(From tomorrow, try to restore to the state of one update a day.)

"Commander Tower, a large number of smoke columns were found at two o'clock on the starboard side!"

On the 17th, the Allied Mediterranean Fleet reached the end of the **. The first light cruiser fleet and the first destroyer detachment of the eleven light warships of its advance fleet had crossed the west side of Ustica and searched northward to the Tyrrhenian Sea. Its main fleet, ten battleships, ten old battleships, and thirteen light warships, formed a search formation with a width of more than 3 kilometers, and drove north at a cruise speed of 13 knots per hour.

At 3:00 p.m., almost at the same time when the Joint Fleet flagship discovered the smoke column in the west, the Mediterranean Fleet flagship observer also noticed the smoke column in the east.

Unlike the hesitation of the Italian Lookout Commissioner of the Combined Fleet, the Mediterranean Fleet could determine that it was the maritime power of the Allied Powers at the first time: the Tyrrhenian Sea had never had the experience of visiting the Spanish Navy. The French local garrison fleet, whose main battleship was drawn, hid in the Gurian Sea most of the time, and occasionally fought in the Italian Genoa Sea. They would not easily sway in the Tyrrhenian Sea. The Breton battleship lookout can easily confirm that it was the warship of the Allied Powers Navy.

The horn of the battle was sounded. The alarm sound in the buzzer was heartbreaking, and the rhythm and atmosphere of the Mediterranean fleet, which was burning with the scorching sun in the Mediterranean Sea, suddenly became tense. The gunners who were staying in the wet and stuffy turrets cheered up. The preparatory gun team also flipped off the hammock and quickly gathered at the pre-war pre-set stand. The medical class and doctors prepared stretchers and surgical equipment at the bow of the ship. Waiting for possible casualties. The damaged guards, led by the officers, rushed into the equipment room to move out to plug leaks, extinguish fire and repair equipment, or drilled into the underwater cabin of the warship and closed the underwater communication door.

"Is this the beginning of a legend or a preview of a disaster before I discovered the main force of the Joint Fleet?"

Major General De Robeck commanded the combat staff to prepare the sand table, and he took out a Tyrrhenian chart and used a ruler to mark the approximate locations of the advance fleet, his own fleet and the target fleet, and then put a question mark on the target fleet heavily above.

"Can't the watchtower confirm the unknown identity of the fleet?" Alexis clenched his fists and let his nails penetrate deep into the calloused fleshy palms.

"It is possible to find more than six smoke pillars. It should be a fleet of more than a destroyer fleet." Chief of Staff De Robeck shook his head and said, "It's a pity that the distance is too far, and it is impossible to confirm whether the unknown fleet is the main force of the joint fleet or the support fleet of the joint fleet, or a patrol fleet in the Italian garrison fleet."

The chief of staff's explanation put the commander-in-chief of the French land combat naval in deep thought.

Alixis found that he had thought the naval battle too simply. He thought that the intelligence arranged in the port of Taranto could help him confirm the training progress of the joint fleet. He found a favorable opportunity to strangle the unformed Mediterranean sea monsters. He thought that the series of tactical deceptions after the Mediterranean fleet went to sea were enough. The reconnaissance ships deployed in the Tyrrhenian Sea could successfully find the main force of the joint fleet, but the plan was always just a plan. Alixis was not prepared to deal with emergencies at all, such as encountering an unknown fleet before discovering the main force of the joint fleet.

"Since we encounter the target fleet, we may be exposed soon." Alexis remained silent as the commander of the fleet, and now is obviously not a time to be timid. As the chief of staff of the fleet, De Robeck stood up and suggested loudly: "If the crucial concealment is lost, the strategic goal of strangling the joint fleet will be difficult to achieve. Commander, kill the unknown fleet before they can see through us!"

Major General Robeck's suggestion made Alexis tempted. Although it was difficult for the target fleet to judge their identity because of the distance between the two fleets, this was the territory of the Italians after all, and the Mediterranean Fleet would soon be exposed. Once the Allies confirmed the identity of the Mediterranean Fleet, they would be wary of strangling and possessing the joint fleet of Heidi Sileme, the first-class tactical commander, the difficulty can be imagined. If you don't want the Mediterranean Fleet to get nothing this time, it will be difficult to explain whether it is the upper and lower. Killing the unknown fleet at two o'clock is obviously a wise choice. What's more, that unknown fleet may be the main force of the joint fleet.

The gesture of pressing up was almost done, but when things came to an end, Alexis hesitated again. Alexis still had a little fantasy, fantasizing that the unknown fleet would not find itself, or simply make mistakes in the judgment. The Mediterranean fleet still had great potential in the Tyrrhenian Sea.

