How could their bombardment be so ferocious?!

When the Third Fleet arrived near the South Island Fortress at ten o'clock in the morning, the Kongō-class battleships bravely charged at the forefront, displaying their combat posture.

These warships began to adjust their headings, exposing sixteen twin-mounted 356-millimeter main guns, while the Fuso-class battleships turned in tandem, revealing their formidable firepower and readiness for a decisive battle.

Jiang Bai's Seventh Route Army keenly perceived the movements of the Japanese fleet and immediately entered a state of combat readiness.

Major General Deng Fei, commander of the Vanguard Brigade, looked solemn with a gleam of steadfastness and worry in his eyes as he reported the enemy's movements to Jiang Bai: "It appears they have made full preparations for a comprehensive assault."

Despite the immense firepower of the fortress artillery, Major General Deng Fei remained deeply apprehensive about the impending fierce offensive.

Seeing the massive enemy warships in the distance, the fortress officers and men felt an unprecedented sense of pressure.

Because of his prior foresight, Jiang Bai did not show any surprise. He had always maintained a sense of curiosity toward these giant warships, but due to the differences of the era, he had never had the opportunity to observe them at close range.

Today, he was finally able to witness the might of these battleships firsthand, and his feelings were a complex mix of emotions and excitement.

Stepping away from the telescope, Jiang Bai said in a calm and resolute tone, "No matter what challenges arise, we shall meet them head-on. Since the enemy has come, they must not expect to leave easily! We are fully prepared for battle."

Influenced by this intense fighting spirit, Vice Admiral Koike on the opposing side seemed to sense Jiang Bai's challenge.

He slowly removed his military cap and solemnly drew the command saber from his waist, his gaze betraying pre-battle tension and determination. Seeing this, Mushiwara Ichizaku could not help but ask with a puzzled expression, "General, sir, what preparations are you making?"

Vice Admiral Koike took a deep breath and replied in a low, firm voice, "Because I can feel that Jiang Bai is challenging us with his entire army!" In his eyes, one could see preparations for the upcoming combat and a fierce yearning for victory.

The tense atmosphere on the battlefield grew even heavier amidst a deafening roar.

In the distance, as the ground shook violently, the twin 45-caliber 356-millimeter main guns of the Japanese Empire's four Kongō-class battlecruisers flashed with an orange brilliance.

Artillery fire flickered, and one after another, heavy armor-piercing shells weighing 800 kilograms hurtled toward the coastal defense gun turrets of the fortress with destructive force.

Simultaneously, the other four Fuso-class warships joined the fray, pouring firepower into the defense line with similarly massive 365-millimeter shells.

Faced with this fierce bombardment, the defenders of Blue Island reacted swiftly and showed no weakness in return.

Operating thirty-six 50-caliber 365-millimeter fortress guns, they began a fierce counterattack. A resolute gleam flashed in the artillerymen's eyes as heavy armor-piercing shell after shell roared out from the gun muzzles.

Massive waves rose dozens of meters high as the shells landed in the water, instantly turning the sea area near the battleship Kongō into a battlefield of churning waves.

The colorful reflections dancing on the sea illuminated the face of Mushiwara Kazuchika, the commander of the First Battleship Division, whose expression was a mix of fury and incomprehension.

Consumed by fear and anger, Mushiwara Kazuchika cursed under his breath, "Dammit! Adjust the aim! Since when have the people of the New Dynasty mastered such advanced gunnery?"

He immediately issued an order with extreme urgency, "Notify the Kongō to execute emergency evasive maneuvers at once! If they are not quick enough, once the enemy calculates the firing angles, those shells will land directly upon our heads!"

Amidst the continuous vibrations, Mushiwara Kazuchika vented his rage further, "Damn it! The wire-pullers not only sold these strategic super-weapon fortress guns to the Chengyun Army, but they also taught them the operational methods. This is an unforgivable crime!"

His voice trembled with anger, and his eyes flashed with hatred.

In past naval battles, although the New Dynasty had purchased a large number of powerful fortress guns from Western powers, due to unfamiliarity with their operation, these fortress guns had rarely played any role in battles against the Japanese, serving almost as mere decorations.

However, today's situation was vastly different from the past. As Mushiwara Kazuchika witnessed the approaching giant waves, his inner fear grew day by day, and his expression turned increasingly grim.

He instinctively sensed that this battle would be exceptionally arduous.

With wave after wave of deafening roars, the Japanese 365-millimeter shells slammed violently into the coastal defense batteries, triggering earth-shaking explosions. Dense smoke filled the air, obscuring the emplacements.

When the smoke gradually cleared, massive craters were revealed, which was terrifying to behold. Nevertheless, thanks to special reinforcement, the batteries did not suffer fundamental structural damage.

Under the meticulous design of technical experts, the outer shell of the fortress was covered with a six-meter-thick layer of reinforced concrete, beneath which lay a five-hundred-millimeter-thick steel plate, with an additional inner layer of reinforced concrete.

The outer elliptical design significantly enhanced the ability to withstand external fire and shrapnel, effectively reducing potential damage.

Furthermore, Jiang Bai had installed shock-absorbing equipment inside the fortress to dampen or even isolate the transmission of shockwaves, thereby protecting the safety of the artillery crews.

Crucially, although the batteries were not directly penetrated by the Japanese, the shockwaves generated by the explosions were powerful enough to pass through multiple layers of protective structures, posing a significant hazard to the garrison.

Jiang Bai placed extreme importance on the safety of his artillerymen, because these soldiers were not only well-trained troops, but especially those operating the heavy fortress guns—they were the elite of the elite, selected through rigorous screening.

As the Japanese four Kongō-class battlecruisers and four Fuso-class battleships fired in unison, the primary batteries on the South Island were rapidly subjected to a violent bombardment.

Explosions echoed one after another, and the entire South Island Fortress was instantly enveloped in thick smoke and explosions, the sky seemingly obscured by heavy, dark clouds.

At the onset of the battle, the artillerymen inside the fortress had thought they would be utterly obliterated by the Japanese firepower.

However.

Despite the grand and imposing sound of the Japanese artillery, the actual destructive power fell short of expectations; the shells landing overhead failed to cause massive devastation. This phenomenon allowed the artillerymen to breathe a sigh of relief, filling their hearts with contempt for the enemy.

An artilleryman scoffed with a disdainful smile, "Such useless trash! I thought these fellows might actually amount to something, but they're nothing more than paper tigers!"

He waved his arm to encourage his comrades, "Take another look at me if you dare, and see if I don't blast you all into pieces!"

A gleam of combat excitement flashed in his eyes as he urged eagerly, "Load faster, even faster! If we can't wipe out this bunch of losers today, I'll spell my name backwards!"

As the officers and men grew increasingly proficient in their operations, the firing rate of the fortress guns steadily escalated.

Heavy shell after heavy shell slammed fiercely into the sea surrounding the enemy warships, sending massive shockwaves radiating outward from the points of impact.

At such close range, the enemy's Japanese observation posts could even clearly feel the almost tangible shockwaves, making their entire bodies feel as though they were vibrating.

Faced with this sudden and fierce bombardment, Vice Admiral Koike could not conceal his astonishment and annoyance. His tightly furrowed brow and clenched teeth revealed his inner sense of frustration.

"How is this possible? How could their bombardment be so ferocious?!"

He angrily demanded, "Just how many tactics did those damned tech-peddlers teach these people?!" Amidst the chaotic Japanese warship formation, his mood was exceptionally restless, unable to mask his vexation over the situation.