Empire Conquest

Chapter 594 - 590: The Final Expedition

Interestingly, at this banquet full of military personnel, no one discussed issues related to combat.

If anything, there was no need for discussion.

Before attending the banquet, Bai Zhizhan had already received a telegram from the Navy headquarters.

The military operations in the Land Heart Sea would continue, but Liu Xiangzhen would assume the role of commander-in-chief, and Bai Zhizhan was to return to the Imperial mainland in the near future.

Moreover, Liu Xiangzhen had been appointed as the Navy commander-in-chief for both the Fan Flame Ocean and the Sunset Ocean.

The position left for Bai Zhizhan was that of the commander-in-chief for the East Ocean.

Additionally, apart from the twelfth Special Mixed Fleet remaining, and being officially renamed the thirty-first Special Mixed Fleet after the establishment of the Sunset Ocean Fleet, the Navy would also send four small carriers to form another Special Mixed Fleet, serving as the main force in the direction of the Land Heart Sea.

This arrangement was to bring Bai Zhizhan and the eleventh Special Mixed Fleet back to the East Ocean.

By then, in addition to two large carriers and three fleet carriers in East Ocean, there would be at least eight small carriers.

In another half year, there was the prospect of adding four more large carriers.

With these forces now, it was possible to launch military operations against the Howay Islands.

According to the Navy headquarters’ arrangement, the focus still needed to be on the west.

The Imperial Authority, specifically Xue Yuanzheng, had already sent a plenipotentiary envoy to the Ter Republic to discuss the leasing of a military base with the leaders of Ter.

Because the Navy had just opened up a sea route into the Land Heart Sea, and could provide various aids to the Ter Republic by sea, including equipment, the Ter Authority had no reason to refuse providing a military base to the Empire, which is to say, supporting the Empire’s troops entering the Mo Sea.

Following this, fleets would be sent to the Mo Sea.

From an overall strategic perspective, it was crucial to break into the Mo Sea and achieve a decisive victory facing the Luosha Federation before the Navy could shift its focus elsewhere.

Clearly, this was a prerequisite for launching a military operation against the Howay Islands.

Waiting a few months might not be a bad idea, as it would at least bring several more large carriers.

On the Land Heart Sea side, there was no need to initiate any actions.

The last fleet carrier of the Bulan Royal Navy, the "Royal Ark," had been severely damaged and would not be repaired for a few months.

The Newland Navy temporarily had no carriers available, and even if they had one, such as the "Ethe" coming into service early, it would be deployed here.

This indicated that the Consortium Group could not possibly launch a reprisal in the direction of the Land Heart Sea in the short term.

Without control of the sea, any attack on Malta was bound to end in failure.

If anything, a timely shift from offense to defense by the Consortium Group, pulling back valuable troops, might hold some hope, that is, to keep the Nara Fortress.

If they still refused to concede and continued to deplete resources in Malta, they would likely lose even the Nara Fortress.

At this stage, not even the Newland Federation, let alone God himself, could save the Bulan Kingdom.

From this perspective, the defeat of the Bulan Kingdom was essentially inevitable.

Definitely reclaiming Malta and capturing Nara Fortress posed no insurmountable obstacles—it could even be done effortlessly.

According to the Navy headquarters’ plan, it was still necessary to launch an operation in the direction of Malta, sending a mixed fleet to seize control of the sea and airspace, clearing the way to the Raleigh Kingdom, and boosting the morale of the Raleigh Navy so that it could deploy its fleet hunkered in the port.

Even just sailing outside the port would prove its presence.

This action was mainly to maintain the unity of the Consortium Group and prevent the Tiaoman Empire from taking extreme measures.

To say it, this was also Bai Zhizhan’s last operation in Land Heart Sea.

Knowing that Bai Zhizhan was soon returning to East Ocean, the Naval headquarter had already issued a personnel assignment, so when making arrangements, Liu Xiangzhen proactively suggested that Bai Zhizhan still command the operation entering Raleigh Kingdom, with him leading the twelfth Special Mixed Fleet in support.

For this, Bai Zhizhan made no courtesies with Liu Xiangzhen.

According to Li Mingbo, after this return, Bai Zhizhan would be met with the vast East Ocean until the end of the great battle, likely without another chance to return to Land Heart Sea.

Two days later on January 15, two Special Mixed Fleets left Alexandria heading towards Raleigh Kingdom.

It was described as an invasion, more like an armed journey.

Before meeting the battleships sent by the Raleigh Royal Navy in the central part of Land Heart Sea, the only threat encountered was a suspected Bulan submarine.

Thanks to the timely arrival of a destroyer, that unidentified submarine did not get a chance to launch a surprise attack.

Although they reached the outer seas of Raleigh Kingdom on the afternoon of the 16th, they did not meet with the approaching Raleigh fleet until the next morning.

Moreover, Bai Zhizhan did not order the Special Mixed Fleet to enter Taranto, only allowing the "Qinling" to dock.

The other battleships remained in the outer seas, maintaining a state of combat readiness.

The reason was that the battle in Malta was not yet over, and the Bulan Royal Navy’s Land Heart Sea Fleet still posed a significant threat.

Of course, Bai Zhizhan also showed considerable respect to Raleigh Kingdom by following the "Qinling" into port.

This arrangement was also justifiable.

The "Qinling" served as a dedicated flagship and nominally the flagship of the eleventh Special Mixed Fleet, flying the Fleet Commander’s flag during battle.

The flagship entering the port was sufficient.

Interestingly, Bai Zhizhan did not visit Raleigh Kingdom in the capacity of Fleet Commander of the Imperial Navy Special Mixed Fleet, but under the identity of an Imperial Family member.

For this purpose, Bai Zhizhan even specifically changed into Royal attire.

This set of attire was tailored after his marriage to Zhang Xiaoqing, primarily for various Royal external activities, though such opportunities had seldom arisen.

To put it plainly, this was Bai Zhizhan’s first visit to a foreign country as a member of the Royal Family since his trip to Gaoju Kingdom.

Bai Zhizhan is a military man, not a politician, much less a diplomat, and even when he sporadically attends foreign affairs activities, it is in a military capacity.

For instance, before the outbreak of the great war, Bai Zhizhan, representing the Imperial Navy, had participated several times in disarmament negotiations, during which he met other outstanding naval talents like Dunz and Spur.

Prince Galilee of Raleigh Kingdom, who came to welcome Bai Zhizhan at Taranto, showed that Raleigh Kingdom highly valued the Prince Consort of Liangxia Empire.

The key point is, Bai Zhizhan was not any Prince, strictly speaking not even a successor to the Imperial throne, his status definitely below that of a Crown Prince.

To say it outright, comparable to a Duke of Raleigh Kingdom.

The reason behind this is nothing but straightforward.

Due to earlier double-dealings, Tiaoman Empire and Raleigh Kingdom had become mere passers-by to each other, even on the brink of drawing swords. After the Bulan Land Heart Sea Fleet was defeated, the pathway to align with the Alliance Group was blocked, leaving Raleigh Kingdom now clinging only to Liangxia Empire’s coattails.

To put it bluntly, if disdained by Liangxia Empire, those in power residing in Rome might not even know how they would die!

Pleasing the number one war general of Liangxia Navy, who was also a member of the Liangxia Imperial Family, was only logical.

To put it rudely, in the eyes of Raleigh rulers, Bai Zhizhan was that essential figure they must cling to tightly and never let go!

Of course, in official propaganda, Raleigh Kingdom had long proclaimed Bai Zhizhan as the Great Angel sent by God to save humanity.