Canteen System Assistance Notes

At this moment, Clayden hated himself immensely for being only a reserve lieutenant commander, and not one of those regular navy officers who had experienced actual combat. He thought that captains who had cruised the world would be more able to judge the current situation based on their experience. Oh God... I... The commodore took a deep breath and prayed silently: "But I am not afraid, I just believe. I believe that God is the great helmsman, and He will always guide my way forward."

"gentlemen?"

The untimely question interrupted Mr. Clayden's prayer. He opened his eyes and found that the captain of the Pandaria, Chen Baiqing, and the acting combat captain, Zhong Lihua, were standing in front of him.

"What's going on?"

"Sir," Chen Baiqing spoke first, followed by Zhong Lihua. "Sir, I suggest sounding 'Level 1 Combat Alert'. The other party may have malicious intentions."

-―——―-―-

Why...why is this? Clayden instinctively turned to Captain Haddock, who was steering the ship, then took a deep breath and calmed himself. He felt in his pocket for his snuffbox but couldn't find it. Finally, he just put his hand in his pocket and asked.

"Tell me your reasons, Mr. Acting Captain."

Chen Baiqing and Zhong Lihua exchanged a glance, and the latter spoke up. "Commissioned General, sir, no merchant ship would cruise at 14 or 15 knots. I think the enemy is probably hoping to get ahead of us and take up a firing position."

"But this could also be a problem with the speed measurement. As you know, optical speed measurement always has a significant error."

"A merchant ship's normal cruising speed is about 8 knots, and we've communicated via telegram… Oh, that's all right, sir. I mean, even if its actual speed is 11 knots, it's still too fast compared to a normal merchant ship. The shipowner would tie a rock to a captain who wastes fuel like this and throw him overboard."

"Why is that? Maybe she's trying to meet a deadline," Clayden retorted. "And, Acting Captain, our merchant ships often sail at uneconomic speeds, and we also practice formation sailing drills like those only warships would. For example, we're opponents, simulating artillery battles, seizing firing positions, and so on..."

“It’s all a waste of fuel, but our ship owner doesn’t seem to blame you for it.”

Chen Baiqing chuckled and almost laughed out loud, while Zhong Lihua obviously did not expect the British accountant to ask such a question and was stunned. His face flushed.

It's like there's something I want to say but can't say.

Often funny.

"Well, the speed is at least a point of doubt. What else do you think?"

"Also, they claim to be a Japanese ship," Zhong Lihua said. "That's actually worth checking out."

"Why is that?" Clayden asked, then, as if remembering something, emphasized, "Acting Captain, I understand your feelings regarding your country's war with Japan—but we are nominally a British Dominion ship. Even though Japan and Germany have signed an alliance, Britain and Japan haven't yet gone to war. We can't just stop them."

"Besides, your country's legitimate government has not yet declared war on Japan."

"Regardless of the legal government, Mr. General, we have been at war with the Japanese since 1932. Furthermore, as far as I know, Japanese cargo ships primarily operate routes in the Pacific, while those in other regions are mostly import liners."

"In the Indian Ocean region, if they were departing from Durban, they were probably carrying chrome ore from South Africa back to Japan; if they were going to Muscat, then this ship

- must be used to transport oil and petroleum products - then it should be

"A tanker, not a bulk carrier." Chen Baiqing, experienced in merchant shipping, followed up on Zhong Lihua's words, adding another reason. "In short, it's almost impossible for a Japanese ship to travel from Durban to Muscat on this route."

He smiled and suddenly added, "Besides, we can choose not to fly the British flag or the St. George's flag."

"Oh my God...you can't, but...this is not good..."

"But actually, there's no problem with this. We're just boarding for an inspection." Captain Haddock, who was standing nearby, put down his flat flask and also laughed. "Commodore, I think as long as we don't fly the British merchant ensign or the St. George's flag, there won't be any problem."

