122: Chapter 32 Fleet Engagement

At 3:00 AM, a thick fog rose over the sea.

The dense fog was like a white wall, wrapping the entire ocean tightly, with visibility less than five hundred meters. Li Ling stood on the bridge of the "dragon soar," his brows furrowed. This kind of weather was unfavorable for navigation, but for the enemy, it was a good opportunity for a surprise attack.

"Radar report: A large-scale fleet has been detected eighty nautical miles ahead, numbering about fifty ships, approaching our position," the Radar operator's voice rang out over the communicator.

"Fifty ships." Li Ling lowered his binoculars. "The main force of the allied forces has all arrived."

"Sir, should we take the initiative?" Chief of Staff Zhang Wanshan asked.

"No rush." Li Ling shook his head. "Let them get closer. When they enter our firing range, we will attack."

He paused and asked again, "What about that mysterious fleet? Have you found out clearly?"

"Not yet, sir." The intelligence officer replied. "Satellite photos show that the fleet has about ten ships, and they are flying the... flag of the German Empire."

"The German Empire?" Li Ling was stunned for a moment, then laughed. "Good fellow, is Kaiser Wilhelm II here to cheer me on?"

"Sir, could the German Empire be trying to take advantage of the chaos?" Chief of Staff Zhang Wanshan asked worriedly.

"No." Li Ling shook his head. "The German Empire is our ally now; they have no reason to stab us in the back at this time. They must be here to support us."

He turned around and looked at the Radar screen: "However, regardless of whether they are here to cheer us on or to watch the show, we have to fight this battle ourselves."

"Pass the order: all ships are to enter combat status. Once the allied forces enter firing range, strike their flagship first."

"Yes!"

The sky gradually brightened, but the dense fog had yet to disperse.

On the sea, the fleets of both sides were rapidly approaching. Li Ling's six Dreadnoughts and two Pre-dreadnoughts formed two columns, heading towards the allied forces at a speed of eighteen knots. The barrels of the naval guns shone with a cold metallic luster in the morning light; the gunners were already in position, their fingers resting on the firing mechanisms, waiting for the order to fire.

Opposite them, the fifty ships of the allied forces were arranged in a dense battle formation, pressing forward majestically. At the very front were eight Battleships, followed by over twenty Cruisers and nearly thirty Destroyers—a massive and aggressive lineup. Four different national flags fluttered on the masts—the Rising Sun flag, the Stars and Stripes, the Union Jack, and the Tricolour—advancing like a floating sea fortress, with the momentum to crush everything in its path.

"Sir, the enemy fleet is thirty nautical miles away."

"Closer."

"Twenty nautical miles."

"Closer."

"Ten nautical miles."

"Fire!"

At Li Ling's command, the main guns of the six Dreadnoughts roared simultaneously. Eighteen 305mm shells tore through the dense fog, dragging orange-red exhaust flames as they smashed into the allied fleet.

In the first salvo, three shells hit the allied flagship—the Japan Battleship "Mikasa." The shells penetrated the armor and exploded inside the hull; intense flames shot into the sky, and thick smoke and debris flew dozens of meters into the air. A large chunk of the bridge was blown off, and several officers were knocked to the ground by the shockwave, covered in blood.

"Hit!" the gunners cheered.

But there was no joy on Li Ling's face. Although the "Mikasa" had been hit, it had not sunk. Its main guns were still returning fire, and several shells landed near the "dragon soar," kicking up huge water columns. Seawater poured onto the bridge like a rainstorm, soaking Li Ling's military uniform.

Moreover, more enemy ships were flanking them from both sides.

"Enemy Cruiser formation detected on the port side, five nautical miles away!"

"Enemy Destroyer formation detected on the starboard side, approaching at high speed!"

Li Ling calmly observed the battlefield situation: "Pass the order: Dreadnoughts are to concentrate fire and continue attacking the enemy flagship. Pre-dreadnoughts and Cruisers are to intercept the enemy on both flanks!"

"Yes!"

After the order was given, the two Pre-dreadnoughts and four Cruisers quickly turned to face the enemy on the flanks. On the sea, artillery fire flew everywhere, shells poured down like a rainstorm, kicking up towering water columns. One Pre-dreadnought was hit by shells from an enemy Cruiser; its bridge was blown off, and thick smoke billowed, but it continued to fight, its main guns roaring incessantly.

