"All right, stop arguing, it's not the time to deal with this transport ship fleet yet."

Sigmund interrupted the quarrel between the two, speaking words that surprised everyone present.

"Why, if we don't take action now, this fleet will head to our Country."

Yamamoto Shigeki was anxious upon hearing this, such a good opportunity isn't always available.

He didn't want the Jieke Group to continue replenishing their ammunition; these replenishments would end up in the hands of the Japanese.

Randall explained at this point: "Don't rush, keeping this transport fleet allows us to catch a bigger fish."

"Fishing?"

Ingram pondered, realizing something, and said: "Are you targeting the Jieke Group's Far East Mixed Fleet?"

Zheng Yujing and Yamamoto Shigeki were both startled; this Far East Mixed Fleet was immensely powerful with five cruiser arsenal ships, otherwise, it wouldn't have been dispatched by the Jieke Group to confront the Beautiful Country's carrier battle group.

Given the number of ships in the Roosevelt Carrier Battle Group, frankly speaking, to these few people, facing the Far East Mixed Fleet, the odds were at best fifty-fifty. Was Beautiful Country really that confident?

"That's right."

Sigmund snapped his fingers, laying out his combat plan: "The Jieke Group's transport fleet is merely bait. As long as we show a threat to this fleet, the Jieke Group's Far East Mixed Fleet will definitely come to its rescue. Once they enter the Ryukyu Sea's operational range, our air force bases scattered across the Ryukyu Islands can launch a large number of aircraft to join us in annihilating this Jieke Group's main fleet."

Yamamoto Shigeki, Zheng Yujing, and Ingram's eyes brightened simultaneously.

The Ryukyu Islands host multiple military bases of the Beautiful Country, deploying a large amount of military equipment and shelters, with dense distributions of various air defense missiles.

In terms of air power, the Ryukyu Islands have about two hundred F-15s, F-22s, F-35s, and other jet fighters, making these air force bases akin to unsinkable aircraft carriers, playing a crucial role in guarding the Western Pacific Sea Area for the Beautiful Country.

If the Jieke Group's Far East Mixed Fleet enters here, the Ryukyu Islands' military bases would launch a large number of fighter jets, working with the Roosevelt Carrier Battle Group to encircle and potentially rout the Far East Mixed Fleet.

After all, the combined number of Army aircraft and carrier-borne aircraft exceeds three hundred. Even though the Jieke Group has cruiser arsenal ships, they can't fend off so many aircraft attacks. The fight's outcome could eventually be 3 to 7, or even 2 to 8 in favor of the Beautiful Country, with increased chances of victory due to their advantageous position.

"Additionally, our Carl Vinson Aircraft Carrier and Washington Aircraft Carrier have already secretly come over to reinforce us, ensuring the Far East Mixed Fleet won't escape once they appear."

Randall added another point, highlighting the dispatch of three aircraft carriers to leave nothing to chance, demonstrating the Beautiful Country's regard for the Jieke Group as an opponent.

More confident than ever, their faces lit up with joy.

Three nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, combined with the Ryukyu Islands' air power, would darken the skies with fighter jets against which the Jieke Group's Far East Mixed Fleet would have no defense. How could they withstand such a large number of jet fighters?

"But what if the Jieke Group's Far East Mixed Fleet doesn't come? What if they simply ignore and abandon the transport fleet?"

Yamamoto Shigeki questioned, stating that if he were the Commander, he wouldn't risk the main fleet even if it meant losing an entire large transport fleet. He knows what's more important.

"This is an open strategy. If the Far East Mixed Fleet doesn't come, we lose nothing but get to capture the transport fleet. If they do come, we complete an annihilation battle, sinking every one of the Jieke Group's prideful cruiser arsenal ships."

