World War: Battleship Arms Dealers

"What do you need me to do?" Gray asked.

"It's about laying the groundwork diplomatically," Jellicoe said. "We need to give the outside world a reasonable explanation before we strike. We can't let people think we're desperate."

"How about attacking the German coastline?" Gray suggested. "Let's say we've received intelligence that the German fleet is planning to attack our trade routes, so we'll strike first."

Jellicoe thought for a moment: "Okay. But the reason must be convincing enough. Norwegian merchant ships have been frequently attacked by German submarines recently; we can use that as a starting point."

"Leave it to me." Gray nodded. "There's one more thing... Lanfang."

Jericho's eyes sharpened: "What's Chen Feng up to now?"

"Just received a telegram from the Dubai consulate." Gray took a piece of paper out of his pocket. "Lanfang has notified the Sakura Kingdom to activate the third batch of troop deployment. The price is eight percent higher than the second batch."

Jericho's face darkened: "He's provoking us."

"Yes," Gray said, "but we don't have time for that right now. The Eastern Front is collapsing, the naval battle is imminent, and things in Asia... have to wait."

"We can't let it go." Jericho shook his head. "Edward, have you thought about it? If we suffer heavy losses in the North Sea, what will Lanfang do?"

Gray paused for a moment.

"Their four Bismarck-class battleships have already proven their superior performance," Jellicoe continued. "If you add the four currently under construction, in six years, Lanfang will have eight of the world's most advanced battleships in the Far East. By then, our naval power in Asia will be completely inferior."

"So what you mean is?"

"We must win this decisive battle," Jellicoe said, emphasizing each word. "And we must win spectacularly. We must show Chen Feng that the Royal Navy remains the master of the seas. We must let him know that the price he pays for challenging the British Empire is too high."

Gray looked at the admiral and suddenly understood his anxiety. Jellicoe was worried not only about the Germans, but also about the challengers rising in the distance.

"I will raise this issue at tomorrow's cabinet meeting," Gray said. "In the postwar period—if there is a postwar period—we must reassess our Asian strategy. Lanfang... cannot be left unattended."

"After the war..." Jericho smiled bitterly, "Let's just wait until after the war to see what happens."

He put away the map and prepared to leave. As he reached the door, Gray called out to him.

"John."

Jericho turned around.

"Good luck," Gray said softly.

Jericho nodded, said nothing, and turned to leave the conference room.

The corridor was deserted. Jericho's footsteps echoed in the empty space, sounding particularly lonely.

He recalled his first days in the navy thirty years ago. Back then, the British Empire was at its zenith, and the Royal Navy's warships were found in every corner of the globe. Everyone believed that this empire would rule the seas forever.

Now, that empire is standing on the edge of a precipice.

And he was pushed to the very front.

Jellicoe stopped and looked out the window. On the streets of London, pedestrians hurried by, trams clanged, and newsboys were still hawking news of the Eastern Front's defeat.

Unbeknownst to these people, a decisive battle that would determine their fate would unfold in the North Sea a few days later.

Little did they know that their admiral was experiencing an unprecedented weight at that moment.

Jericho took a deep breath and straightened his back.

He was the Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Navy.

He had no way out.

That same evening, at the Admiralty building.

Jericho's office was brightly lit. Six senior staff officers sat around a chart table, each with an extremely serious expression.

"Vice Admiral Beatty has confirmed it," First Sea Lord Vice Admiral Frederick Study said, pointing to the map. "His battlecruiser fleet is ready to deploy at any time. Six battlecruisers, four dreadnoughts, twelve light cruisers, and thirty destroyers."

"What about the German reconnaissance fleet?" Jellicoe asked.

Rear Admiral Wilhelm Reginald Hall, Chief of Intelligence, replied: "Hipper's fleet consists of five battlecruisers. They are usually deployed in Heligoland Bay for forward reconnaissance missions. If we want to lure out the main German force, Hipper is the best target."

"A decoy..." Jellicoe pondered. "If we attack the German coast, such as bombarding Hilness or attacking merchant ships, Hipper will definitely come out to intercept us. Then we can fight and retreat, leading them towards the main fleet."

"The risk is that the Germans might see through the scheme," Study said. "Schär isn't a fool. If he discovers that Beatty's fleet is followed by the entire Grand Fleet, he might choose to avoid battle."

"Then let Betty fight hard," Jellico said. "Let him and Hipper fight it out, until they're evenly matched. We'll show up when Scheer decides to come to their aid."

One staff officer raised the question: "But what if the main German force doesn't come out? What if we come up empty-handed, and Beatty's fleet suffers losses in the battle..."

"Let's just consider it a failed decoy," Jellicoe said calmly. "At least we've taken down some German battlecruisers. They were already outnumbered, so losing even one was a huge blow."

The room fell silent. Everyone understood the cruelty of the plan—Betty's fleet could become casualties.

"Does Betty know about this risk?" Study asked.

“I will tell him myself,” Jellico said. “And I believe he will accept. David Beatty craves battle, craves glory. He’s waited too long for this opportunity.”

He turned to Hall: "Where is the main German fleet now?"

"Based on yesterday's aerial reconnaissance and radio intercepts, Scheer's main force should still be in Wilhelmshaven," Hall replied. "But their submarine activity is very high. There are reports of German submarines in the central and northern North Sea."

"Submarines..." Jellicoe frowned. "They are our greatest threat. Once the fleet leaves port, German submarines will swarm us like sharks. We need a large number of destroyers for escort."

"It's all arranged," Study said. "All available destroyers have been recalled. The escort task force can have two to three destroyers with each capital ship."

"Not enough." Jellicoe shook his head. "Tell the shipyard that all destroyers under repair must be completed within three days. Even if they can only be operational and drop depth charges, that's fine."

"Yes."

The meeting continued late into the night. Every detail was scrutinized repeatedly—course, speed, formation, communication frequency, rendezvous point, retreat route…

At 2 a.m., the draft plan was finally completed.

Jellicoe told his staff to go and rest, while he remained alone in his office. He went to the window and looked out at the city of London across the Thames. The city lights twinkled in the night, like an inverted starry sky.

For a century, this city had never been threatened by foreign enemies. This was because a powerful navy guarded the English Channel, protecting the empire's lifeline.

Now, this navy is about to embark on a high-stakes gamble.

The gamble paid off, and the empire continued.

I lost the bet...