One man's resistance against Japan, I mobilized a million people to aid Shanghai.

Outside the mouth of the Yangtze River, above the East China Sea, dark clouds hung low and the sea wind howled.

Zhu Yong led his army south, while the Japanese army marched north. The two massive fleets unexpectedly met at the mouth of the Yangtze River.

Both sides immediately deployed their formations, the massive fleets confronting each other like prehistoric behemoths in the vast ocean, the air thick with a suffocating atmosphere of impending doom.

Zhu Yong commanded the former Japanese Third Fleet, with the flagship Izumo, which was personally overseen by Zhu Yong. The heavy cruisers Nachi and Myoko were the main force in this naval battle.

Light cruisers such as the "Tenryu" and "Yubari", as well as dozens of destroyers, were used for support.

As for aircraft carriers, the Ryujo and Kaga, carrying about 80 old carrier-based aircraft, are on standby 40 nautical miles away.

Despite its seemingly large scale, some warships were damaged in the battle during the capture, and ammunition reserves were not entirely sufficient.

On the other hand, the Japanese Fourth Fleet had well-trained and well-supplied troops.

Leading the fleet was the Japanese flagship, the heavy cruiser "Ashigara," personally led by Admiral Kiyoshi Hasegawa, the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy.

There were four heavy cruisers: Haguro, Naka, Jintsu, and Sendai.

There are more than thirty destroyers, such as the "Asashio" and "Kagero" class, which are highly maneuverable and pose a great torpedo threat.

The three escort carriers carried nearly a hundred advanced carrier-based aircraft, most of which were prototypes of the more advanced Zero fighter.

More importantly, these ships are all the latest models, and their speed and firepower far surpass those of the Third Fleet.

Although Zhu Yong came with the determination to die to fight the Japanese Fourth Fleet, he was at a disadvantage in terms of scale and firepower.

Kiyoshi Hasegawa stood on the bridge of the "Ashigara" and looked at the opposite side with disdain through his binoculars.

"A motley crew of scoundrels who stole the Empire's warships through treachery and trickery—today, let them perish as fish, washing away the Empire's shame!"

"Order!"

"Turn left! Take control of the T-junction!"

Zhu Yong looked solemn aboard the "Izumo".

He was well aware of his own disadvantages; this was going to be a tough battle. But he had no choice; he had to fight this battle, otherwise he would lose control of the Yangtze River estuary and be driven out of the Shanghai-Songhu battlefield by the Japanese.

What use would it be for him to seize the Third Fleet?

"Attention all ships! Maintain formation and seize the T-shaped formation! Aircraft carrier, launch your aircraft and seize air superiority!"

Once the order was given, each clone immediately began to act.

On the decks of the Ryujo and Kaga, engines roared as Type 96 carrier-based fighters and Type 97 carrier-based attack aircraft, painted with Japanese insignia, rapidly took off.

The lack of a change in identification would make things difficult for the Japanese, but it would be an opportunity for Zhu Yong to take advantage of the chaos, since their clones would each have their own senses and would not fail to recognize each other.

But the Japanese soldiers couldn't tell the difference.

At the same time, a swarm of superior aircraft, taking off from the Japanese fleet and land-based airfields, attacked like locusts.

An aerial battle broke out over the fleet.

The Japanese Zero fighters were extremely maneuverable, like nimble hummingbirds, weaving through the air, their machine guns and cannons spitting fire.

Zhu Yong's old Type 96 fighter jets appeared clumsy and slow, and were often shot down after only a few rounds, turning into fireballs and falling into the sea.

Although painted with Japanese symbols, Zhu Yong never imagined that the Japanese Fourth Fleet was flying the most advanced Zero fighters, while he only had outdated attack aircraft.

Under the cover of fighter planes, the Japanese bombers launched dive bombing raids on Zhu Yong's fleet, braving sparse anti-aircraft fire.

The heavy cruiser "Nachi" was the first to be hit, with a 250-kilogram bomb striking the aft deck, causing a fire and billowing thick smoke.

The light cruiser "Tianlong" was damaged by a mine at the waterline, causing its speed to drop sharply.

Despite the fearless actions of the clone pilots, who even attempted to ram enemy aircraft, air superiority was gradually being lost due to the overwhelming numerical disparity.

Without air cover, Zhu Yong's fleet was completely exposed to the threat of Japanese naval guns and torpedoes.

"Fire!" Hasegawa Kiyoshi gave the order with a cold smile.

The main guns of the Japanese Fourth Fleet roared deafeningly.

