The general flagship of the East Asian Combined Fleet, the most powerful super-dreadnought battleship of the Imperial Chinese Navy, "Pinghai".

In the not-so-narrow bridge, Admiral Sa Zhenbing, commander of the Combined Fleet, was listening to the reports coming from the overhead speakers with his hands on his knees, his eyes slightly closed, and still as if he were a mountain.

"Confirm the shadow of our reconnaissance unit directly ahead, and start optical communication."

"Confirm that the 6 ships of the mobile patrol detachment are approaching from the left rear."

"Received a telegram from the Golden Falcon: The Saker was sent to Blair for emergency repairs and loading the reserve fleet due to water leakage in the lightning damage site yesterday......"

"Received a message from the Thunderbolt: the enemy's main force is on a parallel course on my starboard side, at a distance of 7,000 yards!"

Major General Ye Fei, the chief of staff, finally couldn't hold it back, and bent down to Sa Zhenbing's ear: "Commander, it's time." ”

Sa Zhenbing seemed to have nails on his buttocks, his body did not move at all, but he slightly raised the index finger of his right hand leaning on the sandalwood armrest: "Follow the plan." ”

"Do you want to rise...... That flag? ”

Ye Fei was naturally referring to the "Z" flag raised in the three decisive naval battles (the Sino-Japanese Battle of Dadonggou, the First Sino-Russian Battle of Vladivostok, and the Sino-Russian Naval Battle of the South China Sea) during the First Sino-Japanese War and the Asian-Russian War, which means: "The empire rises and falls, and fights here", so as to inspire the whole army.

Sa Zhenbing gently shook the finger that had just been raised: "No, there is no need, the era when the rise and fall of the empire was determined by one or two battles has passed, and now is the era of general war and protracted war, and if we still raise that kind of flag, doesn't it mean that we have no other way out?" ”

Ye Fei was still unwilling: "But." Even if it's a morale boost......"

Sa Zhenbing nodded back at the telescope on his chest: "Everyone saw Yuan Feng's battle patrol column dancing in the rain of bullets. I've been holding back my strength. ”

Ye Fei was stunned for a moment. Suddenly nodded vigorously in realization: "Yes." Got the herald. All ships are in the first order of engagement. Spread out to port! ”

A few minutes later. Brigadier General Li Lingyun's Second Squadron of the Ground Light Patrol Team formed a single column of ground single columns, "Iron Leopard", "Silver Leopard", "Steel Leopard", and "Stone Leopard". The lead ship of the first battle group "Pinghai", which was located in the center of the five battleship columns in parallel, was the first to accelerate forward. More than 30,000 tons of huge hull split like a tide of seawater. He led the three ships of the same level, "Ninghai", "Jinghai", and "Weihai", to break out of the original box-shaped formation. Then turn 7 compass points to port side. At an angle of 22.5 degrees, it quickly approached the column of Yuan Feng's battlecruisers on the starboard side.

Immediately following the first team, the acceleration turned around and the second team of the battleships that were originally located on the right side of the first team. Including four giant ships with a standard displacement of more than 27,000 tons, "Yangbo", "Fubo", "Chasmo", and "Driving Waves". Among them, the "Yangbo" is tall, and the flag of Lieutenant General Liao Shengzhendi, commander of the Second World War, flutters on the mast of the landowner.

Biting the stern of the "Driving Wave", the following and turning ground were four warships of the same type of Allied countries that were originally located on the left side of the First War: the "Ise" and "Shinano" in Japan and the "Gwangkaito" and "Yi Sunsin" in Korea. The four ships were organized as a joint Japanese and North Korean combat team. It is under the unified command of Lieutenant General Yamaya, who is sitting in the "Ise" area. However, the stubborn fluttering of the Taiji flag and the flag of Vice Admiral Park Yonghan on the "Gwanggaetu" seem to remind our allies and enemies that we are fighting as the first independent Korean royal navy, not a vassal or slave of another country.

The "Yi Sunsin" was followed by the Third Squadron of battleships, which was on the far right of the original box-shaped squadron, and there were only two coal-fired warships equipped with 350 mm guns but with a top speed of only 22 knots: Vice Admiral Yi Mingxuandi, commander of the "Longwei" and "Fengxiang" squadrons, was hoisting the flags of Vice Admiral Yi Mingxuan on the mainmast of the former.

Behind the hall is the fourth squadron of battleships on the far left of the original box team, consisting of four of the empire's earliest dreadnought warships, "Dongyue", "Xiyue", "Beiyue", and "Nanyue", equipped with 305 mm guns and a top speed of less than 22 knots. The commander was Lieutenant General Gao Long, who was known for his stoicism.

When the "Nanyue" at the end of the fourth team completed the turn, a steel snake more than 20 kilometers long suddenly took shape!

The head of the snake is the four light cruisers of the 2nd Squadron of the Light Cruiser as the lead, and the snake tail is the six fast armored cruisers of the mobile patrol detachment that have just arrived on the ground, and the six fast armored cruisers of the Shanzi are still maintaining their original south-southwest course at this time.

A large serpentine body of 18 dreadnoughts and super-dreadnoughts on the left side. Closely following the 8 light cruisers and 24 destroyers as supporting forces, on the right side, Yuan Feng's reconnaissance troops, which had been dragged away in a **-kilometer column in parallel, appeared and disappeared in the water column and phantom smoke like a forest.

