Scolding doesn't solve anything.

In just a few minutes, five battleships were hit by mines on the starboard side, including three on the "Danton", two each on the "Java" and "Britannia", and one each on the "Malaya", "Giant", and "Nelson".

Around this time, the port side of the "Malaya" ate three air-dropped torpedoes, for comparison, the "Java" ate two, and the "Giant" and "Dandong" each ate one.

The Malaya was so sturdy and fortunate that the three breaches on the port side had caused it to quickly tilt to the left to 7 degrees, and the sudden cut in the starboard side poured in a large amount of seawater, which in turn helped the hull to regain balance. Fortunately, after being hit by four torpedoes in a row, the power system of the "Malaya" did not fail in any way, most of the damage management equipment was operating normally, and with the efforts of the ship's damage management personnel, the watered compartment was sealed and isolated in time, and the bridge fire caused by the impact of the aircraft during the air raid was quickly extinguished - Bernie's flagship finally escaped disaster.

The "Danton" on which the French Vice Admiral Desai was riding was not so lucky; after eating an air-dropped torpedo on the port side, three large-caliber torpedoes fired from the torpedo boat exploded one after another on its starboard side, and the 20,000-ton hull quickly tilted to the right, capsizing and sinking within a quarter of an hour, carrying 291 French officers and men to the bottom of the sea.

Vice Admiral Rupert of the Netherlands had two torpedoes on the left and right of the Java, and the torpedo that was eaten at the end caused an explosion in the boiler room, which completely lost power on the "Java", and the battleship sank rapidly, the tail was the first to sink into the sea, then the rear main turret, the rear mast, the chimney, the bridge, and the last was the high bow - this German-built dreadnought in exchange for West Irian Island disappeared into the bay of the American Philippines less than half an hour after eating the fourth torpedo.

The old battleship "Britannia", which was at the rear of the main column, was the most unfortunate, and after being hit by two torpedoes, it quickly tilted and disappeared from the sea in just a few minutes, along with 578 crew members, leaving the captains of the friendly ships around it stunned.

Similar to the "Malaya", the "Giant", which had eaten a torpedo first on the port side, briefly tilted, and after the starboard mine entered the water, the battleship regained its balance without filling the water, and also did not damage the vital point.

Rear Admiral Binson's second battleship squadron flagship "Nelson" ate a torpedo on the starboard side of the bow, and half of the bow was knocked out, but this did not cause serious consequences - shortly after the mine, "Nelson" sent a signal to the "Malaya" that "this ship is all right".

Gradually, the sound of artillery and explosions in Lingayen Bay became quieter.

After the second lightning wave attack of the East Asian Army was successful, it was detached at full speed towards the Bansylan Peninsula, and a large wave of foamy snow flew from behind its buttocks. A dozen wounded minecraft staggered between their retreating companions and the enemy ships in confusion, some sinking, some struggling, and from time to time a string of angry shells flew in, shrapnel striking their thin walls in a crisp and pleasant metal ensemble.

The first lightning wave of the East Asian Army, which had been entangled with the coalition destroyer force before, seemed to have received some signal, and suddenly turned around and broke away, also leaving behind a bunch of companions who were burning with fire and emitting black smoke, and the coalition destroyers did not dare to chase away, so they had to turn around one after another to mend the wounded ships of the East Asian war, which had lost their ability to resist.

The three-ship attack team in the sky had probably finished dropping its torpedoes and was busy assembling to the northeast of the bay, preparing to return as a group.

At this time, the seven old cruisers on the left cruiser blocking line also completed their mission, in fact, while the main column of the coalition forces was attacked by the sea and air, they pinned down the entire avant-garde of the other side, and in the battle with the enemy's superior forces, they sank the fast protection cruiser "Dartmouth" and damaged several other enemy ships, but they also paid the heavy price of sinking the five cruisers "Takasago", "Chitose", "Otowa", "Zhenhae", and "Ulsan" The ship ran aground on the southeast coast of Lingayen Bay and was scrapped, and the "Ligen" was also scarred, and 157 of the ship's 338 crew members were killed or disabled.

A temporary silence does not mean that the danger is gone.

Bernie knew very well that the purpose of the opponent's almost crazy torpedo assault just now was very clear - to consume the main battle force of the combined fleet, so as to facilitate the opponent's main force to enter the decisive battle.

Is it still possible for the current Combined Fleet to destroy the enemy's main forces in a decisive battle on the surface?

According to the information at hand, all the Dreadnought battleships and battle cruisers of the East Asian coalition should have gone to Hawaii, and the main force that the other side can assemble in the South China Sea is at most 10 old battleships. Although seven of them are equipped with three twin 12-inch main turrets of the "Ruixiang" class and its modifications, Bernie is not at all optimistic about this strange warship unique to the East Asian coalition - the standard row of no more than 15,000 tons of hull is equipped with one more main turret than other old warships of the same tonnage, although it has an advantage in main gun firepower, it means that this class of ships sacrifice a certain degree of protection and maneuverability, and can not withstand the blow of the new dreadnought.

