Spy Shadow: Command & Conquer

Chapter 2066, Please Incorporate into the Warship
When it comes to Italy during World War II, many people probably have a lot to say.

You might say its combat power is weak, and that seems to be true. But occasionally it can unleash a powerful burst of energy.

They waver between sides. Their stance is uncertain. But they always manage to gain benefits.

They initially reaped benefits by following the Germans.

Later on, they followed the Americans to reap the benefits.

Initially, it was the victorious nation.

Later on, they were also the victorious nation.

The cost was minimal. Casualties were also not severe.

No matter how dire the battlefield, everyone must have pasta. Otherwise, a ceasefire must be declared.

It is said that in Africa, the food is so bad that people lose their will to fight.

Apart from Mussolini being killed and an air force marshal being shot down by his own side, there don't seem to be any other major losses.

In the end, they even managed to betray the Germans, infuriating the Führer.

Oh, Taranto...

This is a pain that will never fade.

However, it seems that Taranto hasn't been attacked yet?

The air force map shows that there are still many Italian warships in the port of Taranto.

There are battleships, cruisers, destroyers...

It was even more numerous than the number of British warships gathered at the port of Mount St.

Most of the British warships were on the surface of the sea, carrying out various missions. They were extremely busy.

Only the Italian warships remained hidden, huddled together. They were at ease.

Is this a tactic?

Perhaps so; it's like an ancient truce sign.

As long as they stay put and don't come out, the enemy has no way to stop them.

However, the Italians seem to have forgotten that these days, air superiority is king.

You can defend against attacks from the sea, but not from the air.

The British carrier-based aircraft were still very strong.

What was it called again?

swordfish?

It can carry bombs.

It can also carry torpedoes.

"Miss Florence, what brings you here?"

"It's intelligence trading, of course."

"What do you want to know?"

"Intelligence concerning the British, especially in the Mediterranean."

What makes you think I know?

"This is the reward."

The beautiful woman took an envelope out of her small leather bag.

The envelope was bulging. Zhang Yong reached out and took it. He skillfully pried open the seal with one hand and glanced at it.

It's all in pounds sterling. All ten-pound notes. Lots of them.

"1,500 pounds."

"What do you want to know?"

"This is a small gift. Perhaps you can tell us something?"

"For example, were British carrier-based aircraft preparing to bomb the port of Taranto?"

"Air raid?"

Florence's expression changed slightly.

Although it was only for a moment, Zhang Yong noticed it. But he pretended not to see anything.

He didn't say anything. He just looked down and stirred his coffee.

£1,500 is all you can get.

There is no exact time. There is no exact plan.

I'm just giving you a general idea.

Believe it or not, it's up to you.

silence.

"When?"

"Add money."

"Commissioner, your appetite is far too great."

"Is it that big? I don't think so. The cost of a single battleship is at least five million pounds. Two would be ten million. Add cruisers and destroyers, and the total cost of your Italian naval fleet would be no less than thirty million pounds."

"How much do you want?"

"One-tenth should be no problem, right?"

Three million pounds? Are you crazy? Impossible! Absolutely impossible!

"let it go."

Zhang Yong's reply was casual and unhurried.

It's like I'm short of your three million pounds. Believe it or not.

It's not my fleet anyway. Your Italian fleet has been destroyed, and the British fleet is now dominant. You'll be crying then.

Just as he was about to speak...

"make a deal!"

Florence suddenly bit her lip.

Zhang Yong remained expressionless. He heard it, but did not react.

He had already figured it out. Those pounds were counterfeit. It must have been made by the Germans.

The Germans have excellent money-printing technology, and the counterfeit pounds they produce are very realistic.

Or rather, these are genuine pounds sterling. Because the system didn't issue any warnings.

Even the British themselves couldn't tell the difference.

The counterfeit British pounds printed by the Germans were mainly used by Italians.

He, Zhang Yong, was one of the testers.

But it doesn't matter anymore.

As long as it works, that's fine.

"I will inform you if I have accurate information."

"Okay. I'm in Cairo."

"How can I find you?"

"You can just call this coffee shop."

"it is good."

Zhang Yong put away the phone number.

It's definitely the international version. They make a lot of money out of a small amount.

