When the shells hit, Oakes could barely believe it was real. He could not understand the logic of the British in any case - how dare they take the initiative? Don't they know the difference in strength between the two sides?

However, the facts did not give him a chance to think about philosophical questions, and in a short time a storm of shells hit the flagship where he was located!

Although they were medium-caliber shells that did not cause fundamental damage, the ants mostly killed the elephant, and he clearly heard the sound of the wooden deck and bulkhead being broken by small-caliber shells!

Oakes, who was half-drunk, was so drunk that he didn't look at Armani, and pushed away the first mate who was squeezing him when the hull of the ship was shaking, and shouted at the first mate: "Don't go and command the charge yet!" What are you doing in a daze? They only have eight or nine boats, do you want me to teach you how to charge? ”

The half-conscious first mate, blushing, rushed out of the hatch and stumbled towards the deck. Oakes drew his sword, squeezed past Armani, and followed the first mate to the deck, still not glancing at Armani.

Armani stood at the door of the captain's room, smiling, but his smile was full of coldness, and the whole person was like a sculpture, just standing dumbfounded, lifeless.

He has a strong belief in the navy at this moment and feels that his faith is completely collapsing, so many years of ups and downs, how many times he has encountered things that are difficult to adhere to, he has relied on a wave of faith and enthusiasm, and he has survived, but this time, he feels a cold from the depths of his soul!

Because he had a hunch that something important was going to happen! Perhaps, it is something that changes lives, changes countries, and changes the world!

Armani trembled until a cannonball slammed through the bulkhead beside him and slowly rolled down at his feet, still steaming!

Is the country that thrived on artillery fire about to decline again under artillery fire? Armani stared at the cannonballs and said secretly in his heart, this may be fate!

Thinking of this, he slowly walked towards the deck, the back was lonely and lonely, it seemed to be incompatible with the boiling and noisy atmosphere around him, but it seemed to be completely integrated, gradually dissolving into the chaos of the crowd.

"Rush over! Rush over! Engage them in broadboard! Ochs's shouts echoed across the deck—the voice of the vast majority of Spanish naval officers.

Broadside warfare, this is the tradition and advantage of the Spaniards, and they have gradually grown to this day by relying on the fierce and fearless broadside warfare. Although the artillery has become more and more developed, they still abide by the tradition of broadside warfare, and are unwilling to give up the pride and glory of the past!

"Right full rudder! Right full rudder! Rush up at full speed! The first mate shouted too, directing the ship to rush at full speed towards the enemy forces two nautical miles away!

The entire fleet of twelve ships turned around as a whole and rushed towards the target that had been in the direction of three o'clock! They shouted, paddling their oars at full speed, their sails adjusted to the sidesails, and nothing but the enemy in front of them!

The night gives the enemy a sneak attack, but it also reduces their hit rate! It's time to turn the tide! Countless people in the Spanish Navy thought so.

I have to say that the Spaniards are brave, just like the Toei not long ago, the Takeda family Akabi Iron Cavalry who rushed to the Oda Nobunaga Iron Artillery Team, and the Monk Grinqin and his Eight Banners cavalry who rushed to the Anglo-French coalition army, they are all brave, which is understandable.

Cannon fire rained down on the bow, deck, mast and sailors, but the Spanish Navy remained unstoppable! Like sharp arrows, they rushed towards the enemy in front of them without hesitation.

As Armani stood on the bridge and watched his ships rush toward the enemy, less than ten of them still perched on the side of the ship, projecting deadly projectiles at him, and a sense of absurdity suddenly arose in his heart.

If the enemy begins to speed up and run and fight, then he has no doubts. But seeing that the fleet with obvious superiority on his side rushed towards him, and still stubbornly stopped the ship and shot, is this looking for death?

No! If they can ambush here, it means that they are not reckless! So...... There must be a conspiracy! But what is the conspiracy?

He looked around, and there was no sign of the enemy in the night, except for artillery fire from the northwest—at least not nearby. This further aggravated Armani's suspicions - what gave them the courage to defeat the Spanish Armada head-on with the enemy gunboats without reinforcements?

Armani seemed to capture something in his mind, but he couldn't describe it exactly. He could only watch his fleet rush closer and closer towards the enemy, one nautical mile, half a nautical mile! The enemy is already at hand!

Armani suddenly saw that there seemed to be something on the sea between his own and the enemy! It's not big, but it's there!

His heart tightened suddenly, and he suddenly thought of something, and suddenly his whole body was cold, and the whole person was like falling into an ice cellar! After a few moments, Armani came to his senses, shouting as he rushed to the deck, "Slow down! Decelerate! Slow down! ”

On the chaotic deck, no one heard what he was shouting, and the twelve battleships were like arrows, crashing into the enemy fiercely!

Armani looked ahead in despair, and just to the left of his vision, the first ship, which had been acting as a vanguard, suddenly raised its bow high, as if it had hit a wall!

It's a reef! Armani's heart was cold, and at this moment, he only felt a violent shock under his feet, and his body was thrown forward under the tremendous force, and he hit the bottom of the broken mast!

Blood gushed out, but Armani didn't care about it, he struggled to get up, leaned on the side of the ship and looked around, the entire area of engagement was full of flames, it was his own ship crashing into the reef, and the enemy was on fire!

