68: Chapter 68 Dreadnoughts Enter Service

The three Dreadnoughts obtained through the loan materialized in a secret deep-water port.

Li Ling rushed over overnight to inspect and accept them.

The three behemoths lay quietly at the pier, their gray hulls gleaming coldly under the moonlight. Each ship was about one hundred and sixty meters long, with a full-load displacement of over twenty thousand tons and a main gun caliber of three hundred and five millimeters, making them the most powerful warships in the world at the time.

"Beautiful!" Li Ling caressed the hull, his hands trembling with excitement.

[Host, the performance of these three Dreadnoughts is half a generation more advanced than those built previously. The main guns have a longer range, the armor is thicker, and the speed is faster.]

"Great!" Li Ling jumped onto the deck and took a tour around the ship. "With these three, my naval power has more than doubled."

[Host, the system reminds you that although the Dreadnoughts have superior performance, they are still at a numerical disadvantage. The United Fleet has over one hundred and twenty vessels, including many advanced new Cruisers and Battleships.]

"I know." Li Ling nodded. "So I won't act recklessly. Tactics are the key."

He returned to the headquarters and held a military meeting overnight.

A huge nautical chart was spread across the table, marked with the routes, speeds, and estimated arrival times of the United Fleet's three detachments.

"Everyone," Li Ling pointed at the chart. "The United Fleet is invading in three routes. It seems unstoppable, but there is actually a fatal weakness—the distance between the three routes is quite far, making it impossible for them to support each other."

"Does my Lord mean to defeat them one by one?" the naval commander asked.

"Yes." Li Ling nodded. "We will first concentrate our superior forces to wipe out the weakest route, and then deal with the remaining two."

"Which route is the weakest?"

"The right wing, the route commanded by Togo Heihachiro of Japan," Li Ling said. "Although Togo is a famous general, most of the vessels under his command are old second-hand goods, and their combat effectiveness is the weakest. We will strike him first."

"What about the left wing and the main force?" another general asked.

"Use Submarines and Torpedo boats to harass them and slow down their progress," Li Ling said. "Once we wipe out the right wing, we will turn back to deal with the left wing. Finally, we will concentrate all our forces for a decisive battle with Fisher's main force."

The generals nodded one after another, agreeing that the plan was feasible.

"The specific deployment is as follows." Li Ling began to assign tasks. "The First Fleet (nine and a half Dreadnoughts) will all set out, commanded by me personally, and will be responsible for the main attack on the right wing."

"The Second Fleet (three Pre-dreadnoughts plus ten Torpedo boats) will be responsible for defending the coast and preventing enemy landings."

"The Submarine force will all set out to launch sneak attacks on the supply lines of the left wing and the main force."

"The Special Forces will continue to carry out sabotage in Japan's homeland."

"All units must complete combat readiness within three days, and we will set out in three days!"

"Yes!"

After the meeting, Li Ling returned to his study and found the Princess, Empress Su Wanqing, and Emily were all there.

"Why are you all here?" He was stunned for a moment.

"My husband is going to war, so I have come to see you off," the Princess said.

"Brother Ling, you must be careful," Empress Su Wanqing said, her eyes turning red.

"Li Ling, I'll wait for you to come back," Emily said with a smile, but there was worry in her expression.

Looking at the three women, Li Ling felt a warm current surge in his heart.

"Don't worry," he smiled. "I'm tough, I won't die. Once I win this battle, I'll come back and treat you to a feast."

"What kind of feast?" Emily asked.

"Buddha Jumps Over the Wall," Li Ling said. "I will cook it myself."

"You know how to cook?" the Princess was surprised.

"Of course," Li Ling said proudly. "I am an all-around talent."

[Host, you've even burned instant noodles before.]

"Shut up!" Li Ling barked in his mind.

The three women were amused by him, and the atmosphere lightened up a bit.

Three days later, the fleet set out.

This time, Li Ling assembled all nine and a half Dreadnoughts, along with ten Submarines, twenty Torpedo boats, and over ten auxiliary vessels, sailing grandly into the ocean.

The flagship was still the "dragon soar", but this time Li Ling had an additional new command ship, the "dragon might", which was equipped with the most advanced communication equipment to contact every vessel in real time.

