Chapter 5 Unsinkable Ship

  22 shells and 1 torpedo, that's what "Seydlitz" has been hit by in the past dozen hours. It's not a standard battleship but a battlecruiser with "the firepower of a battleship and the mobility of a cruiser". The British fleet's "Invincible", "Queen Mary" and "Indomitable" were also battlecruisers with displacements around 20,000 tons, but they sank after being hit by just a few shells. "Seydlitz"'s displacement is only a few thousand tons larger than theirs, but its superior armor, excellent design and good damage control allowed it to hold on tenaciously.

  Colonel von Laurence did not refuse Zhang Hainuo's request to stay in the reserve command room. He also asked the military doctor on board, which is a different concept from ordinary medical soldiers, to carefully examine Zhang Hainuo's wound and re-dress it with gauze. Zhang Hainuo felt that the relationship between this colonel and "Hainuo" was not normal, and should be some kind of relative, but he didn't dare ask. After taking another painkiller, he sat quietly in the corner of the command room, watching the officers busy themselves.

  Although "Sedlitz" was falling behind and Captain Stranta von Graff was seriously injured and unconscious, Zhang Hainuo couldn't see a hint of fear or despair in this command room. The calm and composed atmosphere made him secretly admire it.

  What is an excellent officer team? This is the standard of an excellent officer team!

  "The breach at the waterline of the bow has expanded again? Don't panic, I'll get Luke to send a pump over from the back to support us right away!"

  "Has the ammo storage of turret No. 4 been cleared? Great! Hans, I'll apply for a medal on your behalf! However, it's not time to rest yet, have your men hold out a bit longer, the torpedo room repair work needs manpower urgently!"

  "Overall tilt to the left by 6 degrees? Don't panic, Lel, first stabilize the situation, report to me immediately if the tilt increases by one degree! Now we must strictly control the amount of water injection, got it?"

  "Boiler No. 11 must be shut down? Alright, Tebbutt! But try to keep the remaining boilers going, we've got to maintain at least this speed, it's our only hope of getting back to Kiel!"

  Looking at the stable and commanding Feng. Lorenz, Zhang Hainuo was both envious and admired. A deputy captain could achieve this level, and it must be even better for that more experienced Stranta. Von. Graf lieutenant general! It was in the early 20th century, under the leadership of Count von. Tirpitz, the German Navy had an unprecedented strength, they had first-class ship designers, first-class shipbuilders and top-notch shipbuilding equipment, and the training of naval officers and soldiers was also rigorous and strict. No one denied the numerical superiority of the British Empire Navy, but in terms of officers and sailors, the German Navy during the Second Empire period was obviously more excellent!

  At this time, Zhang Hainuo couldn't help but wonder what his "previous self", that is, Heinrich von Finkenstein, was like. Was he diligent? Wise? Tenacious? Or did he have the opposite personality? Also, what role did he play on this warship? Probationary officer? Navigation officer? Or holding some other special position?

  Unfortunately, Zhang Hainuo did not inherit any of the thoughts and memories of this Haino. As for whether there would be some form of rejection between his old body and new mind, he had no idea. But there was also good news - after being examined by that military doctor earlier, Zhang Hainuo knew that the injuries on his body were basically not serious, and as long as there were no severe infections or other accidents, he would be able to fully recover within three to four months.

  Time was ticking away, the light on the surface of the sea was gradually changing, and the fog that had been shrouding the surface was dissipating. As far as the eye could see, only one ship, the "Seydlitz", was moving slowly and alone, surrounded by an eerie silence. Dawn seemed to be approaching, but what would happen after daylight? Would the British discover this German battlecruiser, devoid of fighting power and without escorting ships? If so, they would easily capture or send the "Seydlitz" to the bottom of the sea.

  What if "Sedlitz" really couldn't hold on and sank by itself?

  Zhang Hainuo saw this worry on the faces of some low-ranking officers. Although he knew that historically, the "Sedlitz" returned to Germany safely and was repaired soon after, he didn't have full confidence in it now - maybe the historical Heinrich von Finkenstein had died directly from his injuries? According to the theory of time and space, a small change could lead to a branch splitting off from the main trunk of history, and where this branch would eventually go, no one could predict!

