Chapter 649: Jielike Got Duped

Jielike's hand trembled slightly on the telescope.

He recalled the day the Hood sank. He recalled the day the Queen Ship sank. He recalled the day the Determination sank.

Those two Bismarck Class ships, at the price of four Deguo old battleships, exchanged for seven Royal Navy capital ships.

Seven.

If we let them escape today, how many more would be added?

"General," Keluoli spoke for the last time, "We still have time. We can wait a bit longer, let them lower their flags. Maybe they simply forgot, maybe…"

"Enough."

Jielike set down the telescope and turned to face Keluoli.

"Keluoli," he said, his voice unusually calm, "Do you know what it would mean if they were Deguo and we let them go?"

Keluoli gave no answer.

"It would mean that our twelve ships waited in vain for seven days. It would mean that all the Royal Navy's efforts in the Indian Ocean were wasted. It would mean that those two Bismarck Class ships would continue to slaughter our merchant vessels, continue to sink our warships, continue…"

He paused, "Continue to make the British Empire bleed."

Keluoli lowered their head.

Jielike turned and faced the speaking tube.

"All fleet," he said, each word deliberate, "Target: the two Bismarck Class ahead. Distance: twenty-two thousand meters. All ships' Main Guns, fire at will."

A second of silence followed in the speaking tube.

Then came the replies from each ship: "King George V received." "Centurion received." "Aias received." "Avenger received." "Ramillis received…"

One after another, like the Grim Reaper calling names.

At 06:03, the ten 356‑mm Main Guns of King George V erupted in fire.

The gunfire tore the morning silence.

Shells whistled, cutting the sea surface, flying toward the two flagless warships twenty‑two kilometers away.

On the bridge of Huai River, Zhang Zhen clearly saw the blaze through the telescope.

The Yingguo flagship opened fire.

In that instant, countless thoughts flashed through his mind—Chen Feng had bet correctly, Jielike had been duped, history was about to be rewritten—but those thoughts vanished in a flash, because the next moment he saw dozens of black dots flying toward them.

"Conceal!"

He shouted, and slammed the adjutant beside him to the deck.

The sharp whine of shells tearing the air grew nearer—Zhang Zhen had heard that sound countless times, yet each time it chilled him as if the first.

Then, an explosion.

The first shell landed 200 meters off Huai River's port side, raising a water column thirty meters high, seawater cascading onto the deck like a waterfall.

The second and third fell on the starboard side, also near‑misses, but the shockwaves made the hull shudder violently.

The fourth—

Direct hit.

A huge blast rang from the bow, the whole Huai River struck as if by a giant's fist; Zhang Zhen felt the steel plates beneath his feet tremble. Alarms blared throughout the ship, and red emergency lights flashed incessantly.

"Damage control report!" Zhang Zhen scrambled up, shouting into the speaking tube.

"General! Bow port hit! The secondary gun deck is struck, fire spreading! Ingress is minor, under control!"

Zhang Zhen turned to the few reporters.

Reporter Fang lay on the ground, still holding the camera, the shutter frantically clicking—he captured the moment the Yingguo fleet fired, the moment the shells fell, the moment Huai River was hit.

"Reporter Fang!" Zhang Zhen shouted, "Are you okay?"

Reporter Fang scrambled up, his face covered in ash, but his eyes shone wildly: "I'm fine! Got it! Got everything!"

Zhang Zhen nodded, turned to the speaking tube, and took a deep breath.

Then he addressed the whole ship, repeating in Mandarin:

"This is the Lanfang Republic Navy Huai River. We have been attacked by the Yingguo fleet without declaration. All ships—fire at will! Repeat, fire at will!"

A second of silence followed in the speaking tube.

Then the artillery chief's voice came, seething with uncontainable anger: "Artillery chief received! Main Guns raising! Target—King George V! Fire!"

Huai River's four twin‑mounted 380‑mm Main Guns rose together, barrels aimed at the British flagship twenty‑two kilometers away.

The fire‑control radar had long locked onto the target—since the Yingguo vessels entered radar range, Huai River's radar had been tracking them.

Eight armor‑piercing shells whistled out.

Simultaneously, cannon fire rang from Pearl River's sector—Zhou Zhen guo also ordered fire. Likewise eight 380‑mm shells, targeting Centurion.

At 06:05, over the Arabian Sea, sixteen Lanfang‑bred shells crossed in the air with the first round of Yingguo fleet shells.

War has begun.

Forty seconds later, Huai River's observers erupted in cheers.

"Hit! King George V hit by one! Starboard secondary gun deck!"

Zhang Zhen saw through the telescope the British flagship's starboard side erupt in a fireball. The blaze lit the dawn‑lit sea, black smoke billowing upward.

The fire‑control radar's first volley hit.

This is the technological gap—Yingguo's optical range‑finding at this distance relies entirely on the gunner's experience, whereas Lanfang's radar can precisely tell the gunner: target there, Distance twenty‑two thousand meters, bearing 120°, speed 21 knots.

The shells will naturally fall.

But the Yingguo's second salvo also arrived.

This time, not so lucky.

One of the three twin‑mounted 381‑mm Main Guns of the Counterattack battleship cruiser hit Huai River.

The shell penetrated the port side secondary gun deck, exploding in the storage hold. The shockwave knocked several fire‑fighting sailors to the deck, shrapnel scarred the bulkhead with countless dents.

"General! The port side secondary gun deck took a hit! Three injured! Fire is being fought!"

Zhang Zhen nodded: "Keep firing. Let Zhujiang focus fire on Counterattack, first take out the fast one!"

Zhou Zhen guo's voice came over the intercom: "Zhujiang copy! Target—Counterattack! All guns fire together!"

Zhujiang's eight 380mm Main Guns fired again. This time they aimed not at the Centurion but at the fast‑maneuvering battleship cruiser.

The observer's voice changed tone: "Hit! Counterattack bow hit! Bridge hit! Thick smoke rises!"

Zhang Zhen raised his binoculars.

The Counterattack's bow was smoking, speed dropping from 28 knots to 25 knots. Its forward Main Gun was still firing, but clearly slowed—its bridge was hit, so the command system must be damaged.

"Well done!" cheers erupted from the bridge.

But before the cheers faded, another Shell hit Huaihe.

This time it struck the hull midsection. A 356mm Shell penetrated the secondary gun deck and exploded inside the hull. The hull shuddered violently, and several crew members operating fell to the deck.

"Damage control report!"

"General! Water is flooding the midship compartments! Three compartments are flooded! The bilge pumps are running, but water intake exceeds pumping capacity!"

Zhang Zhen's heart tightened sharply.

Water ingress.

The Bismarck Class fears water ingress most. Although its protective design is excellent, once water intake gets out of control, speed drops and maneuverability is lost.

"Keep water intake below thirty tons per hour!" he shouted, "If it exceeds that, report immediately!"

"Yes!"