm gun would charge directly.

Of course, guerrilla warfare would also work.

After discussing the pros and cons for a while, everyone prepared to organize their ideas and send them to Wang Yaotang. Whether he had thought of them or not, it was all out of goodwill.

After saying this, the governor smiled and looked around. "With the fierce blow from our unofficial comrade, Annam must be in a panic. I estimate they will stop occupying islands and reefs. After all, occupying them is just sending them to their doom. Building the weather station should go much more smoothly. The Annamites are focusing their energy on dealing with the Umbrella Corporation's fleet."

Everyone understood what he meant, and while they felt relieved, they also felt regretful. The battle plan was already in place, and they were about to set off to fight the Annamese, but now it seemed that it had to be canceled.

"Of course, we can't just stand by and do nothing. We need to make a show of ourselves in the Gulf of Tonkin and make the people of Haiphong and Da Nang nervous."

"Yes!"

Watching everyone leave, the governor shook his head and sighed, "When will we ever become strong again?"

It's rather shameful that they have to rely on the people as the main force, with the government playing a supporting role.

However, Wang Yaotang didn't think that way. This support was holding back the main force of the Annamese, which was why he was able to deal with them.

……

After resupplying and resting on Yongxing Island, the four ships, carrying Wang Yaotang's yacht "Dahan" and "Xingye" and another 5000-ton cargo ship, headed south again.

Yongxing Island is more than 900 kilometers away from the expected combat waters. The new Type 037 corvette does not even have enough fuel for a round trip. The four Type 0 supply ships carried by the Xingye are also insufficient. Constantly making these round trips is too time-consuming. It is necessary to add another supply ship to take over halfway and extend the combat time.

Inside the 360-degree panoramic salon on the luxury yacht, Wang Yaotang reclined on a velvet sofa, holding a cup of glutinous rice wine and pointing to a map hanging on a side window. "The objective of this operation is Nanzi Island."

"This is the first island to be occupied, and also the first island where the Annamese built a pier. It is only 550 kilometers away from the island city of Dadao on the coast of Annamese. There are more than 200 troops stationed here, guarding the northern gate of the Spratly Islands. Recently, we have to take a special detour to get in and out, which is very inconvenient."

"Pull it out!"

"Because of what happened on Nanwei Island, security here has most likely been heightened, and they may have deployed more personnel or defensive forces. So, any questions?"

“No problem!” Wei Jinzhong said with a smile, “What I mean is that this time all four 0 ships will be deployed together, with the missile versions positioned on the perimeter just in case.”

Wang Yaotang nodded.

"By the way, Zhongye Island is 40 kilometers directly south of Nanzi Island," Wei Jinzhong reminded him.

"Zhongye Island?" Wang Yaotang's mind raced through the information. It was the second largest island in the Spratly Islands, occupied by the Philippines after Taiwan withdrew in the 70s. He tilted his head and looked at him. "What do you mean? You want to take Zhongye Island out while you're at it?"

Wei Jinzhong smiled and said, "The Philippines hasn't done any construction. There are only about 100 people on the island. The most threatening thing is the two 105mm howitzers. They can be taken away in a short time."

"I didn't realize you were getting bolder and bolder." Wang Yaotang chuckled. "Even when beating a dog, you have to consider its owner. Provoking the Russians is one thing, they don't have much power in the Pacific and Southeast Asia, but let's forget about the US. Their Pacific Fleet is just 700 kilometers away, and they actually have aircraft carriers. Do you think I'm made of iron?"

"You're afraid I won't die, aren't you?"

"No, no, no," Wei Jinzhong chuckled awkwardly. "Didn't the boss say that this is a matter of the local gangs showing off their strength, and the other gangs won't get involved? I was just thinking..."

"Do you think Lao Mei is a person with a sense of shame?" Wang Yaotang sneered. "You're slandering the professional ethics of Anglo-Saxon pirates!"

Wei Jinzhong scratched his head and didn't bring it up again.

……

It was still the middle of the night, and the same old method was used.

There are five other islands and reefs surrounding Nanzi Island, forming a group of islands and reefs. About 40 kilometers to the north are a group of islands and reefs including 'Yongdeng Reef' and 'Lesi Reef'. The Umbrella Corporation's fleet is anchored south of the reef group.

Today was originally the 18th of the lunar calendar, and the moonlight was quite nice, but the weather wasn't very good. The clouds were heavy, and visibility on the sea was poor. The crew of the eight speedboats, with crew cuts on their heads, put on night vision goggles and started their gasoline engines, heading towards the Nanzi Island Reef Group.