  "Admiral! Admiral! A telegram from the 'Friedrich der Grosse'!" The officer, wearing a blue-black short-brimmed military cap, burst in through the door and excitedly shouted: "The High Seas Fleet has returned safely to Germany!"

  "Long live..."

  Inside the auxiliary command center located at the rear of the bridge, there was a sudden burst of jubilation. Every arm that had not been injured was raised in triumph and every face wore a smile of victory. They knew that as long as the High Seas Fleet returned home safely, the German Navy would still retain the power and hope to defeat its opponents.

  Zhang Hai looked quietly and smiled at these simple German officers. In the face of a strong enemy, the German High Seas Fleet retreated completely, which can be said to be a tactical victory. However, as history progressed, the British would continue to firmly grasp the strategic initiative at sea, and for more than two years, the German Navy, second in strength in the world, would sit quietly in port until the end of the war, eventually sinking into the sea floor in the Rainbow Action. Years later, although Nazi Germany's iron hooves successfully swept across Western Europe, their navy never truly rose again.

  "Gentlemen!" Colonel von Laurencz waved his hand, signaling the officers present to quiet down.

  "In six hours, if all goes well, we will see the lighthouse of Wilhelmshaven! But these will be our most critical and difficult six hours; we may meet the British, or have trouble with the ship itself. I hope you can overcome all difficulties and hold on! Hold on, everybody! Victory!"

  Looking at the tightly clenched fists of the superior officer, the officers immediately adopted the same posture, repeating in a low and firm tone:

  "Persevere! Victory!"

  Outside the porthole, a light whitish haze quickly spread over the eastern horizon where the sea and sky met.

  When Zhang Hainuo first viewed the famous warship from the rear deck, his eyes and soul were deeply shocked. The mighty warship that was majestic in the yellowed old photos now had scars all over its body, with the entire front deck collapsed, leaving only a pile of black ruins visible from afar; on the foredeck, the massive main turret still stood, but British armor-piercing shells had left a large hole in its thick armor, and the surrounding deck was unable to withstand the huge power of the shell explosion, with holes of various sizes scattered everywhere; the flag at the bow still fluttered in the wind, but it was so close to the sea surface that one couldn't help but worry how long it could stay afloat...

  The most heartbreaking thing on this warship is the No. 4 and No. 5 turrets at the stern, which are the two huge black shadows that Zhang Haino saw at night. It wasn't until dawn that he discovered that these two beautiful main gun turrets had been damaged during the daytime battle. The British armor-piercing shells penetrated their base armor and exploded under the deck, although they did not detonate their ammunition depots, but left shocking "scars" on them and the deck to their left - there, the thick steel plates were twisted outward like thin iron skin, and the two turrets looked intact, but the four sturdy gun barrels hung down at different angles with no vitality.

  There were also the two tall chimneys in the middle of the warship, which still stood there unyieldingly at this time, but large and small holes could be seen everywhere on the chimney wall.

  Although he did not see the wonderful scene of the sea battle, Zhang Haino still deeply felt the cruelty of war through the traces left by these battles. To know that this is not to mention those brave sailors who were once hot-blooded but now completely cooled down, some of whom were even broken or disappeared, and those who were still alive, missing arms and legs, disfigured, and mentally and physically injured, are still suffering from the pain brought by war.

  Is this war?

  Zhang Hainuo's heart was filled with mixed emotions.

  "We should be proud of ourselves!" At some point, Colonel von Laurenz stood behind Zhang Hainuo.

  "Principal......" Zhang Hainuo opened his mouth, but what he wanted to say last night couldn't be said now.

  "We will be proud of this battle for the rest of our lives, and we will be proud that we served on this battleship, truly!" Von Lauertz gazed out at the distant sea with an indescribable expression on his face.

  "Your father and mother in heaven will also be proud of you!"

