World War: Battleship Arms Dealers

Zhao Dengyu remained silent for a few seconds.

"Tell the scouts to locate the minefields. When it's time to open fire, let the engineers go first."

Li Tiejun nodded: "Yes."

In the distance, a jeep sped up and stopped in front of the command post. The communications soldier jumped out and ran over to salute.

"Commander, an urgent telegram from the Commander-in-Chief!"

Zhao Dengyu took the telegram and glanced at it in the light of his flashlight.

Then he laughed.

Li Tiejun leaned closer: "What news?"

"The President rejected Melika's mediation. Let us be prepared to act at any time."

Li Tiejun paused for a moment, then smiled.

"Commander, you seem very happy?"

Zhao Dengyu looked at the dark desert in the distance.

"After waiting so long, it's finally going to move! Can't you imagine how happy I am?"

It was 3 a.m. in the depths of the Indian Ocean.

Zhang Haisheng stood in the submarine's conning tower, holding up night-vision binoculars and looking at the distant sea. There, several faint plumes of smoke were slowly moving—it was a British merchant convoy.

The deputy captain climbed onto the conning tower and whispered in his ear, "Captain, three merchant ships and one escort destroyer. They're twelve kilometers away."

Zhang Haisheng nodded.

"Dive. Periscope depth."

The order was passed down. The submarine slowly submerged, seawater overflowing the conning tower and the hull, until only the top of the periscope remained above the surface.

Zhang Haisheng pressed his face against the periscope, watching the fleet get closer and closer.

"Torpedoes ready. Target, take out that destroyer first."

The first mate hesitated for a moment: "Captain, attack the destroyer first? Abandon the merchant ships?"

"If we take out the destroyers, the merchant ships won't be able to escape. We should take out the destroyers first and leave them unprotected."

The deputy captain nodded and went to relay the order.

The convoy was getting closer. Ten kilometers, nine kilometers, eight kilometers—

"Torpedo tubes ready. Tubes one, two, three, and four, aim at the destroyer."

"Ready?"

Zhang Haisheng's hand was on the launch button, his eyes fixed on the outline of the destroyer.

Seven kilometers.

Six kilometers.

"put."

The submarine shuddered slightly. Four torpedoes shot out silently, leaving white trails beneath the surface, hurtling towards the destroyer.

Five minutes. A long five minutes.

Then, a muffled thud came from afar. This was followed by a second, a third, and a fourth thud.

Through the periscope, Zhang Haisheng saw that the destroyer's hull had been torn open with several large holes, flames shooting out of the breaches and thick smoke billowing out. It began to list and sink.

The merchant fleet was thrown into chaos. Three merchant ships frantically turned and tried to escape.

"Surface. Prepare deck guns."

The submarine surfaced. The deck cannons roared. Shells rained down around the merchant ship, sending up high columns of water.

The first merchant ship was hit, caught fire, and came to a stop.

The second merchant ship was also hit and began to list.

The third merchant ship hoisted a white flag.

Zhang Haisheng stared at the merchant ship flying the white flag and remained silent for three seconds.

"Cease fire. Make them abandon ship."

The first mate paused, then asked, "Captain, are we not going to fight?"

"They surrendered," Zhang Haisheng said. "Those who surrender will not be killed."

Twenty minutes later, all the crew members of the three merchant ships boarded the life rafts. Through his binoculars, Zhang Haisheng saw the life rafts floating on the sea, and someone waving at them—it was unclear whether they were pleading for help or cursing.

"Send a signal," he said. "Tell them the nearest coast is four hundred kilometers to the east. Good luck to them."

The signal lights were flashing. The people on the life raft saw them, and some raised their hands as if in salute.

Zhang Haisheng put down his binoculars.

"Dive. Heading 270. Continue the search."

The submarine submerged again and disappeared into the deep blue sea.

This was the first victory for the Lanfang submarine force.

In the coming days, similar scenes will play out countless times across the Indian Ocean.

Borneo Naval Base, 6:00 AM.

The sun had just risen above the horizon, turning the entire sea a golden-red hue. The dock was bustling with noise; the roar of machinery, the shouts of officers, and the footsteps of soldiers mingled together, like a chaotic yet powerful symphony.

Zhou Zhenguo stood on the bridge of the Zhenyuan, watching the Japanese soldiers disembarking through his binoculars. The second transport ship had docked at 5:00 AM, and 50,000 soldiers were disembarking. Including the first batch of 50,000, Borneo now had 100,000 Japanese soldiers assembled.

