Another World: Naval Storm

Chapter 117 Crush the Ants

Heligoland Bight, Drakk Empire, December 1916, 12.

"Captain, it seems that we are too late to return to Yemelika to celebrate the New Year?"

"Indeed, but as long as the goods are shipped to Tarun, your salary can allow you to spend a comfortable New Year in Tarun. Many Tarun women whose husbands are fighting in the war on the mainland will comfort your soul! Haha~~" The captain and the first mate showed obscene smiles.

“Ah…” The first mate suddenly seemed to be frozen in place by something. He opened his mouth but no sound came out.

"What's wrong with you? Shut up! You're drooling!"

"Battleship! The Drakes' battleship!" The first mate squeezed out these words and then collapsed to the ground.

"Ruined!"

The Yemelika Republic's fast freighter Poppy accidentally entered the Heligoland Sea, a stronghold of the Drakian military, and they were surprised to find that a main fleet consisting of 2 battlecruisers, 7 battleships and 6 light cruisers was lurking in this vast water area.

"Captain, can we still run away?" The first mate, with trembling legs, finally stood up.

"Stop dreaming, we can only wait for the judgment of the Drakes! I hope they can let us go!" The captain knew very well that the bulky, fully loaded cargo ship could not outrun any warship in this fleet.

The Drake warships that came into view were arranged in a column battle formation, stretching for several kilometers from head to tail. When the cold muzzle of the Ancient Dragon light cruiser was pointed at the Poppy, the captain had already raised the white flag high.

Major Mitterrand had no good feelings towards the Taren people, and the same was true for their allies, the Yemelika people. The cold and stiff Drake language made the crew of the Poppy feel like they were falling into an icy cave.

"Yes, yes... yes, it is indeed supplies sent to Taren." The captain nodded and wiped the sweat off his face with a handkerchief.

"You are now the enemy of the empire, but General Leo once told us that it is shameful to swing the sword against the weak! So I give you two choices. One, follow this transport ship and sink to the bottom of the sea... Two, ..."

"Two, we choose two." Before Mitterrand finished speaking, the captain made his choice. As long as he didn't die, anything would be fine.

"Smart choice, take your people and survival supplies onto the lifeboat. Once you are all evacuated, I will sink it!"

"Thank you, thank you..." Fifteen minutes later, the captain of the Poppy and all the crew members were already floating on the sea in a lifeboat.

After the Gu Long took away the Yu Mei Ren with two torpedoes, it went back to cruise and stand guard beside several giant ships.

"My Poppy... I have nothing left?" The captain looked at the place where the Poppy sank with tears in his eyes.

"Um, Captain... wake up... isn't the Poppy owned by a shipping company? When did it become yours? Aren't we all workers?"

"That's probably true. Anyway, I just took over the Poppy. Let it sink. Where's my fishing rod?" The captain came to his senses and was no longer sad. He bought his precious fishing rod with his own hard-earned money and he couldn't lose it.

"Are you still in the mood to fish? This is the ocean. Our small boats can't withstand the wind and waves, and we can't see the land!" The first mate looked at the sea around him with a telescope and said dejectedly.

"You've worked for nothing for more than a decade? Isn't this near the Heligoland Bay? Use the compass to confirm the direction, and then we'll go to Heligoland Island!"

"Isn't that the Drak's territory? Wouldn't we be taken captive if we went there?"

"Do you want to die?" The captain looked at the first mate as if he were an idiot. Normally, he was not so stupid.

"Of course I want to live!"

"That's it. The closest land to us is Heligoland!"

"Yes, yes, the captain is very experienced!"

"Bullshit, how did we get here? I remember the Talen Admiralty warned us not to get close to here?" The captain grabbed the first mate's collar and asked loudly.

"I don't know. I was off duty last night because I was drinking!"

"You idiot, you're not on duty. It must be that these idiots made an operational error and went off course!"

"It must be you!" A sailor on duty pointed the blame at another sailor.

"No, it's you, you bastard! I'll beat you to death!" Of course the sailor would not admit it, and the two of them started fighting, while the others.

"That's enough. We are not afraid of the ship sinking in any situation now." The captain had some authority and stopped the farce. All the lifeboats began to sail towards Heligoland.

"Captain, look, there's another huge ship coming!" The second mate shouted loudly before they had gone far.

"What a beautiful warship!" Everyone stood up and saw a very beautifully shaped warship approaching at high speed from the west. It ignored these unfortunate guys and approached and left quickly.

"Captain, you once served in the navy. Which battleship is this?"

"This is a difficult problem for me. I can recognize the huge ship I saw just now, but I have never heard of this Lutzow battlecruiser!" During the time they passed by each other, he learned the name of this huge ship through the telescope and the warship's nameplate.

"That's the warship that the Drakes secretly built, and they're just setting out now!"

"If this is true, then the Drake people are really terrible!" They deceived the whole world and made everyone underestimate the shipbuilding capabilities of the Drake Empire. The shipbuilding industry of the Drake Empire is no worse than that of Tarun and Yemelica!

"Oh my God, I wonder if it is a mistake for the Republic to be involved in such a war." The old captain unconsciously thought of something that the people of Yemelica had overlooked. The Drake Empire and the Taren Kingdom were both world-class military powers. Although their Yemelica Republic was also very powerful, rashly getting involved in the war might bring heavy losses to the Republic!

*****

"Your Majesty's telegrams come one after another!" Lieutenant General Leon sighed as he looked at the thick stack of telegrams on his desk.

"What should we do?" Chief of Staff of the 1st Battleship Squadron, Meck, hesitated.

"Once the arrow is shot, there is no turning back. Admiral Apeven has strengthened the First Battleship Squadron to this extent. How can I shrink back?" Lieutenant General Leon sneered. There is a proverb circulating in Drake's army: losing money is as light as a feather; losing honor is as dangerous as an egg; losing courage is irreparable.

If he returns now, he will have no chance of staying in the military. His descendants will be looked down upon and he will not be able to enjoy the resources within the army. This is more terrible than offending the emperor.

"Then you won't call back?"

"No, call back! His Majesty did not explicitly tell us to return, he just hinted that we should protect the warship! Then we should pretend that we don't know and continue to carry out Admiral Apewen's orders!"

"So when are we going to set sail? The guys in the fleet can't wait!"

"Time is almost up, let's get the boiler started!" Leon looked at his watch and the battlecruiser Lützow should be arriving soon.