In the Brando Strait.

The clock has struck midnight, which means it's the last day of the year. On this special day, as is customary, even most military personnel would enjoy a rare day off.

The day was basically made up of banquets. At each banquet, the cooks would do their best to prepare the most precious delicacies. In addition to the dishes on the table, there would always be barrels of freshly mixed "Puchu," which was made from fruit, juice, and alcohol. It was simple and quick to make, and the alcohol content could be adjusted, making it suitable for all ages. It became an indispensable New Year's drink for the Goths on New Year's Eve.

As glasses clink and Puccino splashes, people raise their glasses and shout amidst laughter:

Cheers! May we have a smooth journey into the New Year!

However, at this moment, in the Federation fleet that was fleeing back to port in a panic, no one had time to think about this day of celebration.

"Can we get back to Bruno Harbor tonight?"

Sebastian, aboard the warship, pulled his heavy military uniform tighter around his neck. Frost covered his eyebrows, and his face appeared exceptionally pale in the moonlight.

"If the wind direction doesn't change, we can return to Bruno harbor tonight, but that depends on..."

"The enemy ships haven't caught up," the adjutant said, looking at the sea behind him with a grave expression.

Upon hearing the words "enemy ship," Sebastian rubbed his stiff fingers, exhaled a puff of steam, and said hesitantly in a low voice:

"The wind direction is good, and there shouldn't be any sudden changes in the next couple of days. However, our speed has slowed down a bit..."

As he spoke, he looked up ahead and saw rows of large transport ships, packed with army troops, almost at full capacity. Although they were sailing at full speed with their sails raised, they seemed to Sebastian as slow as snails crawling.

He wished those warships could sail faster, so that his Black Powder Fleet wouldn't have to slowly follow behind them, escorting them.

The adjutant remained silent when Sebastian mentioned that the speed was too slow. He couldn't very well increase the speed at this point and leave the transport ship at the back.

The Ironwall Fleet, led by Chick, has already gone to intercept the enemy. This is undoubtedly a sacrifice on their part. At this point, it's unknown how long they can hold off the enemy ships, but judging from the number and strength of the enemy fleet, it seems...

“Perhaps we need to increase our speed a bit, what do you think?” Sebastian suddenly said.

“This…” The adjutant hesitated.

Sebastian's face darkened, and he said, "If Chik leads his army to intercept them, they should be able to hold them off for at least a day. Even if the Yan people win, they will need to make adjustments and cannot catch up immediately."

“I believe it is safe now, so we should return to Bruno Harbor as quickly as possible, bring back the information that the Yan people have entered the strait, and let the land forces prepare.”

"Instead of slowly following behind those transport ships like we are now, which is delaying our chances of success!"

The adjutant bit his lip, his brows furrowed, and said:

"But isn't that a bit risky?"

"In case of unforeseen circumstances and enemy ships catch up, without our escort, these transport ships will be at the mercy of their enemies."

As soon as he finished speaking, Sebastian felt a surge of anger welling up inside him, and he gritted his teeth and said:

"This voyage was an extremely risky undertaking! Chick and I both thought we shouldn't have set sail at this time, but Bernhardt ordered us to go and provide support."

"This terrible situation is all his doing!"

"If the Ironwall Fleet is completely wiped out during the interception, the responsibility will fall entirely on Bernhardt! He will have to take full responsibility!"

"It's ridiculous that you make us take risks when we shouldn't, and now you're hesitating when we should be taking risks..." he sneered.

These words clearly changed the adjutant's mind. He looked at Sebastian and whispered:

"Well... sir, how about we send some warships back to report first, while the main force continues the escort mission in case of any unforeseen circumstances?"

Upon hearing this, Sebastian fell silent. He paced back and forth on the deck, his brows furrowing deeper and his face growing increasingly gloomy, occasionally glancing back at the sea behind him.

It was late at night, and nothing could be seen except the sound of waves crashing against the ship.

After some consideration, Sebastian stopped in his tracks, turned to his adjutant, and said coldly:

"The Yan Kingdom's fleet has entered the strait, which means our navy has lost most of its combat power. If Chikek and his forces are also defeated, then our navy will be..."

He paused for a moment, then said, "We almost suffered annihilation."

"We can't just let the entire navy be wiped out, can we? General Gustav is still in Salibia and hasn't returned yet. What if he comes back to find this situation? What are we going to do then?"

"The navy's years of development cannot be destroyed in an instant."

Upon hearing this, the adjutant understood his meaning and said in a deep voice, "Yes, sir, I understand. You make the decision."

Sebastian then convinced himself, and said with a serious face, "Turn around the transport ship now. We need to get back to port as quickly as possible and moor the warships in the harbor."

"In this way, we can preserve naval strength," he said again in a low voice.

"Yes, sir!" The adjutant immediately accepted the order and left.

Sebastian turned to look behind him. Perhaps it was the cold of the night, but his face was now completely pale. He hung his head, his body huddled in his large, thick military uniform, still trembling uncontrollably. His exceptionally pale lips moved slightly as he murmured to himself:

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