However, the nightmare was far from over, and just as Armani was standing up, he suddenly saw a violent burst of fire in front of his eyes! The sound of explosions and explosions came almost at the same time, and the huge waves and concussions flipped him to the ground again, rolling to the other side of the deck!

Covered in blood, Armani knew that this was something that the British had recently learned from that Oriental man - water * thunder! This thing doesn't look big, but it's a natural enemy and killer of battleships!

Under the combined action of mines* and reefs, five or six warships in front suffered a devastating blow! The hull of the ship was completely shattered, and countless sailors were thrown into the icy waters, either dead or waiting to die.

Armani knew that this time there was no luck, and he struggled to his feet in the midst of the fire, hoping that the allies behind him would bring the message back to the commander, so that they would know what had happened today and not repeat the mistakes of the past.

He looked back at the ships behind him, and except for the last ships No. 10 and No. 11, and the No. 8 ship, which had been used as a supply ship, they stopped in time and were still intact, and the other ships were all incapacitated.

Especially the two ships in the middle, they stopped in time after discovering that something was wrong, and began to evade left and right, trying to turn the bow of the ship and withdraw from the battlefield. But in the process of turning, the huge belly of the ship was left to the other side, and Armani knew that this was tantamount to a good meal for the gunboat!

Sure enough, the other side stopped bombarding the stranded ships in front, and all the artillery fire was concentrated on the ships that were turning!

Under the fierce artillery fire of the British, most of the hulls of those U-turn ships were smashed and began to sink slowly with billowing black smoke!

In the end, only three, no, three and a half ships could be confirmed—the seventh ship was still struggling to evacuate backwards with black smoke!

For the first time in his life, Armani cheered for the flight of his allies, and his heart was filled with no joy or sorrow, only that his allies would escape more and keep more fire. But it was clear that the enemy did not think so, and their artillery fire had begun to extend back and shoot at the fleeing friendly ships!

Something has to be done! Armani was struggling to get up, and several sailors in charge of the herald ran to his side, and one of them cried out miserably: "Second mate! The captain and first mate are dead! Now what? ”

He's dead? A sneer suddenly appeared at the corner of Armani's mouth, and his expression made the people around him shudder. Quite a few people thought he was crazy, or rather, he woke up!

I saw Armani stand up straight, and gently adjusted his torn military uniform, as if he was going to a party.

Just when everyone was stunned, he suddenly looked back at a few people and said with a smile: "Order!" All those who are still or still, board the lifeboat and charge the enemy! ”

The heralds were stunned and stood still, for this was clearly a suicidal counterattack that could not be won!

Armani looked at the enemy ships in the distance and said in a cold voice: "We have no hope of survival, but there are still comrades behind us!" We must rush forward and attract their fire and let the hopeful escape! ”

As he spoke, he looked back at the herald with tears in his eyes and said softly, "Go and herald!" Rest assured, I'm with you! ”

Several heralds gave Armani a heavy military salute and went down to give the order!

A moment later, the seven or eight Spanish warships in front began to lay down the dense lifeboats, and the sailors began to wait for the boats, ready to launch a decisive charge against the enemy!

Armani boarded the front ship, glanced back at his companion behind him, who was also grim-faced and mortal-minded, drew his sword with a "click", pointed at the enemy in front of him, and shouted, "For the glory of Spain!" Charge! ”

"Roar"! A neat echo was heard behind him, and Armani took the lead, leading the lifeboat like an ant colony to launch a decisive charge towards the enemy!

......

Standing on the foredeck, Drake and I silently stared at the flames burning ahead, unable to tell what it was like.

Even if they are enemies, they still deserve respect, this is my voice from the bottom of my heart.

"Your Excellency, your plan has been successful." Drake's voice came, and I listened to it in my ears, but it felt slightly unreal.

"It's not a war, it's a massacre!" I said lightly.

"What, you're not satisfied with this result?" Drake looked at me with a smirk.

I also laughed: "No, such a massacre happens to the enemy, so naturally the more the better." As I spoke, I looked at the lifeboat below and asked, "How are you going to choose the multiple-choice question in front of you?" ”

Drake smiled and asked me, "What about you?" Your Excellency the Wise Marquis, what do you plan? ”

I couldn't help but laugh out loud: "You are the commander-in-chief, I am only the chief of staff!" ”

Drake shook his head and smiled: "Who doesn't know that I'm just a name, the person the queen really trusts, it's you!" ”

I silently looked at the group of lifeboats not far away, but I thought about trust. Drake didn't say anything, just waiting for my answer.

"Since they have decided to sacrifice their lives for righteousness, then give them the opportunity to seek mercy and receive it!" My voice sounded very ethereal to Drake, and he nodded, silent for a moment before asking, "What about the escaped ships?" Don't fight? ”

I shook my head slightly and said, "Don't fight." ”

Drake smiled and asked, "Why?" ”

I looked at the ships fleeing in the distance, smiled and whispered, "They are messengers, the messengers we sent to de Guzmán." I need them to bring hatred and fear back to the main forces, so that they will attack us desperately and at the same time be afraid of us. ”

As I spoke, I looked back at Drake and said with a smile: "Isn't this result a more valuable option than eliminating a few defeated generals?" ”

Drake was silent for a moment before he sighed and said, "I only hope that I won't be your enemy for the rest of my life." ”

I looked back at the fleeing ships and muttered, "I hope so." ”