"Okay... but we're only checking. No! Checking doesn't mean opening fire." Major Clayden, a veteran of the academy, wasn't used to this flexible approach, but he couldn't find any fault. He shook his head, dismissing the strange thought, and gave the order, "Alright, I agree to a Level 1 combat alert. Acting Captain, Mr. Zhong, if a boarding operation occurs, you will assume full command."

"Herald, have the flag-raisers ready, but do not hoist the St. George's flag without my order—do you have the flag ready?"

"Yes, sir, we've prepared the pirate flag and the red flag... er, the Chinese Soviet flag, but we won't be using them for now anyway." Captain Zhong Lihua nodded, turned around and shouted, "All crew members, level one combat alert!"

"Boys, combat alert level one!"

Short copper bells rang out in various places on the ship. The huge Pandaria was like a precision instrument that came to life. All its components began to operate in their respective modes - the gun crew was in place at the designated position, ready to tear off the camouflage and operate the guns at any time; the marines began to collect guns and inspect the motorboats, ready to carry out boarding operations at any time; the damage control team members put on fireproof suits and oxygen masks, and began to add seawater fire pumps... Even the crew members in the bridge put on helmets of various sizes and life jackets.

Beneath the docile and somewhat stubby exterior of this whaling mothership, its violent spikes are poised for action.

Ten minutes, half an hour, fifty minutes... Gradually, the Kashii Maru approached Pandaria in a double-ship formation, and her appearance became clearer and clearer - it was a beautiful freighter with a single chimney and two masts. On her fore and aft masts were mast cranes, common on merchant ships at the time, used to lift the cargo piled on the deck. There was also a Japanese ship name painted on it.

but.......

"But this... isn't right, it's not right!"

Captain Chen Baiqing held up his telescope, watching the approaching Japanese ship. As the first Chinese captain to circumnavigate the globe, he had been to Japan and spoke Japanese. He pressed his gaze against the telescope's retaining ring and asked, "Why is the name of this Japanese ship written on the side? Shouldn't it be written on the bow or stern?"

"It's fine if it's written on the side... Kashii Maru, Kashii Maru, but that doesn't say Kashii Maru... Wait, this... was this copied from a picture sold in some port?" He threw down the telescope and shouted, "Comrades! There's something wrong with this ship! It's a disguised ship! A disguised attack ship!

"The Japanese name of this thing is 'Osaka Customs Mei Niang Liao'!

"What Kashiimaru? It's fake! Damn! This is an advertisement for a sex shop!" What?

All gun positions! Remove the gun covers and open the gun ports! Captain Zhong Lihua reacted quickly, but unexpectedly, after handing over command, the temporary fleet deputy general Clayden standing nearby shouted even faster. He shouted to the messenger: "Bridge! Lower the merchant flag and raise the St. George flag!"

The academic commander's words trembled a little. This mysterious ship that had made him ponder, endure pressure, worry, and even battle wits and courage with the air for more than a day turned out to be a "sea brothel" that didn't even understand Japanese. What a waste of emotion. He ripped off his gloves, raised two fingers towards the distant ship, and added a command.

"A brothel, huh? Signalman!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Pandaria versus 'Kaishi Yazimaru', this is the Royal Navy! What the hell are you from?"

"Forehead.……"

"hair!"

Chapter 401 "Severe Damage"

According to the Pandaria's numerous training sessions, the gun crew could, after rushing out of the cabin, complete the tasks of removing the artillery camouflage, unlocking the gun position, and aiming the gun at the shaking floating target and firing the first training warhead within 5 minutes. However, the signalmen were much slower in sending light signals, as they were limited by the miserable transmission rate of Morse code.

Just as the gunners rushed to the gun mount and the signalman had just sent the signal to Pandaria, the watchtower issued a fatal warning.

"Red-95! Distance 4050 yards! The enemy has hoisted the German naval flag!"

