Iron Dynasty Chapter 953
Against a backdrop of azure skies and sapphire waters, a fleet of seventy warships cut through the ocean waves.
The flags of three distinct nations snapped in the sea breeze atop the masts of the vessels.
Aboard the lead British flagship, a general clad in a black naval tailcoat peered through a telescope, monitoring a distant ship that was trailing thick black smoke.
They had intercepted this vessel only a short while ago. Upon sighting them, the ship had immediately fled toward Dengzhou in the Great Yu Empire, quickly widening the gap between them.
“Is that the new warship of the Great Yu Empire? It is truly a marvel,” Wilson remarked, lowering his glass with a deep, troubled frown.
Standing beside him, Councilor Dick replied, “I must say the Parliament made a foolish decision this time. What is our plan now? We have clearly been compromised. If the Great Yu Empire possesses enough of those vessels, we will have no means of escape and will be picked off one by one.”
“Do not be so dismal, Dick. We are equipped with new shells for this engagement. These shells will send them straight to hell.” Wilson remained steadfast in his confidence regarding the fleet's current firepower.
A fresh shipment of shells had arrived from mainland Britain just last month. His confidence had soared after witnessing their test results. He believed that in a confrontation with an equally armed foe, the British fleet’s extensive experience would ensure victory over the Great Yu Empire.
“The problem is that they also likely have shells capable of sending us to hell.” Dick lacked Wilson's optimism. Having just arrived in India from Britain, he had been thrust immediately into this offensive strategy.
In a bid to annihilate the naval strength of the Great Yu Empire in a single blow, Queen Victoria had even surrendered portions of South American colonies to Spain to secure their cooperation for this mission.
The willingness of the Queen and Parliament to pay such a steep price to crush the Great Yu Empire's fleet was born entirely from their deep-seated fear of the empire's rising power.
Following intense parliamentary debates, they had finally committed to this perilous gamble. They reasoned that if the Great Yu Empire’s navy could be crippled or destroyed, the empire would be unable to establish overseas colonies or launch an assault on Europe in the near future.
This would grant them the vital time needed to reverse-engineer the Great Yu Empire’s technology. To this end, Victoria had even consulted the leader of the secret society, demanding that every technical mind within the organization focus on researching the practical technologies they had acquired.
Wilson scowled. “Dick, are you here to destroy our morale? The Great Yu Empire’s ships have already reached Europe alongside Dutch merchants. This is an intolerable situation, do you understand? Why else do you think the French agreed to join us? Our entire interests in Asia are at stake. The Great Yu Empire cannot be allowed to dismantle what we have built over centuries.”
“My apologies; I am only acknowledging the facts, though I do not lack courage. It has always been my conviction to eliminate Britain’s foes, even at the cost of my life. However, I did not come here merely to fight. If a total victory is out of reach, we must focus our efforts on wrecking their shipyards, capturing their vessels, or kidnapping their laborers, rather than dying for nothing,” Dick stated gravely.
Wilson observed Dick for a moment before his anger subsided. He replied, “I am no fool; I will adjust my tactics as the situation unfolds.”
“That is for the best.” Dick turned his gaze toward the northwest. On the horizon, the silhouette of Dengzhou City was beginning to emerge.
Simultaneously, the Great Yu Empire ship that had stayed ahead of the coalition fleet was steaming toward the Dengzhou military port at maximum output. When the main force had marched south, Yue Yun had taken the majority of the fleet with him.
Only twenty-four warships remained stationed at the military port. This small force consisted of one massive first-rate sailing warship, two large second-rate sailing ships, nine third-rate ships, and twelve hybrid-powered warships.
“Faster! Push it harder!”
Inside the ship's boiler room, soldiers were feverishly shoveling coal into the furnace. The intense heat generated steam that surged through pipes into the engine, forcing the propeller to spin with relentless speed.
Driven by this powerful thrust, the vessel sliced through the water with great velocity.
On the deck, Li Wei and his adjutant watched the massive fleet they had left in their wake. Both men were grim, their expressions clouded with tension.
“There are seventy ships in total. Their arrival at Dengzhou is clearly a hostile act. They likely intended to launch a sneak attack on our port. Fortunately, they failed to bypass our standard patrol route,” the adjutant remarked.
“Britain, France, Spain—these are the dominant powers of the West. It appears they have grown desperate to halt the Great Yu Empire’s ascension.” Li Wei glared back at the following fleet with burning eyes.
“They have likely wagered everything on this. Very well. If we can wipe out their Asian naval presence here, the Great Yu Empire will have no rivals in Nanyang from this day forward.”
“Indeed. Since they have come to us, we shall give them the battle they seek. The Great Yu Empire navy will fight to the last man, even if only one ship remains,” Li Wei declared with iron resolve.
As they spoke, the ship's speed surged. An hour later, they pulled into the military port, leaving the coalition fleet still thirty minutes behind.
After a hurried docking, Li Wei commanded his adjutant to sound the alarm bell on the wharf immediately.
“Clang! Clang! Clang!”
The frantic ringing of the bell vibrated throughout the port. Upon hearing the signal, the soldiers of the Great Yu Empire poured out of their barracks, racing toward their assigned ships.
On the masts, signalmen began relaying the urgent news to other vessels using flags.
The troops quickly grasped the gravity of the situation.
“The British!”
Xie Yuan and Ding Chang both looked shocked as they interpreted the flag signals.
“Fantastic! Those cowards ambushed us at sea last time and nearly sank us. Finally, we have the chance for vengeance!” A flicker of manic excitement crossed Xie Yuan’s face.
He had never forgotten the humiliation of being backstabbed by the British under the cover of thick fog. He had been bitter when Yue Yun ordered him to stay behind at the port, but that resentment vanished instantly. He turned to Ding Chang and ordered, “Get all coastal defense units to their batteries! Have the warships clear the lanes—let’s see if they truly have the nerve to enter!”
“Understood.” Ding Chang signaled the commands to the troops immediately.
Upon receiving their orders, the soldiers occupied the artillery batteries lining the curved bay. These defenses were constructed from reinforced concrete and were not open-air pits but dome-shaped fortresses. The muzzles of the cannons peeked through narrow openings in the thick walls, aimed directly at the harbor entrance.
Inside these bunkers, crates of shells were stacked high, providing more than enough ammunition for a sustained engagement.
Xie Yuan felt a sense of relief as he watched the men man the batteries. He had already commanded the sailing warships to take up firing positions, while the twelve hybrid-powered ships were directed to leave the harbor, using their superior maneuverability to hunt down and destroy the enemy vessels.