The starting capital was three million pounds.

Although it was given to me by Italians.

After thinking about it, I decided to give the Germans some more fuel.

After all, it wasn't easy for them to print those pounds.

[Remote Delivery]

1 tons of aviation fuel

I dare not invest too much.

It wouldn't be fun if the balance were completely broken.

The game will be more exciting if both sides give each other a little.

[Deployment complete]

[System upgrade in progress...]

System upgrade successful

[Mediterranean Fleet Deployment Completed]

Please assign it to a warship.

The system suddenly sent a notification.

Zhang Yong: ? ? ?
what's the situation?
What does it mean that the Mediterranean Fleet is fully deployed?
I?
To be incorporated into warships?

and many more.

How do I get assigned to a warship?

Once incorporated into the warship, who will command it?

A system tool?
I'm dizzy...

You can control it yourself.

[It can also be handed over to AI for command]

Current AI strategy: Survival (will not initiate combat)

System messages continue to flash.

Each message requires conscious confirmation before it disappears.

Zhang Yong: ...

This seems to have gone too far.

They've even got an AI fleet! That's outrageous.

Is the system impatient? Does it want to get involved itself and then kick you out?

So anxious...

Then you should have deployed all those cruisers and battleships sooner!

Please assign it to a warship.

[Current number of warships: 0/3]

The system prompted again.

Zhang Yong: ...

Forget it. I don't care anymore.

Just do whatever the system tells you to do.

The more chaotic the Mediterranean, the better. Without chaos, how can we have any opportunities?
Chaos is the key to catching fish in troubled waters and striking someone unexpectedly.

He pondered the system's prompt. It seemed he could only assign three warships? Was there a limit?

So here's the problem: right now, it seems he only has the Fantasy-class destroyer. The other warships are still just dreams, not something he's actually got his hands on yet.

Will it be incorporated into the Fantasy-class destroyers?
Ok.

Follow the instructions.

Three Fantasy-class destroyers were incorporated.

[Fleet formation complete]

[Current number of warships: 3/3]

The system sent a notification.

As expected, only three warships could be assembled.

Perhaps it will be upgraded in the future.

Otherwise, what use are three destroyers?

In the small Mediterranean Sea, a large number of aircraft carriers, battleships, and cruisers...

A blue dot appears on the map of the air force command.

This represents Zhang Yong's own fleet.

It is located about thirty kilometers southeast of Crete.

There are no warships from other countries nearby at the moment.

Please specify which flag to hang.

The system prompted again.

Zhang Yong: ? ? ?
There's something special about this flag!

The flag of a country is used to represent that country.

Huaxia National Government?

France?

Italy?
Germany?

Does that mean you can hang it anywhere?
Is it okay to hang the five-star red flag?
Please specify an existing flag.

The system prompts again.

Clearly, the five-star red flag is not an option for now.

That's clear. Only currently existing countries can be specified. Large countries are preferred.

If you put something like Madagascar, no one will be able to tell the difference, okay? You might as well just hang a blue flag.

The final decision was to fly the German flag.

Hey.

Let's make the Mediterranean Sea a bit more lively.

The three countries—Britain, France, and Italy—were already quite lively enough.

Another German...

Hey.

Just thinking about it is so exciting.

[Currently flying flag: Germany]

[Should we issue special instructions to the fleet? Yes/No]

Zhang Yong chose no.

I need to sort things out before making any plans.

Currently, all three Fantasy-class destroyers fly the German flag.

It would be quite a show if the British found out.

The flames of war immediately ignited.

The Mediterranean will become more chaotic.

"hey-hey……"

"Good……"

Zhang Yong was secretly pleased.

Lest the world be in chaos.

"Mr. Commissioner, what have you thought of?"

"Thinking of some happy things."

"What's the good news?" "My wife is going to have a baby."

"Congratulations."

"Thank you."

Zhang Yong stood up. He was slightly excited.

This step the system has taken is simply outrageous. It can actually command a fleet.

I was worried about how to operate those Scharnhorst-class battlecruisers. Now I realize the system had already taken care of it.

AI assistants are deployed directly. You only need to issue commands.

Without instructions, they will silently lie in wait in the ocean.

