Chapter 82

On a warship, the captain is the absolute authority, especially in moments that decide life and death. The captain's orders must be obeyed.

On the Dingyuan, the helmsman immediately turned the rudder to the left, and the massive warship struggled to turn. Just as the torpedo was about to hit the Dingyuan, the huge splash created by the bow deflected the torpedo. The torpedo, like a disappointed fish, slid into the open sea.

The officers and men on the Dingyuan let out a loud cheer. In contrast, the Havoc was filled with sighs. Just as the Havoc was about to launch a second torpedo, the command to retreat was given by the HMS Barfleur, the armored cruiser in charge.

Six British warships, braving the fire from the Beiyang Fleet, turned from the side and retreated. The four torpedo boats, including the Havoc, could easily reach over 20 knots, and the two Barfleur-class armored cruisers could reach around 15-16 knots. Such speeds made it easy for them to outpace the Dingyuan and Zhenyuan of the Beiyang Fleet.

However, the HMS Barfleur retreated at a leisurely pace of less than 10 knots. Admiral Ding Ruchang of the Beiyang Fleet immediately ordered the fastest ships, the Zhiyuan and the Jingyuan, to pursue.

At this moment, the Beijing was 15 nautical miles away from the battlefield. Lin Yuan and the operations staff were intently watching the battle. Drones transmitted real-time footage back to the Beijing, which was processed and displayed on a large screen.

Seeing the British fleet's retreat, Lin Yuan said involuntarily, "This is bad. The British fleet is luring the Beiyang Fleet deeper! They want to encircle and attack them!"

Due to Xu Feng's disappearance, a new pilot, Yang Yu, was selected as the commander of the carrier-based aircraft. He said, "Captain, give the order. Let our planes take off and sink those British warships."

Lin Yuan hesitated, but Han Mingguang suddenly said, his voice frighteningly low, "We cannot take off to save the Beiyang Fleet!"

Yang Yu asked in confusion, "Why? We have plenty of flight hours, fuel, and ammunition!"

Han Mingguang said, "We can save the Beiyang Fleet once, twice, but can we save them forever?"

Yang Yu asked, "What do you mean?"

Han Mingguang said, "During the First Sino-Japanese War, the Beiyang Fleet should have been completely destroyed. Only then would there have been the Hundred Days' Reform and the subsequent changes, leading to the fall of the Qing Dynasty. By saving the Beiyang Fleet, we are prolonging the life of the Qing Dynasty. But the Qing Dynasty is already on its last legs. With our current strength, how can we save it? Even if we save the Beiyang Fleet, it will ultimately face destruction. We might as well let the Beiyang Fleet be destroyed, perhaps finding a glimmer of hope."

Yang Yu said, "Are we just going to watch the Beiyang Fleet's officers and men be slaughtered? The British fleet is far superior to the Beiyang Fleet. They are going to their deaths!"

Han Mingguang said, "No matter what, this is the era. With our current strength, we cannot change it."

Yang Yu said, "If that's the case, why did we attack the Japanese Combined Fleet when we returned through time?"

Han Mingguang was momentarily speechless. No one had anticipated that changing the fate of the nation would be so difficult!

At this moment, Lin Yuan said, "Stop talking. Take off and attack the British fleet! We cannot change the fate of the nation now, but that doesn't mean we can't do it forever. We have grown stronger. The day to change the nation's fate is not far off!"

A J-24 fighter roared into the sky from the Beijing's deck, carrying four anti-ship missiles, heading for the British fleet.

Watching the plane take off, Lin Yuan couldn't help but think, "Commissar Han is right. Even if we save the Beiyang Fleet, what about the Qing Dynasty?"

At this moment, the battlefield situation showed that the Beiyang Fleet had entered the British fleet's ambush. Meanwhile, the weather report indicated that the fog on the sea had thickened, affecting the drone's camera. Lin Yuan suddenly had a foreboding feeling.

In the communication channel, the J-24 pilot suddenly said, "Report to the captain, unable to attack the enemy ships!"

Lin Yuan grabbed the communicator and said, "What happened?"

The pilot said, "The fog is too thick. The radar's fire control system cannot accurately lock onto the enemy ships. Moreover, both fleets are in a chaotic battle. Even using infrared guidance would be risky, as it could easily hit the Beiyang Fleet's ships."

Lin Yuan saw Han Mingguang sigh and shake his head.

The sound of gunfire was already continuous. The Beiyang Fleet, surrounded by overwhelming forces, quickly fell into a disadvantage. The reconnaissance drone's images could not provide a clear view of the sea, and the thick smoke from the guns made the battlefield even harder to observe. The fierce battle under the thick fog was not fully understood by the Beijing.

After the chaotic battle began, the Dingyuan and Zhenyuan of the Beiyang Fleet were quickly targeted by the enemy's guns. The British fleet's guns, both in rate of fire and power, far exceeded those of the Beiyang Fleet, leading to a one-sided battle.

A shell precisely hit the bridge of the Dingyuan, destroying it. Admiral Ding Ruchang, who was commanding from the bridge, was killed. Despite the rain of shells, the Dingyuan's crew continued to fire at the British ships with all their might. However, the armor of the King-class battleships was 457 mm thick at its thickest point and 356 mm at its thinnest, making it difficult for the Dingyuan's main guns to penetrate.

Soon, a shell hit the hospital at the bow of the Dingyuan. The resulting fire and smoke made it impossible to aim or fire. A torpedo boat approached to within 300 meters and launched a torpedo. The massive explosion tore open the side armor below the waterline, and seawater flooded the ship, causing it to tilt. Twenty minutes later, it sank. Before sinking, Captain Liu Buzhan refused his subordinates' pleas to abandon ship. He watched them board lifeboats, changed into his favorite uniform, knelt and bowed toward Beijing, and then shot himself.

The Zhenyuan was attacked by three armored cruisers. Multiple shells exploded near the waterline, and the intense explosions finally breached the Zhenyuan's armor. The coal bunker below the armor caught fire, threatening the ammunition storage. A wounded soldier, with both legs severed, endured the pain and managed to close the watertight door of the coal bunker, saving the Zhenyuan from immediate destruction. However, the British fleet's firepower was too strong, and the Zhenyuan soon sank. Captain Lin Taizeng committed suicide by sword.

Notably, the cruiser Chaoyong, commanded by Captain Weng Shouyu, saw the sinking of the Dingyuan and Zhenyuan. His ship was hit multiple times and engulfed in flames. Realizing there was no escape, he personally steered the ship toward the HMS Barfleur. The British ship attacked with full force, causing the Chaoyong to tilt 40 degrees. Despite this, it continued to fire its forward main gun. The Chaoyong was designed with a ram, a sharp protrusion below the waterline used to damage enemy ships.

The Chaoyong's ram severely damaged the HMS Barfleur, forcing it to retreat. Soon, the Chaoyong capsized and sank. Captain Weng Shouyu shouted, "With the ship gone, why should I live?" and jumped into the sea.

When the fog cleared, the Beiyang Fleet had been completely destroyed.