Through the two ships of the reconnaissance unit, the southwest wind swept the soot, oil smoke and cannon smoke that filled the entire sea antenna towards this "giant snake" that broke the waves and sprayed smoke, and the "Pinghai" bridge in the middle of the "Pinghai" bridge did not see the "main force of the enemy" mentioned in the "Thunder" light message for the time being, but he could also rest assured that the smoke had a two-way obscuration effect on the sight, and the other party should not be able to see this side.

The electric voice in the speaker hissed: "Received the Thunderbolt light: I will release the smoke curtain and turn left together, please pay attention to collision avoidance." ”

"It's finally about to begin, the real showdown." Ye Fei excitedly high-fived him with a fist.

Sa Zhenbing raised the binoculars with a black background and gold dragon pattern on his chest expressionlessly. said indifferently: "The real decisive battle...... It's still early. ”

Bridge of the USS George V.

"Message from the Lion: I'm moving into the avant-garde."

Sitting high in a narrow mahogany chair, Jericho tilted his neck to Captain Anson, the adjutant who had come to report the news, and said, "I know what happened."

"It's been 20 minutes, why haven't they run away? There are only 6 battle cruisers, and they dare to challenge the 17 battleships of our main force, what is that bald fat guy talking about? Captain Anson muttered unwillingly lonely.

Lieutenant Colonel Willy, a senior staff officer nearby, heard it clearly, and said with a smile: "It's been 20 minutes, and our army, which has an overwhelming advantage, has not been able to sink a ship, and the bald fat guy over there has already died of laughter." ”

Colonel Brown, the chief of staff who had rarely been on the bridge because of an arthritis attack after the voyage, curled up on a small recliner in the corner of the bridge and sneered: "I don't think he can laugh." Three of his six battlecruisers are burning, and Betty's avant-garde forces are about to join the fray, and it won't take long for Revenge and the Queen's 15-inch guns to send them all to the bottom. ”

Willy flicked off the spotted white goat's whiskers on his fingertips, and said in a wizard-like voice: "Before that, the enemy's main force will break through the smoke and suddenly appear. Trying to surprise us. ”

Captain Anson said suddenly: "So, the enemy's battle cruiser units are jumping there in the face of the artillery fire of our entire fleet, just to buy time for the main forces?" ”

"That's what they intended from the beginning," Willie smiled wryly. Raise your hand and look out the window at the white forest that blooms and dissolves 17,000 yards away. "Their sacrifice was worth it. Undoubtedly. We were indeed held back, and it would not be long before we had to fight the main forces of the opposing side in a dignified manner. ”

Anson spread his hands puzzled and said, "In that case, what do we have to ...... for?"

Willie waved his hand and smiled: "Acting according to their script?" No, it's our own choice, and now we don't have a chance to get rid of these hyenas before it gets dark. You can only show the fangs of the male lions first and bite them hard, even if it is worth losing a few pieces of meat because of this...... Yes. If you want to win, you can't spare sacrifices, the other side is doing this, and we, as teachers, certainly can't lose to this class of students. ”

As he spoke, an observation whistle suddenly came out of the loudspeaker with a hurried report: "The enemy fleet has released a smoke screen on all fronts. ”

"Here we go." Willie put away his smile, his voice low and solemn.

Jericho, who had been sitting calmly just now, suddenly stood up with his handrails and strode close to the wide bridge porthole, standing solemnly with his hands behind his back.

"Pass the order to Betty. His task was to attack the enemy's advance detachment with all his might. "Light? It's so bright...... It's glaring......

Life jacket...... Damn life jacket, my chest is so uncomfortable...... Hmm, it looks like it's still alive?

A wave hit, and the warm sea water hit her face, choking Qi Bing and coughing fiercely for a while, but this also made her completely sober.

How long have you been skydiving...... Huang, are they okay...... Wait, what's going on now...... The sea antennas on both sides are covered with ......

The four-turret shadows on the left that burst out of the smoke ...... Pinghai? Yangbo?

The column on the right has been reviewed countless times in the identification manual...... Orion? George V? The commander's main forces have finally caught Jellico? That's great!

Qi Bing let out a long breath and brushed off the flying cap that was stuffy on his head. Spreading his short wet ear-length hair, he fumbled to untie the kettle from his waist from under the water, carefully unscrewed the lid, raised his head and poured a mouthful, his mouth full of fishy salt, smacked his lips and spit it out, poured another mouthful, and finally could swallow it.

Swallowing a few sips of water, he sighed that he had never drunk such a good water. While doubly carefully tightening the lid. Put the kettle strap around your neck and after you've completed these steps. Qi Bing didn't know what to do for a while.

The sea is so warm...... The sun is so sunny...... Want to sleep......

A terrible whistling sound suddenly swept through the sky, was it the sound of cannonballs breaking through the air?

The sea is burning? No, in the eruption! The sea antennas on both sides were full of dazzling red flames, and after a moment, the shadows of the ships that had just become clear became faintly indistinguishable in the gray-white smoke of gunpowder, and when the whistling sound gradually faded away, the dense and abrupt columns of water almost completely obscured the ships on both sides!

Here we go...... They're finally starting out, so about me? Will I survive between them? You can still see those people...... No, that person?

I want to sleep...... In this way, between the two million tons of steel pouring hundreds of huge projectiles on each other, you can sleep carefree, isn't it, and you are happy......