World War: Battleship Arms Dealers

"I am stating the facts," Litt said. "My mission is to deliver the goods to Germany and then bring my compatriots back from France. Any action that obstructs this mission will be considered a hostile act against Lanfang."

He took a step forward, stopping just half a meter from Phillips: "Colonel, you are a soldier, you should understand a soldier's duty. My duty is to complete the mission, your duty is to carry out orders. But we both know what the consequences would be if a conflict broke out today."

Phillips stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed: "Major General, you're very direct. I like direct people."

He stepped back: "I will report to headquarters that your fleet's documents are complete and no abnormalities have been found. I recommend that passage be permitted."

"How long will it take?"

"Two hours," Phillips said. "Canal scheduling takes time. In two hours, you can enter the northbound channel."

Li nodded: "Thank you."

"However," Phillips said, walking to the gangway and then turning back, "Rear Admiral, beyond the canal lies the Mediterranean Sea. It's not as...open as the Red Sea. You'll encounter more of our ships, more intense surveillance. And German submarines are active too. Good luck."

"We'll need good luck," Litt said, "but even more so, we need determination."

Phillips saluted and descended the gangway. As the speedboat pulled away, he stood at the stern, watching the "Huaihe" with a complex expression.

Two hours later, at four o'clock in the afternoon, Xu Ke finally arrived.

The fleet slowly entered the Suez Canal. This artificial waterway is only one hundred meters wide, and large ships must pass in one direction only. The banks are desolate desert, with occasional British garrison posts and gun emplacements visible.

The "Huaihe" and "Zhujiang" ships walked one after the other like two giants in a narrow corridor. Six merchant ships followed behind in a tight formation.

The canal voyage lasted all night. On the morning of May 26, the fleet sailed out of the northern estuary of the canal and entered the Mediterranean Sea.

Suddenly, the view opened up before me. Deep blue seawater, the distant horizon, and... more British warships.

At least six cruisers and more than a dozen destroyers were spread out on the sea, forming a loose surveillance network. Further away, the silhouettes of two battleships could be seen—possibly the Queen Elizabeth-class, Britain's newest capital ships.

"They really think highly of us," Chen Shaoming said with a wry smile.

Li Te breathed a sigh of relief: "This means London has made its decision—to monitor, but not intercept. These warships are here to 'escort' us."

As expected, the British fleet did not approach, but maintained a distance of about ten nautical miles, sailing parallel to the formation. Occasionally, one or two destroyers would accelerate closer to conduct some reconnaissance, and then return to the formation.

On May 28th, the fleet passed through the Strait of Sicily. This is the gateway to the Mediterranean Sea, and the British naval base of Malta is located to the southeast.

A British light cruiser suddenly accelerated and approached, signaling at a distance of about two nautical miles from the Huaihe: "German submarine activity ahead. We recommend changing course."

Li Te looked at the signal, lost in thought.

"Captain, should we change course?" Chen Shaoming asked.

"No," Little said. "The British want us to take a longer route and buy time. Reply: Thank you for the reminder, but we will proceed as planned."

After the signal was sent back, the British cruiser sent another message: "A reminder that German submarines may attack any ship, including those of neutral countries."

This time, Li Te personally went to the signal light and operated it himself: "The Lanfang Navy is capable of protecting itself. Please mind your own business."

After the signal was sent, the British cruiser fell silent and slowly retreated back into formation.

For the next three days, the convoy sailed along the southern coast of France. The British fleet gradually shrank in size, until only two cruisers remained to follow at a distance.

On June 1, at dawn, the fleet passed through the Strait of Gibraltar and entered the Atlantic Ocean.

Here, they encountered the last wave of British warships—not there to monitor them, but to "see them off."

A battleship and two cruisers lined up in a row, blocking the shipping lanes. Five nautical miles away, their main guns pointed skyward.

"What are they trying to do?" Chen Shaoming asked nervously.

Litt raised his binoculars and observed carefully. The battleship was an Orion-class, armed with ten 343mm main guns. Although older than the Bismarck-class, it was still a formidable opponent.

The signal light illuminates: "We are about to enter a combat zone. Please confirm your navigational purpose again."

Li Te replied: "Our objective remains the same. Please clear the way."

After a few minutes of silence, the British battleships slowly turned, clearing the central channel. But as the convoy passed, all the crew members of the British warships stood in formation—the highest naval courtesy, but at that moment, it seemed more like a silent demonstration.

Li Te ordered the "Huaihe" and "Zhujiang" ships to return the salute. The officers and soldiers of the two ships faced each other across the sea, without saying a word, only the howling sea wind could be heard.

After the fleet passed, the British fleet did not follow. They remained where they were, watching the Lanfang fleet sail north and gradually disappear on the horizon.

"They gave up," Chen Shaoming said.

"No," Little said, looking at the departing British fleet, "they are conserving their strength, waiting for a more important battle."

He recalled the Admiralty's strategy in London—to prioritize dealing with Germany. Every decision the British made revolved around this core principle.

"But we made it through." Chen Shaoming was still excited. "From Singapore to here, eight thousand nautical miles, we overcame all the obstacles set by the British."

Li Te nodded, but without a smile. The real challenges lay ahead—diplomatic negotiations at the German port, the reception of laborers at the French port, and the 12,000-nautical-mile return journey.

That's the real test.

He took out his pocket watch and opened the case. The time indicated 9:10 a.m. The inscription below the dial was clearly visible in the morning light: Time will prove where justice lies.

"There's still halfway there," Li Te said softly. "Fellow countrymen, wait for us. We've come to take you home."

The fleet turned northeast, heading towards the final leg of its journey—the English Channel—before entering the North Sea and arriving in Wilhelmshaven, Germany.

The sea breeze blows, and battle flags flutter. Two giant ships escort six merchant ships, like a sharp arrow, shooting towards the heart of the European continent.

Behind them, the British Navy kept a close watch.

Surveillance, vigilance, anger, but helplessness.

Because in this era, the caliber of naval guns was the language of diplomacy.

And Lanfang, just now, spoke in the loudest voice, a statement that the whole world could hear:

We're here.

June 8, 1916, 6:00 AM, Calais, France.

The sea fog, like a thick gray velvet cloth, enveloped the entire harbor. Visibility was less than fifty meters, but the commotion from the depths of the harbor pierced through the fog—the suppressed clamor, weeping, and shouting of thousands of people, along with the reprimands of soldiers in French and English.

The "Huaihe" and "Zhujiang" battleships, like two steel mountains, slowly entered the main channel of the port. Their massive hulls pushed through the water, leaving two white trails. Even in the thick fog, the towering bridges and huge turrets of the battleships were still clearly visible, exuding a silent deterrent power.