"lamp?"
Inside the command room of the Ironblood, Muller's expression had become extremely grave.
"Yes, Marshal."
"Not long ago, during the shelling, we inadvertently discovered some lights rising above the naval port, and in the period since then, more and more lights have been floating into the night sky," the soldier replied in a deep voice. He knew that this was definitely not because the enemy had the leisure to release sky lanterns.
After all, a fierce battle is raging at this moment; who would do something insignificant?
Muller frowned, sensing an uneasy atmosphere. It was already night, and the lights rising from the naval port into the night sky were naturally very conspicuous. Even from a distance, they could be observed.
These lights must have served as a means of communication, and after some thought, Muller suddenly realized what kind of message they were conveying.
"Their fleet is about to enter the battle!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the generals in the command room exchanged glances, their faces showing tension and seriousness. Muller bit his lip, but he was still thinking about why Da Gan only sent the message when we were about to land at the port.
From the start of the naval battle until the lines were properly maneuvered and the fleet was advancing toward the naval port, Muller had the reserve forces at the rear of the fleet keep a close watch on the sea movements behind them, with the aim of observing the appearance of the main fleet.
However, they have not yet appeared in sight. Even if they receive the message from the naval port now, it will still take some time for them to arrive. During this period, it will undoubtedly be a huge challenge for the naval port.
To put it bluntly, the signal sent from the naval port came too late.
The question that had been echoing in my mind before resurfaced: was the enemy simply audacious or overconfident?
Just as he was pondering, the ship suddenly shook violently. Muller swayed and grabbed the handrail to avoid falling to the ground. The others in the command room did the same, but the tables and chairs tilted and fell to the ground.
As soon as Muller regained his footing, a soldier fell off the steps.
He appeared to be rushing down from the upper deck to report on the battle situation, but due to the violent shaking of the ship, he lost his footing and tumbled down the narrow staircase.
"What happened?" The warship had stabilized, and what had just happened was merely an interlude. Muller looked at the soldiers who were getting up from the ground and asked in a deep voice.
The soldier had fallen hard, his face hitting the ground, and was now covered in blood. But he didn't have time to wipe it away; he immediately replied:
"Marshal! The enemy's artillery fire has suddenly intensified!"
"The frontline warships have suffered severe damage. More than a dozen warships have been damaged beyond repair and are no longer able to move forward. They are slowly sinking. Two warships in front of our ship suddenly stopped, so we had to make an emergency turn and almost collided with each other."
Upon hearing the soldier's report, Müller couldn't help but murmur along:
"The shelling suddenly intensified...intensified..."
Only then did the passing of time and the incessant sound of cannons finally provide Müller with the answer.
Müller closed his eyes.
Everyone else in the command room sensed a dangerous undercurrent. No one spoke; they simply looked at Mueller, awaiting his orders.
With his eyes closed, Muller pursed his lips and listened quietly to the sounds of artillery fire outside.
Even inside the ship's cabin, he could still hear the difference in the cannon fire. The Federation fleet's cannons sounded slightly sharp and piercing, while the cannon fire from the naval port had a dull feel to it. This was because their cannons were on land and farther away, which made them sound more muffled.
But now, the muffled sound is gradually intensifying, as if a force about to explode is mixed within the muffled sound.
Even though he was still nearly a nautical mile from the naval port, Muller seemed to feel a slight tremor.
This might be an illusion, but the confirmed facts appeared in my mind with unparalleled clarity.
He suddenly opened his eyes and exhaled a long breath.
—The enemy has ample ammunition reserves and a sturdy and reliable naval port. The previous reduction in shelling was merely a deliberate slowing of their offensive. This feigned weakness was intended to make us believe that the naval port could be breached, thus prompting us to sail towards it at all costs.
Their tactics of feigning weakness led us not to a naval port, but to an abyss... And now, there is no way back.
"Oh."
Having figured this out, Müller suddenly let out a laugh.
The people in the command room looked at Muller with solemn expressions.
Muller straightened up and then looked around at their faces. No one avoided his gaze; they all stood ramrod straight, quietly awaiting his command.
The Delta Federation is a nation that has risen rapidly in the last ten years or so. Its predecessor, the Kingdom of Golt, was not associated with any great power or strong nation at the time. However, under the leadership of Von Palen, the Golts overcame one difficulty after another with their indomitable will and launched wars with their determination to fight and not be afraid of death. It was through the sacrifice of countless people that the Delta Federation of today was forged.
Those standing in this command room at this moment are all of the purest Gothic blood; a small portion of them are middle-aged, while the majority are young people around twenty years old.
Without exception, their willpower and determination have always been identical.
If you tell them they will die in battle tomorrow, they will surely fight this battle with guns and cannons today, and then run towards their death tomorrow amidst iron and blood.
Muller took a deep breath, his gaze resolute and determined. Then he straightened his body, clenched his fist tightly, and punched his chest.
Without a word, the others in the cabin followed suit.
Immediately following, a steady and powerful voice rang out from Müller's lips:
"For warships that cannot sail, have the soldiers jump into the sea and swim to the dock. For warships that can still sail, continue towards the dock together with the [Ironblood]!"
"Let's complete this landing operation!"
"Forward!" he shouted in a steady and powerful voice.
Before long, even louder bugle calls rang out from every warship. Under the intense bombardment of shells raining down from the sky, the Federation fleet, which could no longer form a crescent-shaped battle line, marched toward the naval port that was continuously unleashing its firepower under the moonlight.
This is not the first time the Goths have faced such a situation. They have experienced it several times in the past, which is how the Delta Federation was forged today.
Their actions, however, put the Blazing Sun Fleet in a dilemma.
Inside the command center of the Sun Goddess Fleet.
The oppressive atmosphere made everyone inside feel hot and bothered, while the increasingly intense shelling outside was like adding fuel to the fire, making everyone sweat profusely.
Clemento took off his hat, wiped the sweat from his face, and his thick, dark eyebrows furrowed into a frown. His lips drooped, his shoulders relaxed, and he said:
"It seems we've fallen into a trap."
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