On the dock, the soldiers walked down in long lines. They wore khaki uniforms, carried Lanfang-made rifles, and had Lanfang-made bayonets, canteens, and first-aid kits hanging from their Type 38 rifles at their waists.

A young soldier stepped off the gangplank and onto the soil of Borneo. He looked around curiously—this was the first time he had left the land of cherry blossoms, the first time he had seen such a blue sky and such a green sea.

"What are you standing there for? Move forward!" An old soldier behind him gave him a push.

The young soldier stumbled for a moment, then steadied himself and continued walking forward.

At the dock, Lanfang's logistics officers were directing the unloading. Crates of ammunition, bags of rice, and barrels of cooking oil were being unloaded from the ships, piling up into small mountains. Trucks came and went, transporting these supplies to the temporary camp.

Zhou Zhenguo put down his binoculars and turned to face the officers on the bridge.

Then Yamamoto Kazuo walked over.

Zhou Zhenguo looked at Yamamoto Kazuo and asked.

"All 100,000 men have arrived. Equipment, supplies, and medicine are all ready. How many days do you need to rest?"

Kazuo Yamamoto thought for a moment: "Three days. The soldiers need to acclimatize to the tropical climate and familiarize themselves with the terrain. They can depart at any time after three days."

"Alright. Three days later, the Zhenyuan and Jiyuan will set sail first, patrolling the waters between Borneo and Singapore. Let the British see them, make them nervous. You await my orders."

Kazuo Yamamoto nodded: "Understood."

The two walked side by side toward the command post. Behind them, the crowds on the dock continued to surge, like a river that never ends.

Hordasa is located 300 kilometers east of the Sinai Peninsula.

Zhao Dengyu stood on the sand dunes outside the command post, looking at the densely packed camp before him. 120,000 men, six divisions, had all assembled. The tents stretched from his feet to the horizon, like a white ocean.

In the distance, the tank unit was conducting its final drill. More than three hundred Panzer I and Panzer II tanks were lined up in an attack formation, kicking up clouds of dust in the desert. The roar of the engines could be heard several kilometers away, and the sand beneath their feet trembled slightly.

Chief of Staff Li Tiejun climbed up and stood beside him.

"Commander, we just received news. The scouts have figured out the British defenses on the other side of the canal."

Zhao Dengyu turned around: "Speak."

Li Tiejun unfolded a hand-drawn map.

"At the Cantara crossing, the British stationed two battalions, about 1,500 men. They built three bunkers on the east bank and deployed more than 20 machine guns. Landmines were laid in front of the crossing, with the minefield being about 200 meters wide and 50 meters deep."

Zhao Dengyu looked at the map and squinted.

"Landmines. Can engineers clear them?"

"Yes, but it will take time. The scouts said the mines weren't buried very deep; they were probably laid temporarily. The engineers will work through the night and can clear a passage before dawn."

"Before dawn?" Zhao Dengyu thought for a moment, "Then let's attack at night. Let the engineers go first, clear the mines, and then the tanks can cross the river."

Li Tiejun nodded: "Yes."

Zhao Dengyu then pointed to another point on the map.

"Here? The Rhodes Island ferry terminal?"

"There are fewer troops stationed there, only one company. But the river is wide and the current is rapid, making it unsuitable for building a pontoon bridge."

Zhao Dengyu remained silent for a few seconds.

"Then we'll focus our attack on Kantara. We'll have the 2nd and 3rd Divisions launch feigned attacks on Rhodes and another crossing to hold off the British. The 1st Mechanized Infantry Division will launch the main attack on Kantara, and after that, head straight for Suez."

Li Tiejun wrote down: "Yes."

In the distance, the tank drills had ended. The steel behemoths slowly drove back to their camp, the dust kicked up by their tracks gradually dissipating.

Looking at them, Zhao Dengyu suddenly asked, "Old Li, what do you think the British are doing right now?"

Li Tiejun thought for a moment: "We should be reinforcing the defenses. With such a big commotion on our side, their reconnaissance planes are coming every day."

"Okay," Zhao Dengyu said. "Let them see it, let them be nervous. By the time we actually call, they'll have been waiting for days, they'll be tired and scared, that'll be the best time to call."

He turned and walked down the sand dune.

"Order all divisions to hold a pre-battle meeting this evening. Starting tomorrow, all units will conduct targeted training according to plan. Engineers will focus on mine clearance, infantry on river crossing, and tank crews on cover."

Li Tiejun followed behind: "Yes."