Munitions Empire-Chapter 1163: Bet everything on 1083
"The enemy fleet has changed course... they seem to be performing serpentine maneuvers," reported the radar operator on the Tang Army’s missile destroyer as he awkwardly observed the blips on the screen.
He felt the enemy was utterly foolish, playing hide-and-seek with radar in the pitch-black night. He couldn’t imagine anything more idiotic than this, though the act itself was already asinine enough.
"The Styx missiles are adjusting their trajectories! The two missiles are targeting separate objectives!" Inside the destroyer that had just launched two Styx anti-ship missiles, the missile operator loudly and excitedly reported the updated status.
The Tang Empire’s missile attacks were astonishingly smooth, facilitated by an optimal electromagnetic environment that ensured all responses from the Styx missiles were within reasonable and effective limits. Their hit rates were terrifying—tested repeatedly in real-world engagements conducted on Earth.
With their adjusted trajectories, the Styx missiles continued to close in on their targets. These missiles, equipped with shaped-charge armor-piercing warheads, had devastating effects against armored battleships and heavy cruisers.
The third and fourth anti-ship missiles sequentially struck the first two Mirage cruisers that had rushed forward.
This time, the cruisers’ smaller frames clearly couldn’t withstand the damage as well as the previously hit North Island and Great Southern Bay battleships. Both cruisers erupted in flames—one seemingly had its ammunition depot penetrated, and the other saw a sky-high blaze near its smokestack.
"The Jushe Number Cruiser’s forward ammunition storage has been breached! To prevent catastrophic explosions, they’ve begun flooding the storage compartments…" A military officer briskly entered the Shen Battleship’s bridge, saluted Shen Haifeng, and reported the latest news.
Witnessing the heavy cruiser—barely five years out of the dockyard—succumbing to damage, Shen Haifeng felt his heart wrench in pain.
It was a heavy cruiser weighing over ten thousand tons, armed with twelve 200mm-caliber main cannons—an absolutely critical force in battle!
Before this officer had even exited, another hurried officer arrived, bringing more bad news: "The Xueshan Cruiser’s boiler has been damaged, and its speed is decreasing… it might not be able to keep up with the fleet!"
The Xueshan Cruiser was also a "new ship" within the last decade. It had been the first Mirage cruiser equipped with torpedo weaponry—a groundbreaking addition for Mirage Navy back in the day.
When this warship was initially launched, the senior leadership of the Mirage Navy had been ecstatic, believing they finally had a new type of cruiser to directly confront enemy battleships head-on. Yet now, in just the blink of an eye, the Xueshan Cruiser was…
In the pitch-black night, the Mirage Fleet was already engulfed in flames. Directly ahead lay the burning Xueshan and Jushe cruisers, to the fleet’s rear were the slowing North Island battleship and the farthest back—Great Southern Bay battleship, hit and ablaze from the earliest strikes... frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
As the fleet’s commander, Shen Haifeng was facing dire circumstances. If he failed to devise a solution, he might ultimately be held accountable for losing the entire fleet.
"Order the fleet to turn on all spotlights! Illuminate everything! Search the surrounding waters!" Left with no better options, Shen Haifeng issued an almost maddening command.
It was tantamount to lifting the blackout restrictions—like switching on a flashlight in the depths of darkness to locate the enemy’s position! In the pre-radar era, this approach would’ve been akin to a suicide mission.
"Sir!" Upon hearing this order, the officer in charge of the spotlights froze, hesitating to carry out Shen Haifeng’s command.
"Execute the order! Continuing the blackout serves no purpose! They can see us in the dark!" Shen Haifeng briefly explained before turning to the communications officer beside him: "Break radio silence! Send a telegram to headquarters! Report the current situation! Request immediate guidance from General Shen Haiping on our next move!"
Indeed, he had no better options and was utterly at a loss. Based on the attack’s current rate and intensity, his fleet would likely be obliterated within two hours!
Should the fleet keep pushing southward to assault the Tang Army’s landing site, or retreat altogether? Shen Haifeng felt unqualified to make such a monumental decision. Therefore, he planned to consult Shen Haiping at headquarters and immediately update them on the unfolding crisis.
The enemy was capable of night battle! Moreover, they excelled at striking his warships under the cover of darkness—this harrowing truth sounded absurd yet confirmed a terrifying reality!
Since the enemy didn’t fear night combat, a nocturnal raid on their landing site would be a senseless gamble. If the Tang Army had truly mastered night-fighting techniques, then... predicting the outcomes of this battle became significantly harder.
As this grim realization emerged, Shen Haifeng’s anxiety swelled to the point of near panic—every pre-war strategy meticulously devised by Mirage seemed to be unraveling completely.
Initially, Mirage believed Tang Nation’s Air Force couldn’t perform effectively, while their Zero Fighters would dominate the skies. But reality cruelly rebutted this notion; during yesterday’s daylight engagements, Tang Nation’s Air Force was evidently far more active and competent than Mirage’s.
