World War: Battleship Arms Dealers

The sound of car engines grew louder as they approached. Three black sedans drove into the dock and stopped in front of the pier. Guards quickly took their positions and set up the cordon. The door of the first car opened, and Chen Feng stepped out.

Today he was wearing a dark blue naval admiral's dress uniform—although he didn't hold a rank, wearing a uniform on a warship is international practice for a national leader. The uniform was well-tailored, with only a single gold dragon emblem on his left breast, simple yet dignified. Behind him, Liu Yongfu, Zhou Tieshan, and several key staff members disembarked one after another.

"Is everything ready?" Chen Feng walked towards the pier, his steps steady.

"Everything is ready, Your Excellency." Wang Wenwu quickly followed. "The estimated sailing time is seven days, and we will arrive at Pearl Harbor on the morning of January 25th. The route has been planned, avoiding major trade routes and disputed waters as much as possible."

Chen Feng stopped at the gangway and turned to look at Dubai. The morning mist was dissipating, and the city's outline was gradually becoming clear—the port, factories, newly built high-rises, and oil derricks in the distance. This place, which was just a fishing village a dozen years ago, has now become a modern city with hundreds of residents and an industrial output ranking among the top in Asia.

"Liu Yongfu." Chen Feng didn't turn around.

"exist!"

"The second phase of Project Taishan is now in your hands. When I return, I want to see ten fully equipped army divisions, the aircraft carrier construction completed at least two weeks ahead of schedule, and the number of air force pilots doubled. Can you do it?"

Liu Yongfu straightened his back: "I guarantee the mission will be completed, Commander-in-Chief!"

"Zhou Tieshan".

The Minister of Security stepped forward.

"I'm leaving things at home. Public opinion control must be moderate—it should instill a sense of crisis in the public, but not cause panic. The loyalty monitoring of the Arab divisions must be intensified, so they don't feel distrusted. Also..." Chen Feng paused, "As for the British garrison in Sinai, we can create one or two 'minor skirmishes,' but keep them below the company level, so as not to give London an excuse to use force."

"clear."

Chen Feng took one last look at the city before turning and climbing the gangway. The steel steps creaked beneath his feet, and the naval honor guard stood at attention on either side of the gangway, rifles at the ready.

As I ascended the bridge, the sun was just rising above the horizon. Golden sunlight pierced the morning mist, illuminating the massive turrets and superstructure of the "Huaihe." The warship's design originated in Germany, but after Chen Feng plagiarized it from a computer, it underwent improvements by Lanfang engineers—the main guns were eight 380mm L52 naval guns with a range exceeding forty kilometers; the secondary guns were replaced with Lanfang-made 130mm rapid-fire guns; the fire control system integrated the latest radar and optical rangefinders; and most importantly, an additional armored deck was added amidships to protect against dive bomber attacks.

"Weigh anchor." Chen Feng stood in front of the bridge command platform, his voice calm.

The orders were relayed throughout the ship via megaphone and telephone. The massive anchor chain was pulled up by the winch, carrying with it silt and seawater from the seabed. The engines started, and the four steam turbines unleashed a powerful 150,000 horsepower, propelling the 45,000-ton behemoth slowly away from the dock.

On the port's breakwater, thousands of citizens gathered to see him off. They waved small flags and shouted words of blessing. Although the specific purpose of the president's trip was unknown, everyone could sense that this visit was extraordinary.

"Heading 090, speed 12 knots, turn to 120 after leaving the port area and enter the main channel." Captain Zhang Haitao personally took the helm.

The "Huaihe" cut through the calm sea, its wake shimmering with white foam in the morning light. Escort ships joined the formation from both sides, forming a standard anti-aircraft and anti-submarine warfare formation. Further away, the periscopes of two submarines silently followed beneath the surface.

An hour later, the fleet sailed out of the Persian Gulf and into the Arabian Sea. Here, the sea was open, the wind speed increased, and the warships began to sway slightly.

"All ships to Level Two combat readiness," Chen Feng ordered. "Radar will be on 24/7, sonar in active mode. Although it is peacetime now, we must prepare for the worst."

An alarm sounded inside the ship. Sailors rushed to their battle stations, the turrets began rotating for testing, and pilots stood by in the hangar—yes, although the "Huaihe" was a battleship, it had a flight deck and hangar added to its aft deck, capable of carrying four seaplanes. This reflected the Lanfang Navy's "aviationist" concept. (Almost all later battleships had this feature.)

Wang Wenwu walked into the operations room behind the bridge. It was already set up—a world map, a Pacific nautical chart, charts comparing the military strength of various countries, and thick folders of documents.

"Your Excellency, the simulation is ready. As per your request, we have simulated three possible scenarios."

Chen Feng took off his coat, rolled up his sleeves, and walked to the sand table. Several key advisors gathered around.

"In the first scenario," Wang Wenwu picked up the baton, "the meeting went smoothly. Wilson was persuaded by your plan and agreed to postpone the decision to declare war, buying time for peace negotiations. Probability assessment: 20%."

"Why is it so low?"

"Public opinion in the United States is in an uproar, and Wilson is under tremendous pressure. Moreover, Britain will not stand idly by while we undermine their lobbying efforts and will certainly retaliate."

Chen Feng nodded: "Continue."

"In the second scenario, the meeting reaches a stalemate. Wilson acknowledges the necessity of peace but deems your proposal impractical or unconvincing to Congress and the public. He might propose a compromise: Merika would not immediately declare war but would increase aid to Britain while demanding substantial concessions from Germany. Probability: 50%. This would be most advantageous for Lanfang!"

"That might not be the most likely outcome." Chen Feng stared at Hawaii on the sand table. "What about the third possibility?"

Wang Wenwu took a deep breath: "The meeting broke down. Wilson insisted that Merika must enter the war to 'defend democracy and sovereignty,' believing that Lanfang's plan was a 'conspiracy to buy time for Germany.' He might even demand on the spot that Lanfang clearly take sides after Merika enters the war—either join the Allied Powers or be regarded as an ally of Germany. Probability: 30%."

The operations room fell silent. Only the sound of the ship cutting through the waves and the low hum of the ventilation system could be heard.

"What should we do if the third scenario occurs?" Chen Feng slowly began.

The staff members exchanged bewildered glances. The question was too weighty for any of them to answer lightly.

"Let me tell you," Chen Feng said, walking up to the world map. "If Wilson forces us to take sides, this is how we will answer: Lanfang is a neutral country and will not join any military alliance. But we will defend our own interests—including oil in the Persian Gulf, trade routes in Southeast Asia, and investments around the world."

He turned around, his gaze sweeping over everyone.

"This means that if Britain attempts to use the opportunity of the war to suppress us and seize our interests after the war, we will fight back. If the victorious powers try to deprive us of our legitimate rights after Germany's defeat, we will also resist. Lanfang will not take sides, but will cooperate with any country that respects our interests and confront any country that infringes upon our interests."