With system guidance, it's estimated that warships from other countries won't be able to find them.

They will only be deployed after receiving instructions.

"you……"

Florence sensed something was off about the other person.

No wonder the intelligence said that this commissioner had countless secrets.

Sure enough.

We must investigate further.

"It's my treat today. Goodbye."

Zhang Yong took out a 10-pound note and placed it directly on the table.

He doesn't want to talk to anyone right now.

I just want some peace and quiet.

Quietly studying his own fleet.

A fleet that belongs only to itself and is unknown to outsiders.

Correct!
Nobody knows.

Although there are only three destroyers at present, the future looks promising.

what!
Cool!
However, the situation around the Mediterranean is indeed very complex.

If I want to do something, three destroyers are clearly not enough. I really need to think about this carefully.

Actually, Germans also come to the Mediterranean.

It was submarines that arrived, not surface warships. Germany already had U-boats.

A quick search revealed that there are as many as six U-boats.

Zhang Yong is in Cairo, and the area covered by the air force command's map has already reached the Spanish coast. However, it hasn't reached the Strait of Gibraltar yet.

The entire Ariad Sea, as well as the Black Sea, are also within the range shown on the Air Force Command map.

There are Soviet warships in the Black Sea. However, they only operate in the Black Sea and generally do not enter the Mediterranean Sea.

The Bosphorus Strait is so narrow that it blocks the Black Sea.

The air force map shows too many weapons and equipment. It's dazzling. There's simply no way to examine them carefully.

At present, Zhang Yong can only pay attention to the warships in the Mediterranean.

Oh, and German submarines too.

Study it carefully.

They discovered that the German submarines were all located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea.

Their primary mission was likely to attack passing merchant ships, especially British merchant fleets.

However, the British merchant fleets were always escorted by warships.

Such attacks often come at a high cost.

Perhaps it will succeed.

Perhaps it will fail.

If you succeed, then there's nothing to worry about.

If we fail, we will sink to the bottom of the sea forever.

There's no news yet about the submarine sinking and anyone surviving. They're all dead.

Keep thinking about it.

Finally, they began to try issuing special instructions.

He ordered the fleet to approach Alexandria.

This is the headquarters of the British Mediterranean Fleet. It is the main base of the British Mediterranean Fleet.

If suddenly, three German destroyers appear...

I wonder what the British will think?
Hey.

[Command received]

[Beginning the voyage to Alexandria]

[AI Command: Defensive Counterattack (Will fire first when in danger)]

Zhang Yong seemed to be deep in thought.

Good. They'll fire first, not passively take the hits.

One more thing to add: If the situation is bad, you must leave the battlefield immediately. Run as far as you can.

Otherwise, once the British warships surrounded them, they would be wiped out in one fell swoop.

British planes were also a deadly threat.

The system assigned a naval formation, but not an air force formation. I need an air force formation…

However, the system did not respond. They had to give up.

Back to the residence.

Cairo, being a foreign land, has very hot summers.

The surrounding area is desert. The air is scorching hot. It's difficult for most people to adapt, even with brief training.

The soldiers who disembarked from the transport plane and rested on the spot all said that the test was very severe.

Fortunately, Spencer returned quickly. He looked rather pale.

Seeing Zhang Yong, he sighed helplessly.

"Zhang, we've probably made a wasted trip."

"The gold has been moved?"

"Yes. It has been moved to Casablanca."

Casablanca?

"Yes. On the other side of the land. Very far."

"It's very far..."

Zhang Yong examined the map of the air force command headquarters.

It's already beyond the range of the air command's map display. That is, more than 3000 kilometers away.

If you fly directly, it's a full 3800 kilometers.

Yes, it's possible.

But it's very dangerous.

Because the area below the flight path is uninhabited.

That is the famous Sahara Desert.

Although there was a system to guarantee it, Zhang Yong still dared not take any risks.

After all, he now has three hundred men with him.

“However, I have some new information,” Spencer changed the subject.

"What intelligence?" Zhang Yong asked calmly.

He was not disappointed.

Because he now has an AI fleet.

"We can go directly to Khartoum and take away the Italians' valuables."

Is your intelligence accurate?

