World War: Battleship Arms Dealers

"Looks like the fish have already smelled the bait." Chen Feng looked at the nautical chart again; the red dot was flashing at the location of Pontianak Port. "Notify the Fuxing to set sail as planned. Notify the Bismarck formation to prepare for departure. This show is about to begin."

Li Teli stood at attention: "Yes, sir!"

"Also," Chen Feng called after him, "send a telegram to the Borneo garrison. Starting tomorrow, all troops will be on level two alert. If there are any changes at sea, the land forces must be prepared to meet the attack."

Are you worried that Japan might launch a simultaneous landing operation?

"Better safe than sorry." Chen Feng's voice was soft. "Tell the frontline commanders that if the Japanese fleet really comes, if the naval battle really breaks out... then every inch of Borneo's land will have to be paid for with blood."

After Li Te left, Chen Feng stood alone in the command center for a long time. He looked at the flashing dots on the nautical chart, at the shipping route stretching from Pontianak to Qingdao, and at the area beside the route that could become a battlefield.

Outside the window, in Dubai Harbour, a cargo ship is leaving the port, its whistle sounding long and deep, carrying far into the night sky.

Thousands of nautical miles away, under the same starry sky, another fleet was preparing to set sail. The steel behemoths were awakening from their slumber, boilers were pressurizing, turrets were turning, and sailors were inspecting every shell and every rope.

At 5:40 a.m. in Pontianak, the sky was not yet fully light.

The smokestacks of the battlecruiser "Fuxing" began to emit grayish-white smoke, starting as just a few wisps and quickly turning into thick billows that rose upwards in the dim light of dawn. Inside the boiler room, all twelve oil-fired boilers were ignited, the pressure gauges slowly climbing as steam accumulated in the pipes.

On the bridge, Lin Haisheng, wearing a military overcoat, held a cup of strong tea in his hand. The tea was specially brewed by Zhao Wenyuan, who said it would refresh him, but Lin Haisheng knew that what he needed was not refreshment, but calmness.

"Report on readiness status from all departments." His voice was exceptionally clear in the quiet bridge.

Communications officer Li Jing was the first to respond: "The radio room is ready, and all equipment is functioning normally. We have switched to the public frequency band to transmit identification signals as ordered."

"The navigation department is ready," Navigation Officer Zhou Zhiwei continued. "All charts have been updated, the gyrocompass calibration is complete, and the depth sounder is functioning normally."

"The gunnery is ready." Gunner Wang Zhenguo straightened his back. "The main and secondary gun ammunition has been issued according to the level two combat readiness standard. All gun crew members are in position. The fire control radar is turned on and warmed up."

"The engine department is ready." Chief Engineer Liu Mingde's voice came through the loudspeaker, with a slight echo. "All boilers have reached the departure standard, the main engine has been tested normally, and power can be provided at any time."

One after another, from the damage control team to the medical team, from the radar room to the signal station, all departments reported their readiness status.

Lin Haisheng took a sip of tea; the scalding liquid flowed down his throat, bringing a brief moment of clarity. He put down the cup and walked to the observation window on the starboard side. On the dock, several early-rising dockworkers were watching, and further away, two tugboats were already in position, waiting to tow the 38,000-ton behemoth out of the port.

"Captain," Zhao Wenyuan said softly as he walked to his side, "the reporters are all settled in the cabins next to the officers' mess. I told them not to enter the combat zone during the voyage."

"Do they have any objections?"

"Old Zhang from the Lanfang Daily complained a bit, saying there were too many restrictions and he couldn't do any interviews. But that Reuters reporter, Anderson, was very cooperative." Zhao Wenyuan paused, "He quietly asked me if there was any special mission on this voyage."

Lin Haisheng frowned slightly: "What was your answer?"

"I said that every warship has its own mission when it sets sail, but the specific details involve military secrets. If he wants to report on it, he can take more photos of the officers and soldiers' daily training and life, which are also part of the navy's development."

"Good answer." Lin Haisheng nodded. "We need to pay special attention to these foreign journalists, especially those from Britain and the United States. Their reporting may influence international public opinion."

Just as Zhao Wenyuan was about to say something, the bridge door was pushed open. The deputy captain, Chen Qiming, strode in, his face pale.

"Captain, we just received a telegram forwarded from shore." He handed a telegram to Lin Haisheng. "The Security Bureau reported that yesterday afternoon, Commander-in-Chief of the Japanese Combined Fleet, Tomosaburo Kato, arrived in Yokosuka from Tokyo. At the same time, there are signs of unusual troop movements at the three main naval ports of Kure, Sasebo, and Maizuru."

Lin Haisheng took the telegram and quickly glanced at it. The content was simple, but every word was as glaring as a needle.

"Understood." He folded the telegram and put it in his pocket. "Notify the entire ship to cast off in fifteen minutes. Proceed along the planned route at a speed of twelve knots and maintain regular radio communication."

"Yes!" Chen Qiming turned around to relay the order.

Looking at Lin Haisheng's profile, Zhao Wenyuan could see the tension hidden beneath his deliberately maintained calm: "Captain, if we really encounter the Japanese..."

"Then fight according to the training." Lin Haisheng interrupted him, his voice not loud but firm, "The Fuxing bullet train is not made of paper. If the Japanese want to devour us, they'll have to break a few teeth first."

Five minutes later, Lin Haisheng's voice rang out on the ship's broadcast system.

"Attention all officers and sailors, this is Captain Lin Haisheng. Our ship is about to set sail for a friendly visit to Qingdao. This voyage may last seven to ten days, during which we will traverse several sea areas. I require everyone to be conscientious and vigilant. Remember your training, remember your responsibilities. The glory of the Fuxing is to be defended by each and every one of us."

After the broadcast was turned off, silence fell over the ship. Then, hushed responses came from all sides: "Understood!" "Roger!" "Rest assured, Captain!"

Lin Haisheng put down the microphone and said to the helmsman, "Cast the mooring lines and leave port."

"Cast the moorings and leave port!" the order was repeated.

On the dock, sailors untied the thick mooring lines, and the tugboat began to slowly pull the giant ship. The massive hull of the Fuxing slowly moved away from the dock, its bow cleaving through the calm waters, and sailed out of the harbor.

Lin Haisheng stood on the bridge, watching the outline of Pontianak Port gradually disappear into the morning light. The port's lighthouse, the dock's cranes, and the buildings on the shore all slowly shrank, eventually becoming blurry shadows on the horizon.

"Captain, course set, speed 12 knots," reported Navigation Officer Zhou Zhiwei.

"Maintain this course and increase speed to 15 knots once you enter the planned route."

"Yes."

The Fuxing bullet train sailed out of Pontianak Bay and into the open South China Sea. The sun rose from the eastern horizon, its golden rays casting shimmering light on the deep blue sea. Seagulls circled around the bow, emitting clear cries.

Everything seemed so calm, so normal.

But Lin Haisheng knew that beneath the calm surface of the sea, undercurrents had begun to surge.