[Host, the satellite has locked onto the position of the Togo Fleet.]

"How far away?"

[Two hundred and thirty nautical miles. The Togo Fleet is sailing southwest at a speed of twelve knots and is expected to enter Qingxia's territorial waters in three days.]

"Three days..." Li Ling pondered. "If we go at full speed, we can get there in a day and a half. We will set an ambush in advance and catch him off guard."

[Understood.]

The fleet sailed at full speed, carving white wakes across the surface of the sea.

A day and a half later, Li Ling's fleet arrived at the pre-designated ambush sea area—a place called "Black Water Reef".

This place was full of hidden reefs and the channel was narrow, making it unfavorable for large fleets to maneuver. But for Li Ling, it was the perfect place for an ambush.

"Pass down the order," Li Ling commanded. "All Dreadnoughts hide behind the reefs, and Submarines lie in wait on both sides of the channel. Once the Togo Fleet enters the ambush circle, have the Submarines fire torpedoes first, followed by a salvo from the Dreadnoughts, aiming to wipe them out in one wave."

The ships took their positions one after another.

Waiting was the most agonizing part.

Li Ling stood on the bridge of the dragon might, holding binoculars and staring at the horizon.

Time passed second by second.

[Host, the Togo Fleet is still fifty nautical miles away from the ambush circle.]

"Have the Submarines submerge, do not expose themselves."

[Understood.]

An hour later.

[Distance is thirty nautical miles.]

"All vessels maintain radio silence."

[Understood.]

Another hour passed.

[Distance is ten nautical miles.]

Li Ling's heart rate began to accelerate.

"Pass down the order, all vessels prepare for battle."

[Yes.]

Finally, black columns of smoke appeared on the horizon.

The Togo Fleet had arrived.

Thirty vessels lined up in two columns, slowly sailing into the ambush circle. At the very front were four old Pre-dreadnoughts, followed by Cruisers and Destroyers.

"A little closer," Li Ling murmured. "A little closer."

Ten nautical miles... eight nautical miles... five nautical miles...

"Do it!" Li Ling ordered.

Ten Submarines fired torpedoes simultaneously. Dozens of torpedoes cut through the sea, dragging white wakes as they rushed toward the enemy ships.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Explosions rang out one after another, and towering water columns rose. Within just a few minutes, seven or eight enemy ships were hit by torpedoes, some beginning to tilt, others sinking directly.

"What's going on?!" Togo Heihachiro paled with fright on his flagship. "Submarines! Quick, anti-Submarine warfare!"

But it was already too late.

Li Ling's Dreadnoughts emerged from behind the reefs. The nine and a half giant ships formed a battle formation and fired their main guns in a salvo.

The three hundred and five millimeter shells slammed into the enemy ships, each shot capable of tearing through armor and triggering explosions.

The vessels of the Togo Fleet were already old; how could they withstand such a blow?

In less than an hour, more than twenty of the thirty vessels were sunk, and the rest scattered and fled.

"Pursue!" Li Ling ordered. "Leave no survivors!"

The fleet launched a pursuit, with Torpedo boats and Submarines joining the hunt.

By evening, the Togo Fleet was completely wiped out. Of the thirty vessels, twenty-seven were sunk and three were captured. The flagship Togo Heihachiro was aboard was also sunk; he was rescued by fishermen and fled back to Japan in a wretched state.

[Host, a great victory! The Togo Fleet has been completely annihilated!]

"Good!" Li Ling slapped the railing. "Have the fleet clean up the battlefield and rescue the enemy soldiers in the water. Although they are enemies, we must still show humanity."

[Understood.]

In this battle, Li Ling's Dreadnoughts suffered zero losses, with only a few Submarines sustaining minor damage.

But Li Ling knew that the real tough battle was still to come.

"Pass down the order: the fleet will rest for the night and set out tomorrow morning to find Dewey's left-wing fleet."

[Host, the Dewey Fleet is four hundred nautical miles away from us. If we proceed at full speed, we can meet them in two days.]

"Good," Li Ling nodded. "Have the reconnaissance planes (the biplanes provided by the system) take off to search for the position of the Dewey Fleet."

[Understood.]