Chapter 346: This Is Obviously a Trap

"Beatty hasn't turned yet?" Jieli Ke asked, his voice tinged with suppressed anger.

"No," the communications officer replied, "the latest telegram shows he is still in pursuit, speed increased to 23 knots. He says he saw illumination shells from the Deguo fleet, judges the enemy is in chaos, a good time to attack."

"Nonsense!" Stu Di couldn't help but growl, "This is obviously a trap! Xipeier is luring him!"

Jieli Ke gave no reply. He stared at the chart, his finger lightly tapping the center of that triangle—at 56°15' N, 5° E.

At the current heading and speed, in about an hour the three fleets will converge near that point.

"If Beatty turns now," he said slowly, "and retreats westward, we can rendezvous with him. But if he continues the chase…"

He didn't finish, but everyone understood.

If Beatty continues the chase, in an hour he will collide with the Deguo main fleet. Jieli Ke's main fleet is forty nautical miles from the battlefield, and even at full speed would need two hours to arrive.

Two hours, what does that mean in a naval showdown?

It means Beatty's six battlecruisers may have to face the entire Deguo open‑sea fleet alone—twenty‑two dreadnoughts, six pre‑dreadnoughts, and Xipeier's five battlecruisers.

That would be a slaughter.

"Send another telegram to Beatty," Jieli Ke's voice remained calm, though everyone heard the weight in it, "This is a direct order: turn immediately to 270°, retreat westward, and rendezvous with the main fleet. Repeat, this is an order, not a suggestion."

"Yes, Admiral!"

The telegram was sent. Everyone on the bridge held their breath, awaiting the echo.

The marine chronometer on the wall ticked. Each second felt as long as a century.

Five minutes later, the communications officer ran back, pale: "Beatty replies: Command received. But he says the enemy is right before us, turning now would miss the opportunity. He requests permission to continue the chase for one hour, then withdraw immediately after crushing Xipeier's fleet."

"He's disobeying!" Stu Di said angrily.

Jieli Ke closed his eyes. He had long anticipated this. David Beatty, the fierce commander he had personally promoted, the battlecruiser commander he had placed great hopes in, had ultimately been blinded by honor and the thirst for combat.

"Admiral," Stu Di rushed, "we must take harsher measures! In the name of the Supreme Commander, issue a direct order to him!"

Jieli Ke opened his eyes, his gaze complex. He looked at the red arrow on the chart representing Beatty's fleet, as if seeing the young man standing on the Lion's bridge, his face full of zeal and confidence.

Was that his younger self? Perhaps. Perhaps every naval officer in his youth longs for battle, for glory, to create miracles on the field like Nelson.

But now, he is the Supreme Commander, responsible for the entire fleet, responsible for the whole empire.

"Send the telegram," he finally spoke, his voice bearing a weary resolve, "In the name of the Royal Navy Supreme Commander, order David Beatty: cease the chase immediately, turn to 270°, and at full speed close with the main fleet. This order must be obeyed, no disobedience. Repeat, no disobedience."

This time, the wording was harsh, leaving no room for maneuver.

The telegram was sent. Jieli Ke walked to the porthole, watching the impenetrable thick fog outside.

"May God bless them," he whispered.

At that moment, a deep rumble suddenly came from afar.

It wasn't gunfire, but equally shocking.

Then a second, a third...

"It's gunfire!" the lookout shouted, "Northeast! Distance... indeterminate! But definitely heavy artillery!"

Jieli Ke's heart sank sharply. He rushed to the Signal Room and demanded loudly, "Signal Room! Report!"

A tense voice came from the Signal Room: "Cannot pinpoint precisely! Sound is distorted in the thick fog! But based on acoustic characteristics... at least heavy artillery of 305 mm caliber or larger! Quantity... many!"

The gunfire continued, rolling over the sea like a muffled thunder, echoing in the fog, direction and distance indistinguishable, yet everyone heard it clearly.