At the same time, the ship's TBS communication system suddenly lit up, and a German-accented English announcement came over the radio noise:

"Atlantis to Pandaria: In the name of the German War Navy, you are ordered to halt your main engine and surrender immediately. We guarantee that those who surrender will receive prisoner-of-war treatment consistent with the Geneva Conventions. Any acts of speeding, transmitting radio signals, or resisting inspection will be considered acts of war... Ah! Was?

From the German perspective, the once-broken TBS system also emitted a commanding, solemn message, yet one that could be felt even over the radio. "Pandaria to Atlantis: This is the Royal Navy, greetings from the ladies of Amsterdam, Berlin, and Hamburg—how's the flavor of the East Asian girls?"

Following this, the St. George flag and the Chinese Soviet flag were hoisted high on the Pandaria's mast, and the first round of 5-gun salvos was fired!

Bang bang bang bang bang!

The unfortunate Germans, the moment the German naval flag was raised, the Atlantis was ready to open fire—but perhaps because she was envious of the fishing vessel's cargo, or perhaps because she was too strict and rigid in her standard procedures for capturing merchant ships, only the 75mm gun on the main channel was loaded, and it was aimed directly in front of the Pandaria.

The shell intended for the warning shot had not even had time to be fired when the Pandaria, which was lucky with its new crew, received its first hit - a 4-hour cannon that traveled across a distance of about 2 nautical miles and hit the Atlantis's bow, blowing away the German gun crew that was operating the gun.

This naval gun, often used to stop the enemy, flew into the blue sky of the Indian Ocean along with the camouflaged wooden boxes unloaded on the side without even shouting "scheibe" (shit).

Because of the search formation and the wind-chasing water engine, the Pandaria was not with the other two ships, but was in a local one-on-one disadvantage with the German raider. But at the same time, her twin Parsons boilers output far more power than the conventional merchant ship's three-expansion engine, driving the whaling mothership ahead of the Atlantis and avoiding a disadvantageous situation at the beginning of the battle.

The two ships' routes now formed a near-7-shaped angle: the Pandaria was at the head of the T, possessing the firing range of two 6-inch guns on the ship's hull, two 4-inch guns on the broadside, and a 76mm anti-aircraft gun. The German ship's 75mm gun, with the best firing range, had been destroyed, and the two 150mm guns at the stern were unable to fire due to obstruction by the bridge. Only the two 150mm guns on one side had a limited firing range. From the outset of the battle, the Pandaria had secured a favorable T-shaped advantage!

"All guns centralized control, fire as soon as reload is complete!"

"Concentrate on control, fire immediately after reloading!"

For a moment, a continuous column of water rose between the two ships. The Pandaria's five guns in the forward hemisphere opened fire continuously, their firepower far greater than the Atlantis's two 150mm cannons. However, the initial high luck bonus seemed to have worn off, and in the subsequent rounds of firing, neither side managed to land a single effective hit.

"Enemy ship starboard! Turning to 035, distance 4500 yards!"

The lookouts dutifully observed the enemy's attempted turn. Captain Haddock, who had taken control of the battle course, drew on his experience gained from his previous service on a destroyer. "The enemy is moving out of range!" he ordered quickly. "Left rudder, thirty degrees, and both rudders, four degrees!"

"Three zero left! Full speed ahead!"

The ship's bell clicked, the steering wheel turned, and the Pandaria tilted to the right and turned to the left as if chasing a sperm whale that was fleeing for its life. This would ensure that the Pandaria's tail, with its weak firepower, would not be exposed to the enemy, but it would further widen the distance between the two sides and reduce the hit rate of the artillery fire.

Amidst the rising water column, the stern of the Atlantis, also turning, gradually emerged. A flash of fire erupted from its aft omnidirectional gun mount and the 150mm gun. Before the gunfire could be heard, a powerful sound of piercing air instantly swept over everyone on the bridge. Boom!

Water splattered from the other side of the Pandaria. As the two ships' headings shifted, two more enemy guns joined the fray. Meanwhile, the German ship, no longer holding back, rushed onto the deck. Besides the 150mm gun, .37mm semi-automatic anti-aircraft guns and 20mm cannons rained down on the Pandaria like hail!

