Chapter 7: The Sparrow Occupies the Magpie's Nest

Tell them that we have received it

The through-hull valve, also known as the sea valve, is a valve located at the lower part of a vessel, leading to the external seawater. It is used for pumping water to cool the main engine, adjusting the ship's balance, firefighting, and other purposes. It is also opened during dry-dock maintenance for related work. Although self-sinking is not the intended design purpose of the through-hull valve, it can effectively achieve this objective

This is war! Damn it!" Logan said, while pulling out his handgun with what he considered to be a stylish gesture

Standing at the front of the wheelhouse, Logan could now see the hazy outline of the Dunkirk outer harbor breakwater. At this moment, the port area was filled with thick smoke, and the lighthouse, breakwater, drawbridge, and warehouses, along with the urban area, seemed to have been scorched by fierce flames

As the outline of Dunkirk became increasingly clear, Logan turned his gaze towards the harbor entrance of Dunkirk. He recalled the aerial photographs provided by the Air Force 12 hours earlier, which showed that although a British destroyer and three civilian ships had already been bombed and sunk near the entrance of the harbor, many British vessels were still navigating in and out of Dunkirk through this channel. Over the past two days, Göring's pilots had been trying every possible means to block it, but the British fighters flying in from across the Channel and the tenacious British sailors thwarted their efforts

A few minutes later, a small boat rowed over from the shore and attempted to make contact using light signals. Logan quickly had someone find Grott, who came up to the deck, drenched in sweat, and exclaimed, "Hey, Lieutenant, they want us to head straight into the channel, and there will be pilots on both sides. Look! Those must be the little lights!"

Thus, Logan summoned Tino Grotto, the only sailor among the paratroopers, and asked, "Is there any way to sink this ship in that channel, preferably across it to completely block the passage?"

Good idea! "Grotte said, "Then I will go execute it right away"

Before the coalition troops on the shore could react, Logan had already taken his 19 paratroopers and departed from the "Black Spirit" on two lifeboats. As for Captain Morgan and his crew, they could only remain imprisoned in the lower deck of the ship. While this was undoubtedly cruel, for the sake of the overall operation, Logan could only silently utter a phrase to them: "I am powerful!"

The elderly man, dressed in a deep blue suit and wearing a flat cap, possesses the captain's characteristic deep-set eyes and weathered face. He introduces himself as Hel Moses, an old sailor who has drifted at sea for over forty years and witnessed the entirety of the last great war. Concerning the impending war, he feels anxious and pessimistic about the future of England; however, he has still resolved to contribute all his strength to his country

Well, go ahead!

There were still 4 to 5 nautical miles from the shore, and the sporadic gunfire from the cargo ship seemed insufficient to attract attention. The well-prepared German paratroopers swiftly took control of the "Black Sprite". All 9 British sailors in the wheelhouse and on deck surrendered, while the stoker wielding a shovel displayed the toughness of the Anglo-Saxons, but their fate was 4 dead and 7 wounded. In the end, apart from 4 stokers, 1 first mate, and 1 sailor who continued to operate the ship under the supervision of the German paratroopers, the rest were locked in the lower deck's cabin. All 9 British sailors in the wheelhouse and on deck surrendered, while the stoker wielding a shovel displayed the toughness of the Anglo-Saxons, but their fate was 4 dead and 7 wounded. In the end, apart from 4 stokers, 1 first mate, and 1 sailor who continued to operate the ship under the supervision of the German paratroopers, the rest were locked in the lower deck's cabin

Grotte lit a cigarette for himself and said, "Hmm, that's about right! Once the ship enters the channel, I will directly open that valve with the books, allowing the ship to sink slowly. To make it more realistic, I think we could set the ship on fire or create a few explosions! However... we did not see any high-explosive materials on the ship, and the ammunition we brought is clearly insufficient to create such an impact"

"Raise your hand, turn around!" Logan said coldly in his Scottish-accented English—this was thanks to his aunt who had studied in Glasgow

Logan picked up the binoculars and observed that there were indeed some faint lights on both sides of the waterway, likely from individuals holding lamps standing on the shore

You are referring to the Tonghai valve! It is rare for Logan to mention such a professional term. Most television programs lack substance, but it seems there are occasional exceptions.

Webley - Scott revolver, .11.18 mm caliber, with a capacity of 6 rounds. Its drawbacks include being heavy and lacking aesthetic appeal, while its advantages are significant power and ease of operation. At close range, it can easily penetrate the human body and leave a terrifying bullet hole

This is a good idea, Logan thought, "Then let's set fire! When our air force arrives to bomb, perhaps we can also guide the pilots and the library to their locations!"

"Mr. Major, to be frank with you, this ship has only been suitable for operations in the near seas of Europe since 10 years ago. In the summer of 1936, it officially became a maritime envoy between England and France, in simple terms, it is a ferry in the English Channel! As a Scotsman, it is not surprising that you have not heard of it!"

The "Black Spirit" is an ocean liner originally capable of accommodating 850 passengers, featuring a robust hull, towering bulwarks, and three thick, round smokestacks. With its boilers fully operational, it can reach a cruising speed of 18 knots. When it was first built, it was considered a famous fast ship operating between Britain and America, although this dates back nearly 40 years to the era of King George V of Britain, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, and Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria.

Sir, back in my days on the ship, I was merely a sailor. Aside from cleaning, I never entered the wheelhouse. However, I know that there is usually a large plug at the bottom of the ship. As long as this plug is opened, the ship will sink into the sea like an open skiff, gurgling all the way down

When Grotto responded to the other party using the signal light, Logan turned to another paratrooper and instructed, "Lower two lifeboats from the starboard side! We need to leave before the ship sinks!"

I feel very sorry and regretful for you and your crew, but..." Logan turned to face the captain, his peripheral vision catching Tobias at the door, who gave him a look that indicated they were ready to start the engines.

The old captain widened his eyes, looking at the handsome, sunlit young officer in front of him with an expression of disbelief. In Britain, there are very few who can rise to the rank of army major by the age of thirty; if not from a prominent family, they are at least very adept at maneuvering. Yet, he never expected that this fellow was actually an enemy in disguise

The cargo ship smoothly entered the channel leading to the inner harbor. Tobias, accompanied by several paratroopers, set fire to the boiler room and fuel tank. Feeling unsatisfied, he also used kerosene found in the kitchen to ignite the dining room. In just a short while, the large ferry was engulfed in flames. At this moment, Grot found and opened the sea valve of the cargo ship—due to severe rust on the knob, they had no choice but to use the high explosives they had brought with them