  Upon hearing this, Zhang Hainuo suddenly felt a strange sense of sadness, but it wasn't because of the young age at which Feng Fennel lost his parents. Rather, he was nostalgic for his own parents, siblings, and loved ones in another world; the probability of such an inexplicable transmigration happening again was likely zero.

  "Although we did not achieve the expected victory this time, just look at our 'Seydlitz' and you will know that our warships are far superior to those of the British. It won't be long before 'Seydlitz' returns to this ocean in a brand new guise, and our High Seas Fleet will inevitably let the British taste the bitterness of defeat with a beautiful sea battle!"

  Von Loretz's words might have made Zhang Hainu feel regretful or even ridiculous, but the surrounding officers were clearly moved by this speech full of grandeur and ambition, which could be seen from their hopeful expressions.

  Zhang Hainuo couldn't bear to tell these people the true history, because two years later, their dreams would be completely buried in the muddy sea floor along with Germany's defeat and a "rainbow" signal. When dreams are shattered, even the strongest person will shed tears.

  For some reason, Zhang Hainuo suddenly remembered his past dream - to join the army. However, in his own era, factors such as physical condition made this dream unable to become a reality. Now, although his body is very weak, there is a vast space for him to play. In the end, he only hopes to return home and find a good job, contribute a tiny bit of power to the country's construction, buy a house, buy a car, get married and have children, and become utterly pragmatic!

  As he saw people around him having high hopes for their future, Zhang Hainuo felt a strange sense of emptiness.

  One side was busy repairing the warship as much as possible, while the other kept a constant vigilance at sea. All the mobile officers and soldiers on the "Seydlitz" were busy to the point of joy. The "table uncle" once again showed his deep concern for himself, asking the deputy officer to bring a pair of shoes that fit, but the ship's cafeteria was not spared from the invasion of gunfire, and breakfast could only be dealt with by compressed biscuits and cold water. Zhang Hainuo was no exception. After hastily getting through a meal, Zhang Hainuo volunteered to take on some tasks. Colonel Lorenz thought for a moment, "Go to your torpedo room, count the personnel and equipment losses, and report back!"

  During World War I, the main warships of various countries were generally equipped with torpedoes and torpedo tubes, some of which were installed on the deck, while more were installed below the waterline like "Seydlitz", because based on past experience, two ships often bombarded each other from a distance until they entered torpedo range. At this time, the torpedoes launched by warships could serve as both an attacking weapon and cover for their own retreat. However, after the Battle of Jutland, it was found that main warships equipped with large-caliber or super-large-caliber guns had already completed their duel at a distance of 10,000 meters, making the installation of torpedo tubes on main warships lose its original significance, and the torpedoes carried on board became a hidden danger. After the war, navies of various countries gradually cancelled the configuration of torpedo tubes and torpedo rooms on their main warships.

  "Hey! Heino, I didn't know you were here! I've been looking all over for you. You should be lying quietly in bed, how did you end up running out?"

  Although the officer in front of him was unfamiliar in build, Zhang Haino remembered his face. He was the young man who had been by his bedside when he woke up. However, Zhang Haino didn't know what to call this guy, or rather, how the former Haino would have addressed him.

  "Hmm... I'm fine now, so I just... came out for a walk! Oh, right, Colonel von Lauterbach asked me to check on some damage in the torpedo rooms and report back to him. Can you..."

  "Ho, I guessed it! You went to see your uncle! How was the situation upstairs?" The young officer spoke quickly, and if Zhang Hainuo hadn't lived in Germany for a few years, he might not have been able to understand him easily.

  Maternal uncle? Zhang Hainuo suddenly enlightened, no wonder the colonel would be so affectionate and caring towards himself, a small lieutenant, it turns out their relationship is not ordinary at all!

  "What's up? Sigh... Not very optimistic, but not too bad either!"

  "Huh? How did you suddenly become so profound?" The young officer was still speaking like a machine gun, but then he leaned in mysteriously close to Zhang Haino's ear and said, "Hey, Haino, be honest with me, can we still make it back to Wilhelmshaven this time?"

  "Of course! Why ask?" Zhang Hainuo looked at him with some surprise.

