Chapter 603: Plot Necessity

Betty stood there, watching the two points of light gradually turn into two almost invisible flickers, and finally vanish completely at the edge of the screen.

The bridge was as quiet as a tomb.

"General…" the adjutant wanted to say.

Betty raised his hand to stop him.

He needed to think.

Why is She Er not following? What does he want? Is he evading, or waiting? What is his objective—this detachment, the transport fleet behind, or …

Betty suddenly understood.

She Er is not fleeing. He is waiting for a better moment.

Waiting for him—Betty—to make the next move.

"General." the adjutant spoke again, "What shall we do? Continue northeast, or …"

Betty did not answer immediately.

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them again.

"Turn." he said, "The entire fleet turns southwest, speed thirty knots. Send a dispatch to Jelic: the enemy ships did not pursue northeast, now turning southwest to chase. This ship will try to entangle the enemy; the main fleet, proceed at full speed."

The telegraphist's fingers flew again.

When Brave and Glorious received the signal, the captains of both ships frowned almost simultaneously.

Turn southwest? Chase the Bismarck Class?

They have only four guns. Their armor cannot even stop the Bismarck Class's secondary guns.

But an order is an order.

The two battlecruisers turned at the same time, their bows cutting through the waves, pursuing the Queen Ship southwest.

Five forty.

The sun finally rose from the eastern horizon.

The fog cleared completely. The North Atlantic sky was light gray, the sea dark gray, and only the east was dyed gold‑red by the sun. The silhouettes of the three Yingguo warships grew clearer in the dawn— the Queen Ship's slender elegant hull, and the bulkier shapes of Brave and Glorious.

On Bismarck, the lookout saw the enemy with the naked eye for the first time.

"Visual contact! Bearing 240°, distance about twenty‑two thousand meters, three enemy ships, confirming one Queen class and two Brave class!"

She Er raised his telescope.

In the viewfinder, the three Yingguo warships were in full‑speed pursuit. The Queen Ship led, the two Brave class lagged about three thousand meters, desperately closing. The waves were split by their bows, leaving white wakes on both sides like three straight scars etched on the sea.

Thirty knots.

They were running at thirty knots.

She Er lowered the telescope.

"Reduce speed to twenty‑eight knots." he said.

The chief navigator looked at him puzzled: "General?"

"Slow down." She Er repeated, "Make the Yingguo think they can catch up."

The order was carried out. Bismarck's speed gradually fell from thirty knots to twenty‑eight knots. Tirpitz received the signal and also slowed.

The two Deguo warships moved like lions deliberately slowing their stride, luring the hunters behind them closer step by step.

Six o'clock sharp.

Distance twenty thousand meters.

Six twenty.

Distance eighteen thousand meters.

Six forty.

Distance sixteen thousand meters.

Betty stood on the Queen Ship's bridge, his heartbeat quickening.

Sixteen thousand meters. That is the theoretical maximum Effective Range of the 381 mm Main Gun. At that distance the Hit Rate is under five percent, but it at least lets the Deguo know they are being chased.

"Main Gun ready." he ordered, "Target Bismarck, three simultaneous salvos, ranging fire."

The Queen Ship's forward Main Gun rose slowly. The aimer set the firing parameters according to the data supplied by the Optical Rangefinder.

Six forty‑five.

First salvo.

Eight 381 mm Main Guns spouted fire simultaneously, the shells whistling toward Bismarck sixteen thousand meters away. Thirty seconds later, columns of water rose around Bismarck—closest to the bow about three hundred meters, closest to the port side about five hundred meters.

No hits.

She Er stood on Bismarck's bridge, watching the water columns rise from the sea.

"The Yingguo are ranging." he said, "Maintain course. No retaliation needed."

"Yes."

Second salvo. Third salvo. Still no hits.

Betty lowered the telescope. Sixteen thousand meters was too far. He needed closer range.

"Full speed ahead, target Bismarck. Keep firing."

The Queen Ship's main engine overloaded, speed climbing from thirty knots to thirty‑two knots—its absolute limit. The hull shuddered, crew had to hold the rail to stay steady. Yet the distance closed: 15,500 meters. 15,000 meters. 14,500 meters.

Seven fifteen.

Distance fourteen thousand meters.

Queen Ship's fourth salvo, a near‑miss exploded 120 meters off Bismarck's port side, shrapnel swept the deck, injuring two crew members.

She Er watched the scar the fragment left on the deck.

"Tirpitz," he said, "begin retaliation. Target Queen Ship, fire at will."

The Tirpitz held for three hours, finally heard this line. The Deguo battleship still turned!

Its four twin‑mounted 380 mm Main Guns fired simultaneously, the muzzle flash dazzling in the morning light. Shells flew toward the Queen Ship fourteen thousand meters away—under thirty seconds, water columns rose around the Queen Ship. The most dangerous shell landed eighty meters off the starboard side, the explosion's spray wetting the sailors on the after deck.

Betty's heart hammered.

Fourteen thousand meters. The Deguo Main Gun already has sufficient Hit Rate at this Distance.

He ordered, "Ten degrees to port, evade heading. Continue closing!"

The Queen Ship traced an arc on the sea, trying to maneuver to evade the Deguo fire. But the Bismarck and Tirpitz gunners were already in action. Fifth salvo, sixth salvo, seventh salvo—

07:33.

A 380 mm Shell hit the Queen Ship's starboard rear secondary gun deck.

The explosion could be heard over ten kilometers away. Flames spewed from the breach, black smoke billowed upward. The damage‑control team rushed to extinguish the fire, but the blaze could not be contained at once.

Betty gritted her teeth, "Continue closing!"

The Queen Ship did not slow.

It was already mad.

On the outer battlefront, Brave and Glory were desperately pursuing.

Their speed was indeed high—32 knots, faster than the Queen Ship. But their armor was too thin. Thin enough that even the Bismarck Class secondary guns could inflict fatal damage.

Colonel Hoffmann, the Tirpitz's captain, had long had his sights on them.

From the moment the Queen Ship was hit, he knew the real prey was not that main ship taking fire, but the two vessels attempting a flank encirclement, the "thin‑skinned big‑filling".

"Turn, fifteen degrees to starboard," he ordered, "Target Brave, full speed close."

The Tirpitz broke away from the Bismarck's flank, like a cheetah splitting from a pride, leaping toward the weaker prey.

Colonel Johnson, Brave's captain, felt his blood run cold at the sight.

"Enemy ship is closing on us! Speed at least 30 knots!" the lookout's voice changed tone.

Johnson watched the German ship in the distance. He saw the silhouette of the Deguo battleship growing larger, the muzzle becoming clearer.

"Fire! All Main Guns fire!" he ordered.

Brave's four 381 mm Main Guns opened fire. Shells flew toward the Tirpitz, raising water columns around it. But the sparse fire could not pose a threat. The gap between four guns and eight guns was stark at that moment.