CHAPTER 46: CHAPTER 42 ABRUPT END

To ensure fairness, the Navy headquarters issued an invitation, and both He Yongxing and Liu Changhe accepted it, bringing several senior staff members to observe.

For several hours, nothing happened. Not only were He Yongxing and Liu Changhe worn out, even Zhu Shijian couldn’t take it anymore.

A secretary came in, whispered in Zhu Shijian’s ear, and Zhu subsequently got up and left. He Yongxing and Liu Changhe didn’t think much of it.

After sitting for several hours, even the most patient person would need to use the restroom.

In fact, He Yongxing and Liu Changhe were barely holding it in themselves.

The two remained completely still, seemingly competing in a test of endurance.

Soon after, they both began to feel secretly relieved, thinking that Zhu Shijian had picked the worst time to go to the bathroom because the simulation suddenly reached its climax.

It was indeed sudden—very sudden.

First, the Imperial Fleet sent out reconnaissance aircraft in the early hours of the exercise time to start the first round of scouting for the new day. Although the reconnaissance planes took off before dawn, they were definitely returning after daylight and incurred a ten percent accident loss, so this operation did not break the rules.

Then, the Judgement Center made its first critical decision since the start of the simulation.

The Imperial Fleet’s reconnaissance aircraft spotted the returning Joint Fleet because the reconnaissance planes arrived after daylight, allowing the Joint Fleet to promptly deploy fighters to shoot down several aircraft. However, they failed to prevent these reconnaissance planes from sending a report to the flagship about the Joint Fleet’s location.

Having their whereabouts exposed, the Joint Fleet immediately strengthened their anti-air defenses, dividing the fighters into two groups to patrol the area near the fleet in succession.

In addition, the Joint Fleet dispatched their reconnaissance planes at this time.

Upon receiving the feedback, the Imperial Fleet immediately organized an offensive action.

Next, the Judgement Center made the most critical decision.

In three consecutive waves of offensive actions, the Imperial Fleet lost nearly two hundred planes, amounting to three-quarters of their total number of deployed aircraft.

According to the decision, the Imperial Fleet had temporarily lost its strike capability.

However, the Imperial Fleet also achieved a decisive victory.

Because they were the focus of the offensive, two of the Joint Fleet’s mother ships were judged as sunk, and the Joint Fleet thereby lost all of its aviation power, except for seaplanes, even though the Judgement Center simultaneously determined that the Joint Fleet’s reconnaissance planes had discovered the Imperial Fleet.

However, the simulation had not ended there.

After three rounds of attacks, it was night, and the Imperial Fleet could not continue deploying the Air Force during nighttime.

Fortunately, the Judgement Center also ruled that after an overnight emergency repair and adjustment, the Imperial Fleet’s air combat capability could recover to forty percent.

Considering that the Joint Fleet no longer had any fighters, the Imperial Fleet did not need to reserve any anti-air power, nor did it need to provide cover for the bombing Plane Group, enabling all planes, including dozens of fighters, to undertake bombing missions, thus restoring striking capability to sixty percent of the maximum.

Additionally, the distance between the Imperial Fleet and the Joint Fleet was not far, less than three hundred kilometers. The Imperial Fleet was close to the edge of the designated sea area, and therefore, according to the rules, the Imperial Fleet could not retreat to increase the distance, making it possible to encounter the Joint Fleet at night.

In fact, this was the biggest variable and could be said to be the Joint Fleet’s last chance.

Don’t forget, after three rounds of attacks, only two of the Joint Fleet’s mother ships were adjudged sunk; the four battleships and four battlecruisers were intact. As long as the two sides encountered each other at night, the Imperial Fleet would not be able to defeat the Joint Fleet with just four battlecruisers.

Moreover, according to the rules of the simulation, only when the distance exceeded fifty kilometers could the Air Force be deployed.

It was clear that the outcome would be revealed before dawn.

As long as the Joint Fleet could catch the Imperial Fleet, they could rely on the double number of Main Battle Ships to achieve a decisive victory with traditional Gun Battle.

Conversely, if the Imperial Fleet could hold out until dawn, they could deploy the Air Force to crush the Joint Fleet.

The next tactics of the two fleets—their choice of navigation route, to be exact—were absolutely crucial.

The result was that both Bai Zhizhan and Liu Xiangzhen remained silent, and did not immediately adjust their routes; it seemed they were both trying to guess the tactics their opponent might employ.

"These two blockheads, are they going to drag this out for several more hours?"

In actual combat, spending several hours to make a decision is not unusual, but this was a simulation, which didn’t need to follow actual combat so closely.

Still, both He Yongxing and Liu Changhe were able to keep their cool.

Standing on the sides of two prestigious families, two great fleets, and two factions, this was no ordinary simulation; its importance was second only to a fleet decisive battle.

In fact, the judges from the Naval Academy understood this as well.

The atmosphere in the Judgement Center was tense, eerily quiet. The staff of the judgment team all stayed in their places, none of them walking around.

Perhaps for fear of drawing attention, not even whispers were exchanged.

Until the door squeaked open.

Seeing that it was Zhu Shijian who came in, the people in the room relaxed.

However, He Yongxing and Liu Changhe had already noticed Zhu Shijian’s solemn expression and immediately realized that something very bad must have happened.

"Tell them to come out, this ends today."

"Commander Zhu, this..."

Zhu Shijian didn’t elaborate, he simply nodded to He Yongxing and Liu Changhe and then turned around and walked out.

Neither dared to delay; they instructed their staff briefly and immediately followed Commander Zhu out of the Judgement Center.

Outside, Commander Zhu had already left, but his secretary remained.

Following that, they went with the secretary to the Commander’s office.

By the time they arrived, Commander Zhu was on the phone.

Upon seeing them, Commander Zhu pointed towards the sofa, then waved his hand toward the secretary, signaling to close the door as the secretary exited.

"Alright, I know what to do."

With that said, Commander Zhu hung up the phone.

He Yongxing and Liu Changhe watched him but neither of them spoke up.

"I just received news that His Majesty is critically ill and has been admitted to the Imperial Hospital, but the condition has been stabilized. According to the Imperial Hospital’s consultation, the situation is not optimistic, I’m afraid there might not be many days left."

Both Admirals were stunned; Liu Changhe stood up abruptly and then sat back down with a thud.

"It was first reported by the Privy Council, and in accordance with protocol, someone has been sent to the western front. The Crown Prince will definitely be brought back before the Spring Festival," Zhu Shijian let out a sigh, then continued, "According to the Grand Secretary’s instructions, we need to accelerate the negotiation process and get the ceasefire agreement in place as soon as possible."

"So, are you saying we need to present the Navy’s development plan?" He Yongxing interjected.

"With the current situation, we must act quickly. General Liu, you don’t have any objections, do you?"

"When even the Grand Secretary is saying so, who can object?" As he spoke, He Yongxing glanced at Liu Changhe, making it clear that Liu Changhe needed to weigh his response carefully.

After pondering for a moment, Liu Changhe nodded slightly, which also served as an answer.

"Since General Liu has no objections, that’s good. About the simulation, we won’t announce it publicly for the time being. It’s getting late, we’ll stop here for today, everyone should go back and rest early."

As he said these words, Commander Zhu gave He Yongxing a suggestive look with his eyes.