Chapter 647: Misjudgment?

"Coffee." Chief of Staff Colonel Henry Kroli carried a steaming cup of coffee over, "General, you've been standing for four hours."

Jie Li Ke took the coffee, said nothing. He walked to the starboard window, raised his binoculars toward the northwest—where Dubai lies, and the sea surface showed nothing.

Kroli stood behind him and whispered, "General, perhaps the Deguo won't emerge today. Perhaps they still need a few more days of repairs."

"No." Jie Li Ke set down the binoculars, "Lanfang only gave them seven days. Today is the last day. They will certainly come out."

He returned to the chart table, bent over the densely marked Arabian Sea map. Symbols for twelve capital ships formed a huge semicircle around the Dubai harbor exit—King George V, Centurion, Aias on the innermost ring; Vengeance, Ramis, Royal Oak, Monarch, Conqueror in the middle tier; Prestige and Counterattack, two fast battlecruisers, patrolled the outermost rim.

This is the largest force the Yingguo Navy can assemble in the Indian Ocean. Twelve capital ships, plus fifteen destroyers, eight cruisers, six supply vessels, are enough to block those two Deguo battleships in the Arabian Sea and wear them down.

"General," the sonar officer's voice came from the corner, tense, "Contact! Northwest, Distance about forty‑five nautical miles, two large warships, bearing 130°, speed about eighteen knots."

Jie Li Ke spun around abruptly, covering three steps in two, sprinting to the sonar room.

"Eighteen knots…" Jie Li Ke muttered, "They're throttling down. Trying to slip by unnoticed."

Kroli leaned in, "General, it could also be a Lanfang warship. They also have Bismarck Class."

Jie Li Ke was silent for three seconds.

He knew Kroli was right. Lanfang had four Bismarck Class ships stationed at Dubai—Huai River, Pearl River, Dingyuan, Zhiyuan. If Lanfang sent ships out for training now, it was indeed possible.

But the timing was too coincidental. Deguo just finished repairs, and Lanfang immediately sent ships for training?

"Order Prestige and Counterattack to go out for reconnaissance," Jie Li Ke said, "Maintain radio silence, visual confirmation only. Do not approach, do not alert the enemy."

"Yes!"

The order was issued. The communication lamp flashed, signaling the two wing‑patrolling battlecruisers.

Five minutes later, Prestige and Counterattack accelerated together, breaking out from the Yingguo fleet's left and right wings, speed climbing to twenty‑six knots, vanishing into the northwest night.

Jie Li Ke stood by the window, watching the two ships shrink, a vague foreboding rising in his mind.

They're close.

Almost there.

05:00, Huai River bridge.

Zhang Zhen stood at the side window, also holding binoculars toward the southeast. There it was still pitch black, only a faint line of pale horizon at the sea‑sky junction.

"General," the radar officer's voice came, "Southeast, multiple vessels detected. Calculating… at least fifteen. Two high‑speed ships are approaching, speed about twenty‑six knots, Distance about thirty nautical miles."

Zhang Zhen's hand paused on the binoculars.

Twenty‑six knots. That's the speed of a battlecruiser. Yingguo sent high‑speed ships to verify.

"Keep all stations quiet," he said, "Main Gun barrel kept at zero‑degree elevation. No one may make any provocative move."

"Yes!"

The order was given. Replies from each station came through the megaphone, voices low as if fearing to disturb something.

Zhang Zhen turned, looking at the few reporters in the bridge corner.

Reporter Fang, with his three companions, had already set up the camera, lens aimed southeast. Their faces showed no fear, only a focus Zhang Zhen knew well—a hunter's gaze awaiting prey.

"Reporter Fang," Zhang Zhen went over, "When the Yingguo fire, you drop immediately. A few seconds of footage is enough; lives matter."

Reporter Fang looked up, smiled, "General, rest assured, I've filmed twenty years of war, know Shells don't have eyes."

He paused, patted the camera beside him, "The latest Kodak, shutter speed one‑thousandth of a second. Yingguo fire's smoke, Shell trajectory, splash moment—all can be captured."

Zhang Zhen nodded, walked back to the side window.

He raised the binoculars again, looking southeast.

On the sea surface, the two fast‑moving black dots were faintly visible. They were Prestige and Counterattack, Yingguo Navy's proudest battlecruisers, sprinting here at twenty‑six knots.

Pearl River lay five thousand meters to the left‑rear of Huai River, equally quiet, equally silent. Zhou Zhen guo should have also seen those two Yingguo ships, and should also be waiting.

Waiting for what?

Waiting for Yingguo to slip up.

Waiting for Yingguo to open that door with their own hands.

05:20, Prestige bridge.

Captain Colonel Robert Leyden held the binoculars, staring fixedly at the two massive ships slowly sailing ahead.

Distance had shortened to twenty nautical miles. Dawn was dispersing the night, the ships' outlines becoming clearer—slender hulls, towering bridges, the distinctive twin‑turret layout.

Bismarck Class.

Colonel Leyden had served in the Royal Navy for thirty years, seen countless warship blueprints and photos. He knew that silhouette too well—Deguo's deadliest weapon, Hood's nightmare, the Royal Navy's bane.

But…

He increased the binocular magnification, scrutinizing the two ships' masts.

No national flag.

The masts were bare, nothing hung.

"Captain," the Executive Officer's voice came from behind, "They aren't flying any flag."

Leyden nodded, "I see."

"Then… are they Deguo or Lanfang?"

Leyden was silent for three seconds.

Deguo warships leaving Dubai without flags, trying to slip away—this logic holds.

Lanfang warships training at sea without flags? Improper. Which nation's warships sail without a flag? That violates international law.

"Signal the flagship," Leyden said, "Visual confirmation: two Bismarck Class, no flag hoisted, moving at eighteen knots toward the southeast. Awaiting orders."

The signalman raised the signal lamp. The light flashed, sending the message to the distant King George V.

Thirty seconds later, the flagship replied, "Maintain surveillance, do not expose. Await orders."

Leyden lowered the binoculars, a surge of uncontrollable excitement rising inside.

If they are Deguo, if the flagship orders fire, if he can watch those two Bismarck Class ships sink to the seabed…

He shook his head, tossing those thoughts out of his brain.

Now, can only wait.