"The whole aircraft will attack the enemy's first main column lead ship!"

At 13:45, Colonel Cai Yong gave an order on the radio, and 30 "Golden Eagle" torpedo planes of the second attack wave of the East Asian Army's mobile unit that day immediately pounced on the "Lion," the flagship of the Allied avant-garde force, which was leading the other three battle cruisers to turn southeast.

After defeating the "Camel" carrier-based aircraft flotilla covering Betty's fleet, the 18 "Haiyundian" warship squadrons that flew over the battlefield in advance were still hovering outside the range of Betty's antiaircraft guns at close range and far away, covering Yuan Feng's fleet in battle and the air raid team launching an attack.

"At 3 o'clock, the small group is approaching!"

The exclamation of the observer in the back seat shocked Cai Yong's heart, and he hurriedly picked up the telescope on his chest to take a closer look, and sure enough, it was the "camel" of the British!

"Land-based forces, three, six, nine, twelve...... Sixteen machines! Close to their own kennel is convenient! ”

Cancel the attack? I finally got together this wave of planes, how could I give up halfway! I can only hope for the only one remaining "Haiyun Electric" overhead...... After thinking about it, Cai Yong's right index finger had already hooked the trigger of the flare gun.

Three brightly colored signal flares rose like a scale in the blue sea and blue sky, and the "Haiyundian" team of the Chinese army, which was scattered in several directions in small units, gathered first or later with the "Lion" as the center of the circle, while the British "camel" team, which was killing with great momentum, had already split into two before the signal flares were raised, and went to intercept the attack of the two Chinese warships.

Dog-eat-dog deathmatch and sparrow hunt inevitably unfold at the same time, tracer bullet marks flying up and down, smoking engines and propellers, burning wooden frames and pieces of cloth, splashing parts and steel wires, scorched thighs and open skulls, and human bodies diving from a thousand-meter platform...... Death spreads freely, there is no distinction between good and evil, it doesn't matter what is right or wrong, God has brought them together. It is for the sake of destruction and self-destruction.

Although the "Haiyundian" warship squadron, which had consumed too much ammunition and fuel in the previous battle, fought hard and shot down eight enemy planes and damaged two, it was still unable to completely prevent the "Camel" planes from attacking their own ships with all their might, and almost one-third of the "Golden Eagle" planes were shot down or seriously injured by the "Camels" before they could rush into the enemy's air defense fire network, and the surviving ship attack had not eaten several waves of airburst bombs. The nine destroyers on the starboard side suddenly made a sharp 90-degree turn to the right and released a smoke screen. Cai Yong, who could see clearly from a high altitude, immediately changed his order: "The whole plane turned to the starboard side of the enemy to avoid the smoke screen, and after turning around, it will find an opportunity to attack the most exposed enemy." ”

The two "Golden Eagle" fleets quickly turned around and turned back, and then merged into one and pressed the last ship of the Betty battle cruiser column, the largest ship, exposed beyond the smoke screen, with the momentum of one plane.

Without waiting for the enemy ship to turn around again, in fact, the smoke screen also obscured Betty's eyes at the same time, and the ship's assault team had easily passed through the starboard side of the "Indefatigable" and fired a barrage of ground-to-air explosions. Braving more than 10 machine guns, they strafed and dropped mines in six waves at a distance of 500 meters. Within four minutes, five huge water columns rose one after another, dooming the fate of the "Undaunted" land......

When the "Lion" finally emerged from the smoke screen. Betty could only watch as the "Indefatigable" was dotted with barnacles, water meadows, painted red, and the bottom of the ship gradually sank into the blue waves. The corners of his mouth twitched. Decided to put his hands behind his back and pretend to be calm.

"The whole ship turned left at the same time, and 8 compass points. Restore column formation. ”

A few minutes later. Thomas's column, with 4 battleships, joined Betty's column from the right rear. Dragged down by the wounded "Barham" in Thomas's column. After the convergence, the speed of the formation of the Ground Betty column could only be maintained at 20 knots. Meanwhile. Yuan Feng's column, six battle cruisers, were chasing from the left rear tail at a speed of 26 knots. The distance between the two sides was rapidly closing at a rate of about 200 yards per minute.

Betti, who only wanted to join the main force as soon as possible, did not dare to fight. At 14:05, he resolutely ordered: "The whole ship follows the flagship and turns right 6 compass points." ”

Within 10 minutes. The seven capital ships of Betty's column and dozens of light ships in front and behind the ground streaked a snow-white track with an arc of 67.5 degrees on the blue ocean. Turn to south-southwest heading. Towards the position of the main force of Jellico, it was difficult to get closer.

As soon as the turn was completed, the observation post of the mainmast of the "Lion" reported: "The column of enemy battlecruisers followed me to turn!" ”

Betty straightened her crooked hat with a blank expression. He lightly ordered: "Turn right 4 compass points, and again, telegraph the current location of the enemy and us to the commander-in-chief." ”

Betty didn't despair, he didn't think he was running away, he was sure that Jericho would not abandon him, he must still be following the established route to the battlefield, and now what he had to do was to lure the enemy avant-garde troops who were biting their tails to Jericho before the main force of the enemy arrived. Annihilation in one fell swoop, this is the only hope for reversing the situation at this time!

Betty's expectations were not disappointed, and at 14:25, the mainmast observation post reported: "A large column of smoke has been found in the left front!" ”

A few minutes later, the communications staff officer sent a message from the flagship "George V": "I have seen you, I will spread out to the starboard side of the city, and you should go around my port side and return to the avant-garde position." ”

Before Betty could laugh, news came from the mainmast observation post: the "Barham" at the very end of the column engaged in an artillery battle with the pursuing enemy ship, and the "Balham" was hit by a bullet and burst into fire.

"When I don't put that burden aside...... The avant-garde is incapable of functioning ......"

Betty twisted her chin and muttered to herself, suddenly frowning. Resolved: "Give the order to the Barham: temporarily release the smoke screen and withdraw from the battle." Wait for the right moment to join the main forces. Also informed the commander-in-chief: I will return to the avant-garde position as soon as possible. ”

An imperceptible smile hung on the corners of Betty's lips, in the binoculars. The shadow of the oncoming ship gradually became clear: the "Orion", the flagship of Vice Admiral Studi's First Battleship Detachment, which was on the far right of the box formation of the capital ship, was leading the team to turn right; George V, the flagship of the second detachment on its left and commander-in-chief of Jellico, was constantly giving orders to the left and right through light and flags; To the left of the second detachment, Lieutenant General de Fournay's third detachment, the flagship of the French detachment, the "Kolbe", was waiting for his moment; On the far left of the formation, Lieutenant General Jeram's fourth detachment, the flagship of the Anglo-Dutch mixed detachment, the "Giant", has not yet moved; Detachments of cruisers and destroyers around the capital ship formation were to be deployed in an orderly manner towards the predetermined positions, and they would appear in the front, rear, and non-engaged sides of the large column of battleships that were all deployed.

The sharpest trumpet is about to sound, and the fate of the avant-garde of the East Asian Army awaits ......