"Of course. I just got it. The Italians are preparing to bring the gold they plundered in Ethiopia back home."

"it is good."

Zhang Yong immediately checked the map of the air force command headquarters.

The data shows that there is an airport in Khartoum. It's quite large, and there are many planes there.

Currently, Italian troops still occupy Khartoum. The Italian military's highest command is also located there. It is said that there are over 200,000 Italian troops.

If it were 200,000 German troops, Zhang Yong wouldn't even dare to dream of it. Going there would be suicide. They wouldn't even be enough to fill someone else's teeth.

However, if the opponent is the Italian army, then there's no problem. It's worth the risk.

So what if there are only three hundred men? The opponent is the Italians.

They couldn't even defeat the local army. Calling them utterly incompetent is an understatement.

Just do it.

Prepare immediately.

They planned to fly directly to Khartoum Airport, then force a landing, and then seize the airport.

"Drip!"

"Drip!"

Suddenly, the system issued an alarm.

However, the three destroyers encountered British aircraft. A battle ensued.

Zhang Yong couldn't see what was happening. He could only worry helplessly.

He cannot teleport there.

Because his authority is to command remotely.

He can issue combat orders. However, there is no first-person perspective from a destroyer.

"Repel the enemy aircraft."

"Then retreat."

Zhang Yong issued two combat orders. Both were for self-preservation.

The first thing to do is to repel the British planes. Otherwise, the destroyer won't be able to escape.

As for how to repel them, that depends on the combat skills of those AI-powered robots.

In case, if, what if, we are defeated...

How to do?
That would mean the loss of one, two, or three destroyers.

Huh?
It doesn't seem too serious?

Anyway, I still have the Fantasy-class destroyers. I can just keep adding to it.

Suddenly, I felt like I was the one sitting back, completely unscathed. There were no casualties. Only the Fantasy-class destroyer suffered losses.

The production rate for the Fantasy-class destroyers is one per day. There are plenty.

It's impossible for all 365 ships to be sunk in a year. That would be utterly useless.

[One enemy aircraft was shot down]

[One enemy aircraft was shot down]

Suddenly, two messages arrived. (Flashing)

Zhang Yong: ? ? ?
Was this the plane that shot down the British?
I wonder if the British have received any news? That German surface ships have appeared?
If you receive...

Haha, I can't even imagine how beautiful the scene would be.

In fact...

"what?"

"German warships?"

"how is this possible?"

"How could German warships possibly be near Crete?"

"impossible!"

The British Navy's Mediterranean Fleet Command was incredulous upon receiving the news.

All the staff officers looked at each other in bewilderment. They couldn't explain it.

Where did the German warships come from? Did they fly over?

Strait of Gibraltar?

Suez Canal?
impossible!

Both locations were under close surveillance by the British Navy, making it impossible for German surface ships to pass through.

"Analyze carefully."

Even the fleet commander, Cunningham, was puzzled.

He believes in science. He would never believe in something as simple as a free lunch.

The three German warships couldn't have appeared out of thin air.

Unless there's some unspeakable secret.

The reconnaissance aircraft continued to report that the target warship's appearance closely resembled the French Fantasy-class destroyer...

"I see!"

"I understand!"

One of the staff officers exclaimed excitedly.

They felt they had found the right answer.

It must have been the German Navy that came to the Mediterranean coast from the land.

Then they requisitioned the French Fantasy-class destroyers, hoisted the German flag, and thus German warships came into being.

Therefore, the other party did not travel through the Strait of Gibraltar, nor through the Suez Canal.

It truly appeared out of thin air from the land.

Because it was provided by the French, for the time being, only destroyers are available.

Will there be cruisers in the future? Or battleships?

It's hard to say. The remaining French navy is definitely colluding with the Germans...

"Check again!"

Cunningham was in a real bind.

This incident had serious consequences.

What if the Germans requisitioned all of the French warships...

Once the remaining French warships and Italian warships unite, the British Navy will be in grave danger in the Mediterranean.

No.

It must be stopped immediately.

These three must never be allowed to unite.

"Somebody come!"

"To!"

"Send a telegram to London immediately!"

"Yes!"

[To be continued]

(End of this chapter)