The battle had already begun.

"Beatty..." Stu Di's face turned ashen, "He's collided with the Deguo ships."

Jieli Ke gave no reply. He stared fixedly at the thick fog to the northeast, as if trying to pierce the gray veil with his eyes to see the battlefield.

But that was impossible.

At that range, in such a dense fog, he could see nothing, do nothing.

He could only wait.

Wait for the telegram, wait for news, wait for those warships that might never return.

"All fleet," he inhaled deeply, his voice amplified through the speaker aboard the Iron Duke, "Course adjust to 060°, speed increase to 20 knots. Target: the direction of the gunfire. We will go to support our brothers."

The order was relayed. The entire Yingguo main fleet began to turn, accelerate, and surge toward the sea shrouded by the gunfire.

The thick fog was split by the bows and gathered again at the stern.

The steel behemoths raced across the gray ocean, charging toward the unknown, toward the battlefield, toward destiny.

Simultaneously, at the core of the battlefield.

Beatty stood on the Lion's bridge, still holding Jieli Ke's final stern command telegram. But he no longer had time to read it.

Because about fifteen thousand yards ahead in the thick fog, the silhouette of a Deguo battleship was emerging.

Not Xipeier's five battlecruisers.

But more, larger warships.

Huge hulls, multiple turrets, towering bridges—that's a battleship, the mainstay of the Deguo open‑sea fleet.

"Lord God..." Chief of Staff Chattefield murmured, "They are really here."

Beatty had no time for fear, not even time for regret. Combat instinct instantly seized everything.

"All fleet!" he roared into the speaker, "Emergency turn! Hard left! Course 270°! Speed to maximum!"

The Lion's hull tilted sharply, seawater splashing white foam along the side. Other battlecruisers also turned, trying to evade the suddenly appearing Deguo main fleet.

But it was already too late.

In the thick fog, orange‑red flames suddenly burst. It was the muzzle flash of the Main Gun firing, glaring against the gray‑white backdrop.

A few seconds later, the sharp whine of shells tearing through the air rang out.

Then, an explosion.

In the first salvo, at least twenty heavy artillery Shells fell. The sea erupted in water columns dozens of meters high, white spray mingling with black smoke, forming a death forest on the surface.

"Near miss!" the Lion's captain shouted, "Starboard fifty yards!"

Sea water sprayed onto the deck like a downpour. Bei Di wiped her face; the salty, briny water mixed with the smell of gunpowder stung her eyes painfully.

"Report damage!"

"No direct hit! But near‑miss shrapnel caused damage to some equipment on the starboard side!"

Bei Di rushed to the portside window and looked through a telescope. In the thick fog, the outlines of Deguo battleships grew in number and clarity. Bei Di saw at least eight, ten, twelve… all massive vessels of the Dreadnought class.

Ahead of those main ships, Xi Pe Er's five battlecruisers were turning, attempting to flank from the side.

A perfect trap.

"Major General!" Cha Te Fei Er De grabbed their arm, "We must retreat immediately! Close in on General Jie Li Ke!"

Bei Di shook off their hand, her eyes fixed on those Deguo battleships. Their complexion flushed with anger and humiliation, yet their gaze remained sharp.

"No," they said, their voice hoarse but firm, "Turning now to flee would only expose the starboard side to the enemy. That's suicide."

They turned to the captain and ordered, "Maintain a heading of 270 degrees, but swing all Main Guns to starboard! We will retaliate! Let the Deguo scum know the Royal Navy is not to be trifled with!"

The order was relayed. The three Main Gun turrets of the "Lion" ship began to turn slowly, the 305‑mm barrels pointing toward the Deguo fleet on the starboard side.

The chief of artillery shouted in the fire control room, "Target! Starboard 45 degrees, Distance 14,000 yards! Armor‑piercing shells, load!"

"Loading complete!"

"Aim... fire!"