Sigmund pointed at Japan on the map, stating solemnly: "During our operation, Japan will also coordinate with us. The moment arrives when our Army and Air Force stationed in Japan will launch simultaneously, in cooperation with Japan, to confront the Jieke Group. Even if they can't be driven back, they can deplete their weaponry. Without follow-up transport fleet support, the Jieke Group stationed in Japan will inevitably collapse. Thus, to secure the maritime logistics lifeline, the Jieke Group must gain sea dominance. From my understanding of the arrogant and conceited Jieke Group, they are likely to choose a decisive sea battle with us, which will be our opportunity to clinch a victory."

Upon hearing Sigmund's complete plan, Zheng Yujing and others were no longer worried.

"Understood, we'll follow Commander Sigmund's instructions."

"Yes, with the Emperor's blessing, should the Jieke Group come, they'll leave with nothing."

"Our undying glory will be reclaimed with the sinking of enemy ships."

Amidst a chorus of compliments, the five agreed on the plan and immediately set it in motion.

...

Next day!

The Beautiful Country's Roosevelt Carrier Battle Group sailed into the Ryukyu Islands' sea area, deploying numerous reconnaissance planes, pretending to look for the Jieke Group's transport fleet.

In reality, the Beautiful Country already knew the exact location of the U-12 transport fleet but pretended ignorance to draw them out.

To make the act convincing, the Beautiful Country Government announced that not a single paddle boat would be allowed to reach Japan, and Beautiful Country air force bases across the Ryukyu Islands also launched aircraft to search the sea area, carefully avoiding the U-12 fleet's area.

Little did they know, among the U-12 fleet the Roosevelt Carrier Battle Group viewed as prey, the hidden escort power wasn't just two destroyers and two escort ships.

The ocean waves rolled gently, and sunlight glistened on the sea, where golden light entwined with white spray, resembling a golden-silver swirl; the U-12 transport fleet maneuvered through it.

In the deep waters beneath this fleet, four enormous vessels sailed silently.

Among them were three Devourer-class Deep Diving Cruisers, and another, over five hundred meters long, was the Yuan Shou, a Destroyer-class Battleship.

Its commanding officer, a 54-year-old lieutenant general named Xia Pingxu, had received reports from the U-12 fleet.

"Looks like the Beautiful Country is trying to bait us."

Xia Pingxu chuckled, as the Jieke Group's satellites had also detected the Roosevelt Carrier Battle Group's movements.

Thanks to the inexpensive and massive quantities of Kunpeng Rockets, Jieke Group's satellites in space had outnumbered those of the Beautiful Country, providing great ease in military reconnaissance.

From the beginning of the war, the Jieke Group had been tracking the Roosevelt Carrier Battle Group, so when Xia Pingxu noticed the carrier's actions, he guessed the opponent's general intentions.

"Notify the Far East Mixed Fleet and have Old Peng ready; if the Beautiful Country wants to set a trap, then we'll venture into this tiger's den."

Xia Pingxu, well-versed in combat strategy, realized that the Beautiful Country aimed to leverage the Ryukyu Islands' advantages to draw the Far East Mixed Fleet into a trap. This was an open strategy; unless the Jieke Group planned to abandon sea dominance and have their maritime supply lines severed.

"Heh, if they want to encircle us, they shouldn't be surprised if I break out from the center; let's see who can't handle it."

A confident smile graced Xia Pingxu's lips; the nine 600-millimeter Biological Plasma Cannons on the Yuan Shou were his source of confidence. Battleships may have faded from history, but not due to insufficient firepower; large-caliber naval guns are not much weaker than missiles, but mainly because of their range.

Aircraft carriers could fly jets over from hundreds of kilometers away, and the battleships couldn't even see the carriers before getting bombed, naturally falling behind the times. However, this was no longer the case with the Yuan Shou.

With various cutting-edge weapons, Xia Pingxu considered that even the nuclear-powered carriers of the Beautiful Country stood no chance against the Destroyer-class Battleship's might.

With determined eyes, Xia Pingxu commanded the Yuan Shou to accelerate, leading the three other Devourer-class Cruisers away from the transport fleet, speeding towards the direction of the Roosevelt Carrier Battle Group.

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