Bang bang bang bang!

The situation on the battlefield was gradually turning against Pandaria: these small-caliber shells were almost inaudible at this distance, but due to the dense barrage - especially the two twin-barreled 20mm guns - the water between the two ships seemed to be whipped by several steel whips, and it boiled like cold water in a frying pan.

Larger water columns continued to rise around the ships of both sides. At this distance, neither ship, lacking efficient fire control, was able to continue hitting.

Although the Pandaria's hull was strong enough to withstand the drifting ice of the North Sea, it could still barely resist the 20mm cannon loaded with anti-aircraft ammunition belts. Occasionally, a few shells hit the hull, but they only exploded.

-A black scorched flower, but it could not penetrate the artillery's shield for the time being.

But if it gets close, the powerful suppression of the deck by this thing will probably cause huge casualties!

But before the first-in-command soldiers could adjust to the rhythm of the battle, new information came from the observation tower. "Enemy torpedoes hitting the water!!

"Port! Red-75, range 4700 yards, two torpedoes! Course 225! Approaching rapidly!!!"

——-——---

Torpedoes, torpedoes! The German raiders are actually equipped with torpedoes!

This information instantly made Lieutenant Commander Clayden's hair stand on end. His previous anger and momentum vanished. As a well-versed reader of military history, he knew only too well the power of torpedoes! Although Pandaria boasted a full loadout of over 18,000 tons, and could withstand several 6-inch shells thanks to its modified bulkheads and watertight doors, it would likely not withstand a single torpedo. Many large ships in World War I were slain by tiny torpedoes.

"Don't be nervous! Follow the instructions!" Zhong Lihua's voice pulled him out of his mistake. The voice of the Chinese combat captain was like the chime of Big Ben. "All guns, main gun control, starboard guns ready! Fire as soon as you have the firing range, no need to ask for instructions!"

"Haddock!" he cried.

Don't worry, buddy! Left car, four-quarters, full emergency speed ahead! Right car, two-quarters, full right rudder, full rudder! Prepare the entire ship for impact—Captain Haddock, the former destroyer's navigator, shouted, but his tone remained unchanged. He even had the leisure to sip the wine in his flat flask, "Boys, hold on tight!"

"Left car, enter fourth, full emergency speed, right car, enter second, full steering - right!"

The repeated command exploded. The steering gear shifted, and the separate reduction gearboxes of the two Parsons boilers lost synchronization and began to move independently. The propellers on the left and right shafts began to output different power. The rapid change in steam pressure even caused the emergency pressure relief valve of the right boiler to emit a high-pitched whine.

All these precise and timely navigation instructions, combined with the brave crew members in the engine and steering rooms, drove this slightly bulky whaling mother ship to dance like a whale.

Turn right at an almost extreme angle.

Everything on the ship began to slide toward the port side, and temporary fleet captain Clayden had to grab the handrail in the bridge to resist the violent force of inertia.

"Two torpedoes! Course 225! Port side, Red-130! Not expected..."

Bang!

The voices from the watchtower abruptly stopped, and everyone on the bridge felt the ship tremble violently beneath their feet, a wave of heat emanating from the rear. Perhaps it was because the enemy was a well-trained raider, or perhaps fate simply wasn't favorable to these Chinese soldiers, their first foray into the ocean battlefield. While desperately trying to evade torpedoes, the Pandaria's forward guns were obstructed, significantly weakening their ability to suppress the Atlantis. In this brief window of time, the German ship fired a 150mm semi-armor-piercing shell, avoiding the inevitable death by chance...

She was shot!

"All departments should conduct self-inspection! Report any damage!" Captain Chen Baiqing grabbed the microphone inside the ship and asked loudly.