The 203mm heavy shells, with their piercing whistles, tore through the sky and crashed down on Zhu Yong's fleet like hailstones.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Huge columns of water shot into the sky around the fleet, the seawater was repeatedly boiled, and the ships shook violently in the shock waves of the explosions.

The Izumo's thick armor blocked several shells, but the superstructure was riddled with holes by shrapnel.

A Mutsuki-class destroyer was hit directly in its ammunition depot, causing a massive explosion. It broke in two instantly and sank rapidly, leaving only a huge whirlpool and floating debris on the sea surface.

Even more deadly was the Japanese destroyer fleet.

They used their speed and maneuverability to cut in at high speed and launch the terrifying Type 93 oxygen torpedoes at extreme distances.

These torpedoes have concealed flight paths, long ranges, and immense destructive power.

"Torpedoes spotted on port! Six in number! 2000 meters away!"

"Also on starboard! Take evasive action! Take evasive action now!"

The piercing alarm sounded throughout the ships.

The helmsman frantically turned the rudder, and the ship drew a huge white arc on the sea surface.

However, the torpedoes were too dense, and the light cruiser "Yubari" could not dodge in time and was hit on the side by two torpedoes at the same time.

The massive explosion nearly lifted it up, seawater rushed in, the ship tilted rapidly, and within ten minutes it sank to the bottom of the sea with most of its crew.

Another destroyer was also hit in the stern by a torpedo, lost power, and spun around in despair, becoming a sitting duck for the Japanese artillery.

Zhu Yong's fleet was in a completely passive and defensive position.

Their firepower was suppressed, their formation was disrupted, and they suffered heavy losses.

If things continue like this, it's only a matter of time before the entire army is wiped out.

"Fight back! Fight back immediately!!"

Zhu Yong's side also began shelling, and the destroyers engaged in a constant battle with the enemy. Using their superior skills, the clones destroyed three destroyers.

However, the difference between heavy cruisers and light cruisers is too great. Zhu Yong's Third Fleet has warships that are almost all products of the 10s, and they are all outdated.

The Izumo had fired three shots at the enemy's position, but hadn't even fired a single shot at its own. With such a disparity in firepower, how could it possibly fight to the death?

The naval battle continued, and Zhu Yong's side was being suppressed and almost completely wiped out.

"No!! This can't go on; we must change our tactics!!"

An extremely crazy plan involuntarily surfaced in his mind.

Zhu Yong's eyes were resolute as he looked at the more than thirty fighter jets still circling in the sky and immediately gave the order to his clone:

"All aircraft, listen up! Abandon air combat! Target: enemy capital ships, especially aircraft carriers and battlecruisers! Ram them! Use your planes to sink them!"

Without hesitation, without doubt.

The remaining thirty-odd Type 96 and Type 97 aircraft struggled to adjust their course in the air, ignoring the Japanese fighter planes chasing behind them, and pushed the throttle to the maximum.

The engine roared mournfully, and like moths drawn to a flame, it plunged headlong into the heart of the Japanese fleet.

"Are they insane?! Kamikaze attacks?!"

The Japanese commander and pilots were stunned by the suicide attack.

Anti-aircraft artillery fire intensified the interception, and Japanese warplanes relentlessly pursued and strafed the enemy.

Several planes were shot down in mid-air en route.

However, more than ten aircraft still broke through the fire net, streaking with thick smoke and flames as they crashed into the target like meteorites!

"Boom! Boom!!!"

Violent explosions rang out one after another in the Japanese fleet.

A Type 97 carrier-based attack aircraft struck the bridge of the cruiser "Jintsu", causing a fire that temporarily paralyzed its command system.

The other aircraft struck the foredeck of the heavy cruiser "Haguro". Although it did not cause fatal damage, it ignited debris on the deck and caused chaos.

However, many more planes were intercepted and ultimately crashed on their dive.

When the fighter jet was destroyed, the clones immediately used the ejection system to fly out of the plane, which the Japanese saw as nothing more than a desperate struggle.

After all thirty planes, almost all of them, were destroyed in a suicidal attack, Kiyoshi Hasegawa laughed arrogantly.

"Hahaha, a bunch of clowns trying to take us all down with them, how presumptuous of them."

"All troops, surround and attack the Izumo! Sink it into the sea!"

Kiyoshi Hasegawa seemed to already see the scene of sinking the Izumo and the Fourth Fleet winning a great victory, but he did not notice that the pilots of the planes he had shot down were swaying and flying towards his warship.

Even though he was used as a target by the Japanese soldiers and shot multiple times, and was seriously injured and on the verge of death, his eyes were still bright and there was a smile on his lips.

Because his true self, Zhu Yong, was standing on the bridge of the Izumo, having already raised his pistol and pointed it at his temple.