The Qing Dynasty is about to end

Chapter 918 The Pacific Ocean, tonight, the east wind has arrived!
West of Saipan, the Pacific sunset was exceptionally magnificent that day. Golden rays of the setting sun splashed across the boundless sea, painting the surging waves in a golden hue. Inside the towering conning tower of the Pacific Fleet flagship, the battleship Jiangsu (Hailong II type, standard displacement 16000 tons), Commander Zhang Bao slowly lowered his heavy brass binoculars. At the edge of the binoculars, where sea met sky, dozens of thick, black plumes of smoke pierced the setting sun—the massive formation of the Royal Navy's Australian Fleet northward flotilla, trailing long plumes of smoke, unknowingly entered its predetermined hunting ground.

Zhang Bao didn't stare at his prey for long. Instead, he turned slightly, his gaze sweeping past the massive porthole of the bridge and landing on the enormous red sun sinking below the horizon. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a heavy gold-cased pocket watch, snapping the cover open with a click. The delicate hands on the dial clearly pointed to 6:00 PM (UTC+10).

It is currently 9:00 AM London time. Only 60 minutes remain until the deadline for the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's ultimatum to the United Kingdom.

"The Jinghai is following closely; the British can't shake it off." The voice of Rear Admiral Tang Yuntian (Tang Zhengcai's third son, a graduate of the second class of the Shanghai Naval Academy), the fleet's chief of staff, rang out beside him, tinged with barely perceptible excitement. He held a newly translated telegram in his hand. "Captain Luo reports: the enemy fleet is at 12 knots, heading northwest, and is attempting to regroup, seemingly forming an escort formation—cruiser and destroyers on the outside, with capital ships and auxiliary ships in the middle. It seems they truly don't know their doom is near."

A mocking smile played on Zhang Bao's lips as he closed his pocket watch with a crisp click. "A bunch of deaf and blind men, waving outdated maps, swaggering around in someone else's waters." He strode towards the chart table, his voice steady and powerful: "The patrol squadrons ('Donghai,' 'Nanhai,' and 'Beihai') immediately advance and rendezvous with the 'Jinghai.' Mission: Cut off the enemy fleet's retreat to the southwest! Light cruiser and destroyer squadrons, protect the flanks of the main column, and guard against enemy destroyer torpedo attacks!"

"Yes!" Tang Yuntian quickly recorded the order.

Zhang Bao's gaze returned to the chart table. The fleet's chief staff officer had already arranged the envisioned battle formation on the enormous chart using meticulously crafted ship models. The dark blue models representing the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's main fleet were divided into two arrowheads: eight models representing the "Sea Dragon II" formed a slender single column, like an invincible spear at sea; four models representing the "Jinghai-class" formed a relatively flexible small column, positioned slightly to the right and forward of the main column, like assassins waiting for their chance. Surrounding the "spear" and "assassins" were light blue models representing light cruisers and destroyers, like loyal hounds guarding their master.

“Night battle, close combat, melee.” Zhang Bao’s finger traced across the nautical chart, finally stopping on the group of red models representing the British fleet. “Battleship column, target the core of the enemy’s main fleet. After cutting in, maintain formation and close to within 5,000 meters to deliver a devastating blow with your main guns!”
"Armored patrol squadrons, utilizing your speed advantage, will patrol the outer perimeter, prioritizing the hunting of enemy cruisers and destroyers, and responsible for pursuing fleeing enemy forces! Remember, our advantages are armor, gunnery, and night vision! Drag the British into our meat grinder!"

He raised his head, his gaze sharp, and looked at the communications officer: "Send a telegram to the 'Jinghai': At 7:05 PM sharp in the East 10th time zone, promptly notify the British ship 'Trafalgar' in internationally recognized light signals that the two countries are at war! If the enemy ship fires first, return fire immediately! If there are no changes, the first shot of the all-out war will be fired by this fleet!"

"Yes, Commander!"

The command transformed into invisible radio waves, flying into the distance.

Inside the conning tower of the armored cruiser "Jinghai," the atmosphere was heavy and intense. The vibrations from the high-speed navigation could be faintly felt through the steel hull. Luo Xinhua received a telegram from the "Communications Priestess," Yukino Chizuru, and his gaze quickly swept over Zhang Bao's instructions. He took out his pocket watch and carefully set the time against the nautical clock on the bridge.

"Gentlemen!" Luo Xinhua's voice, though not loud, clearly pierced through the background roar of the engines and the crashing waves, reaching the ears of every officer. He waved the telegram in his hand, his gaze sweeping over the young yet resolute faces. "Barring any unforeseen circumstances, in one hour, we will personally draw back the curtain on a battle that will determine the world's格局 (geju, a term referring to the overall situation or structure) for the next few centuries! This battle is not for the honor or disgrace of my ship 'Jinghai,' but for the eternal peace of the Heavenly Kingdom! I urge you all to fight bravely, to live up to your studies, and to live up to your lives!"

After a brief silence, a suppressed yet incredibly resolute growl erupted from within the command tower:

Long live the Kingdom of Heaven!

"Kill the enemy and serve the country!"

Luo Xinhua turned around, his gaze falling on the twilight-shrouded sea. In the distance, the massive silhouette of the British fleet appeared clumsy and sluggish in the afterglow of the setting sun. He clenched his fist.

Inside the conning tower of the flagship USS Trafalgar, a tense and anxious atmosphere prevailed. Night was visibly consuming the last rays of light. Inside the warship, under blackout regulations, it was almost pitch black. Vice Admiral George Trein gripped his cold brass binoculars, his lens fixed on six rapidly approaching, blurry plumes of smoke—three Jinghai-class cruisers and three accompanying light cruisers (he guessed they were the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's new Yiwu-class light cruisers mentioned in intelligence), like a swarm of sharks that had caught the scent of blood.