Flashing red lights and piercing damage control sirens replaced the rumbling of gunfire, echoing throughout the ship. Damage control personnel, wearing fireproof overalls and fully enclosed breathing masks, rushed into the damaged area with fire hoses and began damage control operations. "Engine room clear!" "Steering gear room clear!"

"Cargo hold No. 1 is safe!" "Fuel cargo hold is safe!" "There is a slight leak in compartment No. 12, and we are plugging it!"

"Cargo hold number three was hit! The shell exploded in the middle compartment... What? No fire! Report! No fire, no casualties at this time!"

The modified compartment environment and huge tonnage of the Pandaria finally took effect. The SKL/45 150mm naval gun with insufficient ammunition exploded after hitting the deck wall, horizontal deck and a layer of planking, destroying several compartments of cargo hold No. 3: This was a refrigerated container of the Pandaria, not a combat position, and no one was stationed during the battle. The refrigerant Freon R12 with flame retardant and fire extinguishing properties in the pipeline leaked and rushed everywhere, quickly suppressing the possible combustion.

However, the damage control team members who rushed in did not feel any relief or joy. They were almost on the verge of losing the ship's structure and soon realized what kind of place these damn Germans had destroyed. "Fuck..."

"Your professionalism! Comrade! Report the damage!" The voice from the bridge came from the headset. The damage control officer took a deep breath and pressed the transmitter on his throat.

Report! The Germans have damaged compartments B and C of Warehouse No. 3, destroying our beer cellar and the spice room! Warehouse No. 3's refrigeration system has failed, causing a refrigerant leak. Our cabbages, winter melons, and Pixian fermented bean curd are severely damaged, severely damaged!"

"Fuck me!"

Chapter 402: Three Flags Fighting Each Other

The continuously falling shells created a series of water columns on the sea surface, and both ships were performing starboard maneuvers.

The Atlantis turned its back to Pandaria at a tricky yaw angle, allowing its two guns on one side and the two guns at the stern to fire continuously.

The Pandaria, leveraging the yaw effect of its dual-axis propulsion and the steering capabilities of its servos, swiftly circled, dodging the two torpedoes that left white trails. She refocused her front hemisphere towards the Atlantis and resumed unleashing the full force of her five guns.

The distance between the two sides has been stretched to nearly 5000 yards, which is a relatively long range for an auxiliary cruiser without complete fire control equipment.

Neither side has had any new hits yet.

On the scorching Indian Ocean, Chinese seafarers often felt like wanderers longing for home. The vast distances they faced even surpassed the traditional threshold of "a thousand miles from home." To contact family, they had to write a report and then send a message via expensive long-distance telegraph. To return home for vacation, they had to travel through several different locations, fly thousands of miles, and then transfer to cars and animal-drawn carts.

This is slightly better for the ocean-going sailors from Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai who are used to sailing on the sea; but it is even more difficult for the army and marine cadets who are sent here for training.

Although everyone knows that they are working for the future of the Red Navy

And work hard, but homesickness is a normal human emotion and it is inevitable.

Therefore, whether it was the Pandaria, the Eighth Street, or the Shanwei, when ordering the ships, they focused on renovating the original British-style kitchens that only had ovens and frying pans, so that the chefs of the cooking team could cook some authentic food with hometown flavors for the compatriots on the ship when they were open, thereby comforting the growing homesickness.

And now, this last bit of comfort has also been shattered by a sinful bomb - at least, it shattered the pickled cabbage, boiled pork slices, fish-flavored pork shreds, winter melon and shrimp soup, ice-cold beer with grilled skewers...

Is this tolerable? Absolutely not!

"Fuck you, you Immortal Dezi! How dare you touch our Douban!"

The damage control officer's indignant cries echoed throughout the gun positions, and Pandaria's crews instantly erupted in anger! Ignoring the threat of stray bullets and shrapnel, the loaders sped up their reloads. In the next instant, the rate of fire from these five guns surpassed even the best results from previous training. Columns of water rose around the distant, swaying German ship, resembling a miniature sea forest.

“Beat her up!!!”