  "Really?" The other person also had a strange look in their eyes.

  "Of course!" Zhang Hainuo himself didn't dare to be 100% sure, but he felt that under the current circumstances, he couldn't let the low-ranking officers and sailors lose confidence.

  "Ah!" The young officer nodded, looked around, and after others had walked away, he leaned in close to Zhang Haino's ear again. "The No. 1 torpedo room is now completely flooded, the No. 2 and No. 3 are also unusable due to flooding, and as for the No. 4 torpedo room, everything there has been destroyed! I heard that all the main guns and most of the secondary guns on the ship are out of commission, now any British warship can sink us at will!"

  These circumstances Zhang Hainuo roughly all clear, so he did not feel surprised.

  "But there isn't a single British warship near us, I think the British fleet has already sailed back!" Zhang Hainuo hesitated for a moment before saying: "The High Seas Fleet has safely returned to port, you might know that already!"

  The young officer grunted, his emotions still somewhat subdued. "But the British might leave some cruisers to sweep the battlefield!"

  The other's expression made Zhang Haino somewhat angry. Compared to those officers in the command room, this guy was also a bit too shabby.

  He deliberately raised his voice: "What, are you scared?"

  Upon hearing this, the young officer almost jumped up, "Afraid? Me? How is that possible! The men of the Schubal family don't even know what fear is!"

  "That's great!" Zhang Hainuo smiled with satisfaction, and the young military officer also quickly reacted. If it weren't for the current situation not allowing it, the two good friends would have burst out laughing together.

  "Hey, Haino, are you teasing me? Never mind, I'm too lazy to bother with you. Didn't you say your uncle told you to go to the torpedo room to assess the damage? Now, I can tell you the situation there with my eyes closed: Torpedo Room 1 has a standard crew of 21, with 3 killed and 6 injured, the room is completely flooded, equipment is mostly damaged, 8 out of 12 torpedoes are left, and we've removed all the detonators; Torpedo Room 2 has a standard crew of 20, no one was killed, 3 were injured, half of the room is flooded, equipment is mostly intact, all 12 torpedoes are left, and we've removed the detonators; Torpedo Room 3 has a standard crew of 20, no one was killed, 2 were injured, half of the room is flooded, equipment is mostly intact, all 12 torpedoes are left, and we've removed the detonators; Torpedo Room 4 has a standard crew of 21, all 21 were killed, all equipment was destroyed, and all torpedoes were destroyed!"

  If he hadn't heard it with his own ears, Zhang Hainuo really wouldn't have believed that this military officer who was still a bit timid could recite these data like he had memorized them beforehand. Apart from dedication, responsibility and professionalism, Zhang Hainuo couldn't think of any other explanation.

  These numbers may seem simple, but behind them are scenes of extreme cruelty.

  Five hours later, the German coastline finally appeared in people's sight. The "Seydlitz" which had lost all its fighting capacity and only half of its boilers could still operate, miraculously crossed the battlefield alone and returned to Germany, but a large amount of seawater flooded in, making it unable to enter Wilhelmshaven, instead, exhaustedly ran aground on the shallow beach outside the entrance channel.

  Despite this, people were still amazed at the miracle of "Seydlitz", and Kaiser Wilhelm II, who had once thought he had lost the warship, sent a telegram praising the bravery and fearlessness of all the officers and men on board, and called Seydlitz the "unsinkable battleship" of Germany!

  The beauty of the "unsinkable" Seydlitz soon spread throughout Germany, and people took pride in having such a tenacious warship for their nation, rekindling confidence in winning the war.

  However, due to his affection for his precious warship, Emperor Wilhelm II strictly ordered the High Seas Fleet not to set sail without permission from then on. The Battle of Jutland became the last glory of the German Navy in World War I, but for Zhang Haino, who had just arrived at the scene, everything was only just beginning.

  He never got to see the magnificent Battle of Jutland, but he had a motto that would serve him for life:

  I come from Seydlitz, I will fight like the unsinkable Seydlitz, unyieldingly! Fight! Fight!