"What exactly do they want?" Trein's voice was hoarse, with a tremor he himself didn't even realize. This oppressive approach would be a blatant provocation in peacetime, but in this sensitive moment, it carried an ominous air.

"General, they might be heading to rendezvous with the 'Jinghai'-class fleet that was tracking us earlier?" Chief of Staff Major General Arthur Bathurst cautiously speculated, but his tone clearly lacked confidence.

"Meet up? In this position? In this formation?" Trein abruptly lowered his binoculars, his face unusually pale in the dim light. "No! They're trying to pin us down! To trap us here!" A chill ran down his spine.

“But…but this is peacetime, General!” Major General Arthur Bathurst’s voice was filled with disbelief.

“Peace?” Trein let out a short, bitter laugh. “Maybe war has already broken out without our knowledge! When will that damn radio be ready? Without it, we’re deaf and blind!”

“How about we fire first?” Rear Admiral Arthur Bathurst suggested, then suddenly raised his voice, “Royal Navy, destroy the enemy on sight!” Vice Admiral Tryon whirled around, his bloodshot eyes fixed on the Chief of Staff. “Fire? With what? Those ‘Jinghai-class’ cruisers are so powerful, are we going to let ‘Rafales’ challenge them? If the war hasn’t even started and we rashly open fire and lose a precious armored cruiser, you and I will both be court-martialed! If the war has already begun…” He paused, his voice lowering, “that means we’ve missed our chance!”

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the panic in his heart, and roared into the megaphone: "Full fleet! Level one combat alert! All personnel in position! Guns pointed at targets! Searchlights ready! Lookouts on high alert!" He took one last look at the almost completely dark sea and sky outside the window, "God help me... I hope they're just bluffing." However, the ominous premonition deep in his heart grew heavier and heavier, just like the dark night.

7:00 PM, East 10th time zone.

On the mast of the flagship "Jiangsu," three enormous red signal lights suddenly illuminated, resembling three bleeding eyes in the thick darkness of the night. Simultaneously, powerful radio waves emanated from the flagship, sending silent commands to the entire Taiping Heavenly Kingdom fleet.

"Deploy battle formation!"

The massive steel behemoths seemed to awaken instantly. The eight "Sea Dragon II" battleships, their massive hulls gliding steadily across the inky blue sea, turned and accelerated. The roar of their boilers intensified, their smokestacks belching thicker plumes of black smoke. Their massive bows cleaved the waves, forming the long-planned single-file assault column, like a lance, resolutely piercing the heart of the British fleet. Meanwhile, the four "Jinghai"-class battleships, like arrows released from a bow, roared their engines, breaking away from the main formation at high speed and rushing towards their designated outer hunting positions. The twelve light cruisers and destroyers quickly dispersed, guarding the flanks and vigilantly searching the surface.

The entire fleet resembled a deadly iron clamp slowly opening in the darkness.

It's 7:05 PM in the East 10th time zone.

At the top of the bridge of the "Jinghai" ship, a powerful searchlight pierced the darkness with a "whoosh," a bright beam sweeping across the black ocean surface. Then, the beam began to flicker with a steady and clear rhythm.

Tap tap…tap tap tap…tap tap…tap…tap tap tap…

These are Morse code dots, writing a cold declaration of war in the night sky of the Pacific Ocean.

On the wing bridge of the USS Trafalgar, Lieutenant General Trein and the Chief of Staff rushed out of the command tower, gazing at the flashing lights in the distance. Major General Arthur Bathurst stared intently at the rhythmically flashing lights, his lips trembling as he struggled to pronounce the meaning of each letter:

"To...the Royal Navy...HMS Trafalgar...and its fleet...our Taiping Heavenly Kingdom...is at...Greenwich Mean Time...today...10:00 AM...into...a state of...total...war...with...the United Kingdom...this...notification..."

As he read the last few words, the chief of staff's voice was barely audible, filled with despair. Lieutenant General Tryon was struck dumb; his body swayed, and his face instantly turned deathly pale. The worst fears had come true! And in this most "upright" yet most suffocating way!
"Battle alert!!!" Trein roared with all his might, his voice distorted by extreme fear and rage. "Raise the Z-flag! All units prepare for engagement! God..."

The piercing alarm instantly resounded throughout HMS Trafalgar and spread like wildfire throughout the British fleet. A massive "Z" signal flag was raised in the chaos, a symbol of a desperate last stand. But it was all too late.

Almost simultaneously with the sounding of the sirens on the USS Trafalgar.

Inside the command tower of the "Jiangsu" warship, General Zhang Bao's voice was as cold as ice: "Target A! Main force column, first half salvo! Fire!"

The thick 240mm gun barrels of the eight "Hailong II" battleships, driven by hydraulic mechanisms, steadily and uniformly rose slightly, pointing in the same direction. The breechblock closed, and heavy capped armor-piercing shells were pushed into the breech.

Boom! Boom boom boom——!!!
Not simultaneously, but within a very short interval—eight deafening explosions! The enormous orange-red flames erupting from the cannons instantly illuminated a large area of ​​the surrounding sea, like eight death flowers suddenly blooming in the darkness! Scorching heatwaves swept across the deck, and waves whipped up by the muzzle storm violently pounded the ship's hull. Heavy shells tore through the air with chilling shrieks, spinning rapidly and leaving eight brief but deadly, scorching streaks in the night sky, hurtling towards the distant Trafalgar!

The sea dragon roared, the east wind had arrived! The night sky over the Pacific Ocean was completely ignited by artillery fire!

(End of this chapter)