Later, Mirage’s Navy assumed that night combat might grant them the upper hand. Yet now, this perception proved entirely erroneous. The Tang Army appeared to possess some clandestine attack methods, enabling them to effectively locate and destroy targets during nighttime.
Consequently, Shen Haifeng reluctantly lifted the blackout and broke radio silence—all in hopes of recovering some semblance of advantage amidst the oppressive darkness.
…
On Ben Island, inside the Mirage Country’s headquarters, the Shen Emperor stood solemnly in a room adorned with a massive floor map, awaiting updates from the frontline.
The nocturnal assault launched by Shengwu Zhong had already commenced, with approximately 20,000 Mirage troops mobilized to stage a desperate counterattack on the beachhead.
Simultaneously, the naval fleet—on which all hopes were pinned—was advancing toward the enemy. Success would mean turning the tides of the unfavorable battlefield situation.
"Your Majesty!" A military officer briskly entered the war room, saluted the Shen Emperor, then saluted Generals Shen Haiping and Shenwu Ke before reporting, "A message from General Shen Haifeng on the frontline."
Overcome with agitation, Shen Haiping grabbed the cablegram in one swift motion and read it meticulously. His face had already drained of color halfway through, wrinkling the paper in his grip from sheer emotional turmoil.
Seeing this reaction, the Shen Emperor grew equally anxious. He stepped closer to read the text over Shen Haiping’s shoulder. What he saw nearly caused him to faint.
The naval fleet had suffered heavy casualties during its advance, intercepted by the enemy. As of now, two battleships were damaged, and two cruisers were no longer fit for combat.
This revelation dealt a fatal blow to Mirage’s entire operation plan: if the Navy failed to destroy the Tang Army’s landing fleet by tonight, then tomorrow morning… the situation would likely worsen beyond repair.
General Shenwu Ke detailed possible developments on the ground post-battle: the army’s counteroffensive would almost certainly fail to drive the Tang Army back into the sea. Should follow-up Tang reinforcements land unimpeded, South Island’s battlefield prospects could deteriorate into unthinkable chaos.
If Shengwu Zhong’s forces successfully held Great Southern Bay, victory might remain feasible. If they failed, however… with port support and an airstrip established on South Island, the Tang Army’s momentum would only snowball!
Now, the highly anticipated naval counteroffensive seemed fraught with peril—almost guaranteeing the failure of every pre-war directive issued by Mirage’s headquarters. Their calculations had fallen apart, and the battlefield’s trajectory seemed destined for disaster.
"What happened?" Unaware of the gravity of the situation, Shenwu Ke approached Shen Haiping and asked. The latter said nothing, simply handing over the cablegram.
Shenwu Ke skimmed through its contents, his expression darkening, and urgently addressed the Shen Emperor: "Your Majesty! If the Navy retreats… Mirage is doomed!"
"If the Navy is annihilated… Mirage is doomed anyway!" Shen Haiping irritably reminded the Shen Emperor.
From Shen Haiping’s perspective, even if the Tang Navy and Mirage Fleet destroyed each other entirely, Mirage would still be finished: the Tang Nation could construct a new, formidable Navy within three to five years—something Mirage lacked the capacity to replicate.
Whether measured by shipbuilding capabilities, finances, or supplies… Mirage simply couldn’t sustain naval construction at such a scale again.
Shen Haiping also understood that failing to impede Tang Army’s progress on South Island left Mirage with even less time than three to five years...
"Order Shen Haifeng to continue southward! At all costs! Destroy the Tang Army’s landing zone!" After deliberating on the situation, the Shen Emperor made what he deemed the most correct—and indeed, it was—decision.
Allowing Tang Army to entrench itself on South Island would spell complete doom for Mirage. Betting everything on this final offensive offered slim chances of success, but passive surrender guaranteed devastation. The Shen Emperor had no choice but to gamble everything—and no other decision-maker would have acted differently.
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Shen Haiping knew this rationale, too; his earlier hesitation stemmed only from his unwillingness, as a Navy general, to see the fleet destroyed.
Taking one last glance at Shen Haiping, Shenwu Ke gritted his teeth and strode to the telephone nearby: "Telegram room? Transmit orders to Shengwu Zhong and Shenwu Erlang! Command them both—no matter the cost—launch counterattacks toward the beachhead immediately!"
Given the Navy’s willingness to risk everything, Shenwu Ke, as the Army general, couldn’t sit idly or shirk responsibility. If the Navy perished, so too would the Mirage Army’s men stationed on South Island...
If Tang Army secured steady resupplies through maritime channels, what chance did Mirage stand in South Island? Pre-war, every Mirage leader understood their only reliable advantage was the formidable ocean barrier.
Without that natural fortification, Tang Army’s assault on Mirage amounts to nothing more than the slaughter of novices in the Novice Village, an overpowered elder bullying underleveled players, or gang bosses stomping into playgrounds.
Thus, the Shen Emperor, along with Mirage’s top naval and land generals, threw everything on the line—the fate of the war hinged entirely on tonight!