What's even more incredible to Bernie is that the East Asian coalition is also equipped with a large number of armored cruisers with 12-inch guns - God knows how much they have to sacrifice in terms of protection and power! It's probably like half a century ago, when Chinese soldiers who were still in pigtails ran naked towards our cannons with their exaggerated "Qinglong Yunyue Knife"!

If the East Asian coalition were to assemble all of their old battleships and armored cruisers with 12-inch guns—27 in total—the fleet would have a staggering 122-inch guns! And all of them can shoot at either side! When the Combined Fleet of the Four Nations departed from the port of Singapore, the 10 battleships plus one battlecruiser were armed with a total of 8 15-inch guns and 68 12-inch guns, of which the number of main guns available on either side was 8 15-inch guns and 52 12-inch guns. The consideration was that the protection and maneuverability of the main battleships of the opposing side far exceeded those of the opponent's "naked Hercules", so even if two battleships returned wounded on the way out, the remaining forces would still be enough to achieve victory - or even create a one-sided naval massacre.

However, after this scuffle since noon, the main force of the combined fleet was left with only 3 dreadnought battleships and 2 old battleships, and the total number of main guns available on one side dropped to 8 15-inch and 24 12-inch, which was even more different from the expected enemy fleet, and among them, the "Malaya", "Giant", and "Nelson" had been damaged to varying degrees, and their speed had dropped greatly, and the main column had no advantage in terms of maneuverability, and the armored cruiser units of the avant-garde had also suffered huge losses. The destroyer unit also suffered a lot of damage in the fierce battle just now. As for the colonial cruisers of the rearguard, which were not fast and had small guns, they were originally only dragged to clean up the battlefield, and they were not expected to play any meaningful role in the decisive battle of the main force.

There's no way, no matter how you look at it, there is only one way to retreat as soon as possible to preserve your strength.

It's just that at this point, can you still rush out? The main forces of the other side are probably already holding out outside the bay, waiting for a repeat of their victory ten years ago.

There is no other choice! If you grind here until dark, the whole fleet will be doomed - torn to shreds by those crazy lightning ships.

Bernie made up his mind and returned to the bridge: "Order, all ships rescue the survivors as soon as possible, reorganize the third formation, and prepare to return to Singapore!" ”

At 15:00, to the north of Lingjiayan Bay, a huge fleet spread out from northeast to southwest, stretching for more than ten nautical miles, between Lingayen Bay and the South China Sea.

At the forefront of the entire fleet, galloping in a horizontal line at five-nautical-mile intervals were the four "Kuma"-class cruisers of the Japanese Light Cruiser First Squadron, which served as the "tentacles" of the entire fleet, ready to spot the enemy fleet and repel enemy reconnaissance ships that came to spy on them.

About 5 nautical miles behind this "tentacle" line was the avant-garde column under the command of Lieutenant General Kozaburo Oguri (Japan), of which the "Myoko" and "Haguro" of the Japanese Patrol Team 6 and the "Jeju" and "Uiju" of the Korean Patrol Team 2 were organized into a detachment, which was led by Vice Admiral Oguri. Subsequently, the "Baiyun" and "Xiangyun" of the 4th Chinese Patrol Team and the "Taibai", "Taiji" and "Taiyu" of the 1st Korean Patrol Brigade, a total of five Yunzi armored patrol teams, were organized into two detachments, which were commanded by Major General Wang Luogong.

Five nautical miles to the left of the avant-garde column, four new Leopard-shaped light cruisers of the 1st Korean Light Patrol Brigade were driving in parallel as supplementary "tentacles" on the flanks of the avant-garde column.

To the right of the avant-garde column are the four "Murayu" class destroyers of the 1st Japanese Lightning Strike Team and the 4 "Asahio" class of the 2nd Sentai Squadron, a total of 8 destroyers.

In the front of the column was the 2nd Fleet and the flagship of the South China Sea Fleet "Ruixiang" under the command of Admiral Ma Shengyu, followed by "Ruiji", "Ruixian", "Zuihe", "Kaga", "Tosa", and "Seoul", a total of seven Ruizi and Ruizi modified battleships, which were tentatively organized into a battleship detachment and led by Commander Ma. The three battleships "Pyongyang", "Thunderbolt", and "Yundian" behind His Royal Highness were organized into the Second Battleship Squadron, which was commanded by Rear Admiral Li Rui (DPRK).

On the right side of the main column, there are 2 light cruisers and 16 destroyers of the Yang and Yue Destroyers of the 1st and 2nd Lightning Strike Squadrons of the Chinese Army.

The rearguard was commanded by Brigadier General Kim C-nam (DPRK) and included a total of 8 Tiger Light Cruisers from the 2nd Korean Light Patrol and 3rd Japanese Light Patrol Squadron.

Above the fleet, which was moving in a majestic manner, a medium-sized airship and several seaplanes buzzing like mosquitoes circled back and forth.

More than 20,000 officers and soldiers of the three East Asian navies are still waiting calmly, waiting for the appearance of their prey.

What is about to emerge from under the sea antenna is a scarred and staggering dying tiger? Or is it a giant elephant with javelins all over its head but indifferent, screaming angrily?

Here it comes...... It's closer......