The expeditionary force began to dominate Southeast Asia by recruiting defeated soldiers

Chapter 641: Going out to sea for deep-sea fishing,

"Who else could it be? It must be prepared for the founder of our Nanhua Group, Commander Zhang Chi!"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone was silent for a moment, with a look of awe on their faces.

"The commander-in-chief is truly a genius..." Xiao Wang muttered. "He led his troops in battle and crushed the Japanese. He's also a master at running a business. The Nanhua Group is now a giant spanning many industries."

"No, I heard that the Great Commander is a star from heaven who came down to earth to protect us Chinese in Southeast Asia."

"Yes, it's absolutely right to follow the commander-in-chief."

Everyone was talking about it, some were looking forward to the future, some were nervous about their first long voyage.

Chen Hai clenched his fists and looked at the five brand new large fishing boats at the dock, his heart full of anticipation.

What he didn't know was that at this moment, in the general manager's office of Nanhua Fishery Company, Guo Zhengzheng was looking at the nautical chart and plan and calmly issuing instructions:

"The fleet overhaul and maintenance must be completed this week."

"Supply lists are prepared to the highest standards."

"The crew will be assessed after three days of intensive training."

"The target area is the central basin of the Andaman Sea. Based on limited hydrological data, there may be large schools of fish there."

"On my first voyage, I don't aim for the biggest catch, but I want to ensure safety, accumulate data, and build a reputation."

Everything is being prepared efficiently and silently.

The upcoming first voyage not only concerns the fate of these five fishing boats, but also whether the Nanyang Sea can truly open up its deep blue "blue granary".

Chen Hai and his companions are about to become eyewitnesses of this historic voyage.

-----

a few days later.

The salty sea breeze blows in my face, carrying with it the unique humidity and heat of the South Seas.

Chen Hai stood on the deck of the "Nanyu 101", holding the cold railing tightly with both hands, looking at the endless deep blue ocean in front of him.

This was his first long voyage after joining the Nanhua Fisheries Company, and his destination was the central Andaman Sea.

The "Nanyang-1000" ocean-going fishing vessel under his feet was a paradise for him, an old sailor who had served on John's small, broken boat.

The spacious deck, the sturdy steel hull, and especially the strange machine that is said to be able to "see" schools of fish on the seabed, the sonar.

It all felt new and powerful to him.

"Don't be in a daze, rookie." The boatswain, a dark-skinned, booming-voiced man from Qilu, came over and patted Chen Hai on the shoulder. "Come and help check the nets. You'll have some responsibilities when we get to the field."

Chen Hai quickly responded and got busy with the other crew members.

Life on the ship is boring and routine, with duties, equipment maintenance, eating and sleeping.

The food was much better than expected, with rice, canned meat, and even occasional fresh vegetables, thanks to the ship's advanced cold storage.

Compared with the days when we had to eat hard bread and moldy beans on foreign ships, it was a world of difference.

The crew members came from all over the world, including Cantonese people who came south like him, local Chinese, and even a few taciturn but experienced Siamese sailors.

In their spare time, everyone gathered on the deck to brag and chat, talk about their hometowns, and look forward to the gains from this voyage.

"I heard that this new boat can travel very far and carry enough fish to feed a town for half a year," a young crew member said excitedly.

"I hope we don't return empty-handed..." Another older crew member looked a little worried.

"What are you afraid of?" the boatswain said in a booming voice. "With the Commander's support and these new gadgets (referring to sonar and radar), we can definitely do it. And let me tell you, the current rules at sea are very favorable to us."

"What rules?" Chen Hai asked curiously.

The boatswain was obviously more informed. He lowered his voice and said with a bit of pride:

"Do you know? According to current international law, except for the area within three nautical miles (about five kilometers) from the coastline of another country, it is all high seas.

Anyone can go and anyone can fish.”

The boatswain was referring to the now popular principle of territorial width - the cannonshot rule, or the traditional international law practice dating back to the 17th century.

In 45, there were almost no international fisheries management regulations in the modern sense, and the law of the sea system was still in a primitive state.

He gestured with his hands:

"What's the concept of three nautical miles? It's the distance that coastal defense artillery could reach long ago."

"Now... hey, our ship just needs to stay three nautical miles offshore.

Even if you sail close to the coastlines of countries like Kangaroo Country, Sindhu, and South Africa to catch the large lobsters and abalone that are unique to their shores, it is legal and no one can interfere.

The giant lobsters, black crystal abalone, and giant abalone from South Africa, the future top gourmet ingredients, can now be caught whenever they want.

However, what the boatswain did not say was that since the law of the sea did not have any regulations, then it would naturally come down to who had the bigger fist.

Although Nanyang's fist, which already has three light aircraft carriers and a large number of cruisers and destroyers, is not as strong as White Eagle and John, it is definitely enough to deal with other small countries around it.

"Is there such a good thing?" Chen Hai and several young crew members widened their eyes.

In their impression, foreigners' territories are always full of rules.

"Of course not!" The boatswain spoke with increasing enthusiasm. "This is all news from General Guo. He said that the commander-in-chief has a far-sighted vision."

"If we don't seize them now, when will we? Once the foreigners have recovered, they might set new rules to mark out their territory. If we run more now and take more, these good fishing grounds can be considered our 'traditional' fishing grounds in the South Seas!"

These words made the crew even more excited and full of anticipation for this voyage.

Chen Hai was thinking in his mind that it was said during the training that the freezer compartment of this ship could hold 250 tons of fish.

250 tons, how many fish is that?

He couldn't imagine it, he just hoped that the cabin could be filled up as soon as possible.

On the seventh day of the voyage, the weather suddenly changed.

The originally clear sky was quickly covered by lead-gray dark clouds, and the sea breeze became violent, rolling up waves several meters high, which slammed hard into the hull, making a dull loud noise.

A tropical storm is coming.

"Everyone, pay attention. Secure all items. Non-duty personnel, return to the cabin." The captain shouted at the top of his lungs through the loudspeaker.

Chen Hai and other sailors struggled to move on the violently shaking deck, using ropes to reinforce the nets and hatch covers.

The salty sea water mixed with rain water soaked my whole body, and my feet were so slippery that I couldn't stand steadily.

A huge wave hit him and he was almost washed into the sea, but fortunately he was grabbed by the boatswain beside him.

"Hold on tight, boy. The weather in the deep sea changes faster than turning the pages of a book." The boatswain roared in his ear.

The boat tossed and rolled like a leaf in the wind and waves, and the sour smell of vomit filled the cabin.

Chen Hai held on to the railing of the bed tightly, feeling the violent power of nature. For the first time, he experienced the risks of deep-sea fishing so vividly.