"Order, the Mediterranean Fleet enters the first-level combat readiness state. The Forbin changes the American flag to approach the target fleet!" In a flash, the commander of the land combat naval, El Alixis, changed his command: "Information officer, let the telegraph room send a message in a clear code, which is 'Italian warships were found in the southwest waters of Ustica, and all merchant ships in the nearby waters should be alert'."

Intelligence staff Sezel happily took the order, and a radio signal soared into the air. The Forbin transport ship, which accompanied the main fleet, moved away from the queue after changing the national flag, and moved closer to the sea where the smoke pillars were located on the east side.

The USS Forbin, which is not fast, needs time to approach the unknown fleet and judge the identity and value of the target fleet. De Robeck looked down at his watch and whispered, "Damn Frenchman."

Major General Robeck didn't know whether the French's almost child-like deception tactics could really work. Major General Robeck, who was forced to stand on the same boat as the French, could only pray to God at this time.

"Commander, the Telegraph Room received a strange set of secret codes..."

Three minutes later, the telegraph room confidential officer broke into the commander's tower of the battleship Brittany and handed over a strange telegraph paper.

Lieutenant General Alexis's heart was inexplicably shocked. Anyone with a little IQ knew that it was the secret code of the enemy and enemy identification sent by the unknown fleet. The secret codes deciphered and mastered by the Allies were not enough to deal with this telegram. The identity of the Mediterranean Fleet was soon revealed. Commander Alexis could only smile bitterly, trying to cut off the last trace of greed and eliminate unrealistic fantasies.

"General, the plan is bankrupt, we need to make a choice!"

The British Rear Admiral De Robeck, who was unhappy with Alexis' indecisiveness, wanted to make an order for Alexis, but the sea was a special existence after all, with ancient and inhumane institutional rules to maintain a covenant that was more noble than life. On the sea, Major General Robeck could not challenge the authority of the commander-in-chief in any case.

"Wait, wait!" Alexis took a deep breath, turned his head and shouted at the telegraph room confidential officer: "Once we find that the target fleet sends a large number of radio signals, we will take action!"

The officers of the Mediterranean Fleet obeyed the orders of the lieutenant general. At this time, new news came from the telegraph room:

"Lieutenant General, the advance fleet is urgently powered! The main force of the joint fleet was found about 8 nautical miles northwest of Ustica!"

"About 8 nautical miles northwest of Ustica?" Major General De Robek pulled the Tyrrhenian chart and looked at the location of the main force of the Mediterranean fleet, and asked in confusion: "When did the advance fleet set out a voyage with us for more than an hour?"

Major General De Robeck was keenly aware of the unpredictable risks brought by the disconnection of the advance fleet from the main fleet, but Lieutenant General Alexis was obviously lost in his mind by the good news. He turned around and took a step towards the telegraph room confidential officer, grabbing his military uniform: "The main force of the joint fleet? Are you sure?"

The confidential officer was frightened by Alexis's face that looked a little hideous because he was overjoyed. He trembled and handed the telegram in his hand to the crazy Frenchman. The French Lieutenant General grabbed the telegram and browsed it quickly. He couldn't help but take a few steps back and roared: "It seems that God is standing on my side!"

"General, since we have discovered the main force of the joint fleet, we are the best to ensure the safety of the advance fleet..." Major General Robeck was forcibly interrupted by Alexis as soon as he raised his opinion.

"Order, the advance fleet will entangle the main force of the joint fleet at all costs to avoid the joint fleet escaping. If you do not need military law to engage in the Mediterranean fleet, target the northwest waters of Ustica, advance at full speed!"

(--Gorgeous dividing line--)

"Italian warships were found in the southwest waters of Ustica, and all merchant ships from allies in the nearby waters should be warned."

General Anton Von House, who succeeded Wang Heidi, grabbed the clear telegram translated from the telegram room, read out the text on it in a low voice, then looked up at the ship getting closer and closer in the west waters, touched the beard on his jaw and said in confusion:

"No matter how you look, it doesn't look like a merchant fleet?"

At 15:08, the United Fleet did not reply to the identification telegram. On the flagship watchtower, the Italian watchman found a small black dot moving towards this side in his telescope barrel. In short, the sky over the Tyrrhenian Sea was filled with the smell of conspiracy, until the old battleship fleet that was undergoing artillery training about 8 nautical miles northwest of Ustica sent information filled with the romantic imagination of Italian foodies.

"French cruisers were found in the waters on the west side of the fleet. Queen Margarita reported that there were a large number of more smoke columns in the southwest waters. It was judged to be the main fleet of France!"

"French main fleet? It seems that General Silame's prediction is correct. After showing weakness, the Allies were indeed fooled!" General House waved his fist at the air excitedly and pressed the alarm trigger on the tower heavily. "Order, the First Reconnaissance Fleet will solve the enemy on the west side, and the main force of the joint fleet will immediately enter a state of combat readiness and rush to support the front dreadnought fleet. Communication officer, please notify General Silame to return to his post to command!"
Chapter completed!