The advantages of gasoline engines are low noise and strong power, while the disadvantage is high fuel consumption.

Approaching from the back of the islands and reefs can greatly evade sonar detection. When we get close to about 15 kilometers, the speed decreases again and the engine noise is much less.

Nanzi Island has indeed raised its vigilance, with half of its personnel on night duty. The pier is brightly lit, and two gunboats patrol the surrounding 10-kilometer radius at all times. There are also people on duty in the coastal defense forts, ready to deal with any attackers at any time.

The previous attack hit my anus, it hurt so much.

Eight speedboats circled around from the south, and after getting close enough, they switched to the "two steamed buns" mode at 8 kilometers per hour, slowly approaching until they spotted the gunboats with lights on in the distance.

They communicated in hushed tones over the walkie-talkie, rowed to a reef and hid for a while. When the patrol gunboat turned around, two people on a speedboat with the 107 launcher removed rowed after it with all their might.

It's not that I think I can catch up, but I'm getting quite close to them for reconnaissance.

After waiting for more than ten minutes, a voice came through the walkie-talkie, "The patrol boat is about to arrive at the port, prepare to move in!"

Upon receiving the message, the seven speedboats immediately rowed out and, before even forming a formation, immediately called 037 via radio.

Same tactics, different variations.

With three 0 ships in front and the missile ship trailing behind by 15 kilometers, the fleet sped through the water towards Nanzi Island.

At full speed of 32 knots, it would only take about 5 minutes to cover 10 kilometers. Without any attempt to conceal it, it was immediately detected by the island's radar after getting within 30 kilometers.

Seeing the green dots flashing on the radar, the radar operator shuddered. "A ship is approaching."

The squad leader immediately rushed over and stared at the screen. The green dot was flashing, and when zoomed in, it showed that it was approaching at high speed.

He grabbed the communicator and shouted, "There are ships approaching from the southeast, and they're moving very fast!"

A dozen seconds later, the alarm sounded loudly, and the whole island was in an uproar. The alarm was so loud that speedboats 10 kilometers away could hear it.

"Holy crap, now we don't have to wait for the signal to be transmitted."

"Everyone prepare!"

"Three, two, one, fire!"

"Whoosh", "whoosh", "whoosh", "whoosh", "whoosh"

Countless sparks drew a beautiful arc in the night sky, crashing down on Nanzi Island like a meteor shower.

“Boom!” “Boom!” “Boom!” “Boom!” “Boom!” “Boom!”

Around 170 rockets rained down like a tidal wave, completely engulfing the small island of Nanzi in a barrage of fire. The entire island was shrouded in a blinding white flame.

The thermite reaction generates high temperatures, which first burn out everything outside, including radar, communication antennas, ships, and glass doors and windows. Then, the high temperatures burn through the reinforced concrete, and the molten iron drips and then flows into the room.

The entire island was now as bright as day. Even from 0, 20 kilometers away, Wei Jinzhong felt that the light was somewhat dazzling.

With the radar destroyed and the fire control system completely malfunctioning, the island was as bright as day, while the sea was pitch black. Aiming with an optical sight became a pipe dream, and the coastal defense guns were completely rendered useless.

When they got within 15 kilometers, the enhanced 0 twin 100mm cannons took the lead in firing. The explosions sent the flowing lava soaring into the sky and then falling like petals from a fairy's shower.

The other two 037 ships rushed to about 10 kilometers away, and their four twin-mounted 57mm high-speed guns opened fire simultaneously. Under the night sky, they looked like porcupines covered in rockets, and the sound of explosions completely covered Nanzi Island.

The twin-mounted 57mm high-speed gun's ability to deliver firepower in a short time is indeed no less than that of the 107mm gun, and the key is that its continuity is too good.

After firing all the shells in their magazines, the two 0 approached the dock at a distance of about 5 kilometers. After a ripple in the water from the torpedo launchers on their sides, four 300-kilogram torpedoes rushed toward the dock pier at a depth of about one meter below the surface.

"Boom!" "Boom!" "Boom!" "Boom!"

Compared to the power of torpedoes, artillery seemed too gentle. Seawater mixed with gravel was blasted more than 30 meters high, and the entire pier broke into several pieces in an instant, including the reef that served as its base, which was also blasted open.

It's hard to say whether it can still be repaired, but it certainly can't be repaired in the short term.

Amidst a spray of water, the two 0 boats turned around, picked up the speedboat, and quickly disappeared into the dark sea. (End of Chapter)