"Well done!" Li Ling clenched his fists. "Let the warship hold on a little longer; our main guns will be able to take out the 'Mikasa' soon!"

But the allied forces' numerical advantage was becoming apparent. More and more enemy ships were flanking them, attempting to overwhelm Li Ling's fleet with numbers. Shells fell like raindrops around the "dragon soar," huge water columns rose one after another, and the hull shook violently from the impact.

"Sir, the 'dragon might' has been hit on the port side! Armor pierced, third boiler room taking on water!" A hurried report came over the communicator.

"Damage control team, plug the leak!" Li Ling gritted his teeth. "Main guns, continue firing, do not stop!"

Just then, the Radar operator suddenly reported: "Sir! The mysterious fleet has been detected approaching at high speed, twenty nautical miles away!"

Li Ling's heart tightened: "Friend or foe?"

"Unable to determine! They are approaching our flank!"

Li Ling's brain worked at high speed. If this fleet was an enemy, his flank would be caught in a pincer attack, and the consequences would be unimaginable. But if they were allies...

"Pass the order," Li Ling's voice was as cold as ice shards. "Regardless of whether they are friend or foe, as long as they dare to enter our firing range, fire on them!"

"Yes!"

The battle on the sea grew increasingly intense.

Although three of the allied forces' eight Battleships had been heavily damaged, the remaining five were still stubbornly returning fire. Their shells kept landing around Li Ling's fleet, with explosions following one after another. A Meijian Country Cruiser attempted to flank from the side, but was hit at the waterline by a main gun shell from the "longxiang dreadnought"; seawater rushed in frantically, and the hull rapidly tilted.

"Sir, the 'longxiang dreadnought' has been hit! Main turret damaged!" A panicked voice came through the communicator.

"Damage control team, conduct emergency repairs!" Li Ling ordered. "All other ships, continue firing!"

Just then, the mysterious fleet finally came into view.

Ten massive warships burst out of the dense fog, the Black Eagle flag of the German Empire fluttering on their masts. At the very front was a huge Battleship, its main gun caliber visually estimated to exceed 350mm, and its hull even larger than Li Ling's Dreadnoughts. Its name was clearly reflected in Li Ling's binoculars—the "Friedrich der Grosse."

"It's the German Empire's fleet!" the lookout shouted. "They are attacking the flank of the allied forces!"

Li Ling was stunned, then laughed out loud. "Kaiser Wilhelm II is truly a good friend!"

The German Empire's fleet charged into the allied formation from the flank, main guns firing in unison, with shells landing precisely between the allied Cruisers and Destroyers. The allied forces were caught off guard, and their formation fell into chaos instantly. Two Japan Destroyers had their ammunition depots hit, and the light from the explosions turned half the sea red.

"Good opportunity!" Li Ling's eyes lit up. "Pass the order: all forces, charge! Sink their flagship!"

The six Dreadnoughts advanced at full speed, main guns concentrating fire on the "Mikasa." Under the dense artillery coverage, the "Mikasa's" armor was stripped away layer by layer, the hull began to tilt, and thick smoke and flames spewed out from every fissure. On the deck, Japan sailors ran around in a panic; some jumped into the sea to escape, while others knelt on the ground to pray.

Finally, in the last salvo, the "Mikasa's" ammunition depot was detonated.

The violent explosion tore the entire Battleship to pieces. Steel fragments, human limbs, and burning fuel flew into the sky amidst the flames, like a hellish firework display. The massive shockwave was felt even by the "dragon soar" several nautical miles away, causing the bridge's glass windows to vibrate and hum.

Togo Heihachiro was forcibly dragged away from the bridge by his adjutant and escaped in a lifeboat before the explosion. He looked back at his flagship sinking in the flames; there was no expression on his face, but his fingernails were already dug into the palms of his clenched fists.

After the enemy flagship sank, the allied forces' morale completely collapsed. The remaining ships began to scatter and flee; some tried to break through, while others simply raised white flags to surrender. Several Meijian Country Cruisers tried to organize a counterattack, but after seeing the German Empire's fleet pressing in from the flank, they also gave up resistance and turned tail to run.

