It was the intelligence services of the empire and the security cordon of the Panamanian side that all failed. Road.

"Isn't there any new information from Chief Sa's side?" Liu Guanxiong is still not at ease.

"Not yet."

After a little silence, Liu Guanxiong screwed back the teacup lid in his hand.

"Just as you just said, let Yuan Feng come back."

"Yes!"

……

50 nautical miles north of the "Yangbo", the flagship of Yuan Feng's reconnaissance unit "Zhenlei".

A herald hurriedly rushed into the bridge: "Report, the 'Yangbo' is calling!" ”

A staff officer took the message and handed it to the general, who was standing in front of the bridge window with a saber in hand.

Vice Admiral Yuan Feng, commander of the Second Battle Patrol Squadron, who had been standing on the bridge of the "Zhenlei" for four hours in a row, was on the fat side, and his small belly could not be concealed to rush forward, and his blue-shaven scalp was exposed behind his military cap.

After reading the telegram sent by Commander Liu Guanxiong, Yuan Feng snorted in his nose and said indignantly: "If you flee back to your own position before you see the enemy, then what do you need to reconnoiter the troops?" Staff Officer Xue, what are the aviation units eating and doing, let them continue to search! ”

"All the available planes have been dispatched, but the number is too small, and the battle cruisers carry 1 aircraft per ship, and there are only 6 planes in total, which is not enough at all......

"Don't talk to me, if it's enough, what else do you want you to do as an aviation staff officer? Get out of here and get me the most effective scout plan!" ”

"Yes—"

Drove away the unpleasant aviation staff officers. Yuan Feng poked the tip of the scabbard to the floor: "Send a telegram to the Yangbo, and request to continue the original mission until the enemy fleeing from Kodiak is discovered." ”

Before the voice fell, the sound transmission tube in the Unicom radio room suddenly rang, and the communicator listened closely, and quickly reported: "The cruiser Flying Leopard reports that Fang 050 has an unknown smoke column, and requests to leave the team to check." ”

Yuan Feng suddenly became energetic: "Order, permission." ”

It wasn't long before another announcement came from the radio room. Received a report from the "Thunder" 2 reconnaissance plane: An unknown fleet of 1 large ship and 4 small ships was discovered 30 nautical miles northeast of our fleet, heading southeast at a speed of 20 knots, and the type of ship could not be identified.

"Unrecognizable?" Yuan Feng's eyes rolled, "It seems to be the enemy's new type of ship - there is meat to eat!" This situation should be reported to the Yanbo, immediately. ”

A minute later, the "Whole Team Follow Me" flag was raised on the mast of the "Thunderbolt".

Two minutes later, the huge hull of the "Zhenlei" of more than 30,000 tons tilted slightly and turned sharply to the right. The stern of the ship suddenly stirred up a thousand layers of snow waves, a little later. The wingman "Lightning Thunder" also struggled to twist the hull and, together with the surrounding 4 destroyers, followed the flagship due east.

Five minutes later, the "Thunder" issued a third order: "Second speed of the whole team!" ”

The fleet quickly picked up to 24 knots.

At this time, a messenger on the bridge of the Thunderbolt excitedly reported: "The Flying Leopard called, and an unknown fleet was discovered, suspected to be a cruiser, and a destroyer 4!" Azimuth 090 Heading 135, Speed Festival! ”

The corners of Yuan Feng's mouth frowned: "The maximum combat speed of the whole team." The main forces prepare for an artillery duel! Tell the Flying Leopard to keep in touch with the enemy as much as possible and report the enemy situation at any time. The Thunder Leopard continues to guard the north. It was also reported that our troops had spotted the enemy fleeing from Kodiak. Going into battle! ”

After a while, the fleet accelerated to 28 knots, which was also the maximum speed of the Thunder Patrol.

"Report, Thunder 2 aircraft ran out of fuel. Request a ......

This unknown communicator suddenly attracted the hysterical roar of Lieutenant General Yuan Feng: "*** Get away, you won't die if you land on the sea!" Report this useless thing again, and chop you with a knife! ”

The new communicator, who had not yet grown hair on his mouth, was so frightened that he did not dare to say anything, and was soon asked by the personnel staff officer to go out of the bridge and replace him with an old non-commissioned officer who had followed Yuan Feng for many years.

"Spot the enemy fleet! Fang 085, 250, 130, speed...

Yuan Feng reflexively raised the telescope on his chest, instantly aligned with the direction, and sure enough, he saw a clear column of smoke and a faint shadow in front of the left side of the ship's bow.

"The Thunderbolt is aimed at the enemy's leading ship, the first test firing!"

The chief operations staff officer immediately said: "Commander, the distance is too far, even if it is a thunderous 350 cannon, it is completely uncertain on 25,000 yards." ”

Yuan Feng stomped his foot: "I just want to try our thunder's 350 to see how far we can do it in actual combat!" This is an opportunity, a godsend! ”

Only then did the staff officers suddenly realize.

In a moment, the 10-year main gun firing commander above the bridge of the "Thunder" slowly rotated, driving the two twin main guns in front of it to point at the target—each of which weighed more than one of the largest destroyers in existence.

After several minutes of continuous tracking of the target by the commander, a report came from the command post of the main gun firing located under the command tower: "Lock on the target!" Distance 240,2,a

The 350 cannon on the left side of turret A first spit out dazzling cannon flames, and with an interval of less than a second, the main gun on the left side of the turret shook slightly, and a second grenade weighing 640 kilograms was sprayed.

After two huge rumors that followed, everyone in the bridge held their breath, and all the telescopes pointed to the left front of the bow of the ship, until half a minute later, the two clear red columns of water rose as scheduled.

In order to distinguish the impact points of each ship, so as not to misread the impact points and cause the shots to deviate more and more, the patrol or battleships of the same team in the combined fleet must be loaded with shells filled with different colors of dye, the main gun shells of the Shock Thunder are filled with red dye, and the main gun shells of the wingman Lightning are filled with green dye.

"Confirm the impact point ......"

Soon came a report from the firing command post that two shells had landed four or five hundred yards away from the target and that a second test firing was required.

"Immediately conduct a second test launch." Yuan Feng personally ordered to the sound transmission tube.

The second test launch has not yet begun, and a new situation has emerged.

Degree ......"

"What?"

Yuan Feng's heart tightened, and he was about to give the order, when a herald from the radio room happened to rush into the bridge and deliver the telegram with both hands.

"Call-"

Messages from higher command headquarters must be conveyed in writing, so as to avoid omissions and errors in oral transmission.

Yuan Feng took the message and looked at it, and then calmed down.

"Don't panic, it's the water plane unit sent by this team to order the radio room to turn on the air channel to guide friendly forces."