"Pursue!" Li Ling ordered. "Do not let a single one escape!"

The six Dreadnoughts launched a pursuit, main guns roaring incessantly, sending one fleeing enemy ship after another to the bottom of the sea. The German Empire's fleet also joined the pursuit, coordinating seamlessly with Li Ling's fleet to annihilate the remnants of the allied forces one by one. On the sea, explosions followed one after another, flames shot into the sky, and oil and debris covered the entire sea area.

The battle lasted for a full four hours.

When the smoke cleared, the sea was floating with debris and oil, a scene of total devastation. Of the fifty allied ships, over thirty had been sunk, over ten heavily damaged, and fewer than ten had managed to escape. On the sea, those sunk ships were still emitting thick smoke, their masts sticking out of the water at crooked angles, like dying hands clawing at the sky.

Li Ling's fleet had also paid a price: one Dreadnought heavily damaged, two lightly damaged, one Pre-dreadnought sunk, and over three hundred officers and soldiers killed in action.

But the German Empire's fleet had suffered no losses.

After the battle ended, Li Ling boarded the German Empire's flagship, the "Friedrich der Grosse."

This was a Battleship even larger than the "dragon soar," with a main gun caliber of 350mm and armor thickness exceeding 300mm. Li Ling walked up the gangway to the deck and saw General von Streicher standing at the bridge entrance to welcome him.

"General Li, I have long admired your name," General von Streicher said in fluent English, extending his hand.

Li Ling shook his hand: "General von Streicher, you arrived just in time. If you hadn't charged out from the flank, this battle would have been really difficult to fight."

"My Emperor heard that the allied forces were going to deal with you and specifically ordered me to lead the fleet to support you," General von Streicher said sternly. "The alliance between our country and yours is not just a piece of paper. His Majesty the Emperor said that whoever dares to touch our ally is an enemy of the German Empire."

A warmth welled up in Li Ling's heart: "Thank Kaiser Wilhelm II for me. I will remember this favor."

The two walked into the bridge, and General von Streicher poured Li Ling a glass of whiskey: "General Li, although we won this battle, I have received intelligence that Meijian Country is mobilizing more fleets from its homeland, and Britain is also sending reinforcements. The next battle may be even more difficult."

Li Ling took the glass and downed it in one gulp: "I know. But I am not afraid. As long as I have one warship and one soldier left, I will fight them to the end."

General von Streicher looked at Li Ling's firm gaze and nodded: "His Majesty the Emperor is right; you are a trustworthy ally."

That evening, Li Ling hosted a banquet on the "dragon soar" to entertain the German Empire's generals.

After three rounds of drinks, the atmosphere gradually became lively. General von Streicher spoke about the development of the German Empire's navy, and Li Ling shared his experiences in Qingxia Kingdom. The two chatted more and more congenially, talking about everything from naval tactics to the international situation, and from industrial development to talent cultivation.

"General Li, I have a question I would like to ask you," General von Streicher suddenly put down his wine glass.

"Please go ahead."

"Why were you able to build such a powerful navy so quickly? As far as I know, you have only been developing your navy for five years. But we in the German Empire took over a hundred years to reach this point."

Li Ling was silent for a moment, then smiled: "General von Streicher, if I said it was luck, would you believe it?"

General von Streicher shook his head: "I do not believe it."

"Then it must be talent." Li Ling laughed heartily. "Alright, no more joking. Actually, there is no secret, just three things: talent, technology, and capital. With these three, anything can be built."

General von Streicher nodded thoughtfully.

After the banquet ended, Li Ling walked alone to the deck, looking at the sparse stars in the night sky.

"System." He recited silently in his heart.

"Hmm?"

"Tell me, when will this war end?"

"Host, when the enemy realizes they cannot defeat you, the war will end."

"When will that day come?"

"Soon." The system said. "As long as the host continues to win, that day will come soon."

Li Ling was silent for a long time, then smiled: "Then I will continue to win."

He turned and walked back to his cabin, behind him, the sea breeze blew gently, and the starlight was brilliant.

** [Chapter 32 Finished]