Chapter 1: The Intruders of the Forbidden Zone

In the height of summer, the intense sunlight creates a series of dazzling halos in the pristine air, while cotton-like clouds adorn the azure sky. A strong sea breeze sweeps across the deep blue surface of the River Abbs estuary in England, causing the flags on the masts and signal lines of the vessels to flutter in the wind. The surging waves rhythmically crash against the ships, harmonizing with the steady and unhurried rumble of the engines.

As a faint buzzing sound, reminiscent of bees flying among flowers, drifted from afar, the British sailors aboard the ship curiously looked up. They soon spotted a gray aircraft in the sky, resembling a seagull. Four years ago, the Americans successfully conducted tests of aircraft taking off and landing on ship decks. Three years ago, the Italians pioneered the use of aircraft in combat during their war with the Ottoman Empire. Two years ago, the Americans again tested aircraft catapults on ships. However, these emerging phenomena only attracted the attention of a small number of military observers, while the vast majority remained entrenched in traditional combat thinking. At that time, the aircraft typically had a range of only one or two hundred kilometers, insufficient to fly from German territory to the eastern waters of Britain. The officers and sailors on the two British warships watched impassively, speculating whether the aircraft belonged to their military or was a civilian flying machine. As for its constant wing flapping and its clockwise or counterclockwise circling in the air, no one considered what that might signify.

In a fleeting moment, it is as if the sharp, piercing sound of a continuous air raid siren fills the air; it is practically an invisible blade capable of penetrating the human body and piercing deep into the soul, causing those who consider themselves brave to tremble, panic, and feel helpless. Meanwhile, the timid appear as if they have been struck by a paralysis spell, standing there like wooden puppets, completely unaware of their inability to move. The psychological intimidation brought about by this heavy artillery bombardment is already terrifying enough, and the subsequent explosions threaten to shatter people's spirits. Those facing the blast point find their vision instantly seized by an intensely bright light several dozen meters away, their optic nerves experiencing an extreme delay in response akin to deafness in the eardrum, rendering them immobile. The psychological intimidation from the heavy artillery bombardment is already frightening enough, and the subsequent explosions further threaten to collapse people's mental state. Those facing the blast point find their vision instantly seized by an intensely bright light several dozen meters away, their optic nerves experiencing an extreme delay in response akin to deafness in the eardrum, while their ears are also shaken by high-decibel, highly impactful sound waves, leading many to hear nothing but a buzzing in their ears after the first one or two explosions, completely unable to discern how many more explosions follow.

This terrifying thought caused some to exclaim in shock and scream, while others were left in a state of panic, their hearts racing. Regardless of the reaction, everyone understood the gravity of the situation in an instant. Before the piercing sound of enemy shells slicing through the air reached them, many were already gazing up at the strange sight in the sky: shells from afar resembled a group of meteors appearing in broad daylight, soaring at high speed through the sky. Although they emitted no blinding light and left no long trails of smoke, they carried a destructive power akin to that of meteors. The most frightening aspect was that they were specifically targeted to destroy every British ship present here

Having endured an unbelievable shock and suppressing the surging sorrow within, the British sailors on the destroyer resolutely cast aside their fear of death. They decisively took over the navigation position of the reporting ship, signaling the cargo ships and barges to "retreat" while turning the razor-sharp bow towards the enemy fleet. The 4-inch naval guns on board, both in range and power, were insufficient to pose a threat to the enemy's large warships, and the 500 mm caliber torpedoes became the only hope for repelling the enemy. Turning the razor-sharp bow towards the enemy fleet, the 4-inch naval guns on board, both in range and power, were insufficient to pose a threat to the enemy's large warships, and the 500 mm caliber torpedoes became the only hope for repelling the enemy.

Over the past three hundred years, the British Navy's dominance across the world can be attributed in large part to its bold and fearless fighting spirit. When faced with an enemy fleet that appeared suddenly and was far superior in strength, the commander of the reporting ship quickly made a decision at the cost of lives: the vibrant battle flag was raised on the mast, the slender hull turned towards the formidable enemy, and simultaneously, the signal flags on the ship requested the accompanying destroyers to release smoke screens to fully cover the withdrawal of their own vessels.

Being on the battlefield is ultimately different from sitting in a realistically immersive cinema. Every individual facing life and death, whether a novice making their first appearance or a seasoned veteran hardened by the ravages of war, will have no inclination whatsoever to appreciate the spectacle of war. The waves stirred up by the shells crash in relentless succession, and even the massive ship sways unsteadily, while the tiny sailors can only cling desperately to the fixed objects beside them. In a span of less than 5 seconds, 10 heavy shells rain down with a precision that astonishes the officers of the Royal Navy to the point of despair, some of which have already inflicted a degree of near-miss damage to the ship. Before the second round of even more precise artillery fire arrives, the officer on the reporting ship is roaring hoarsely, while the signalman at the mast bravely waves the signal flags, sending a signal for all vessels to retreat towards the coast. The signal lights at the stern are also simultaneously transmitting the same message—before the communication signal is even completed, the distant fleet fires again. The flashes and smoke produced by the ship's cannon fire seem to issue a merciless death threat to this group of British men!

Approximately 10 nautical miles southeast of the mouth of the Abus River, three medium-sized cargo ships, five flat-deck barges, and two lead-gray painted warships are sailing south along the coastline. They are not in any specific formation, with the two warships following one another, resembling two shepherd dogs escorting a leisurely flock of ducks to a pond. The lead ship is an old-style dispatch vessel with three smokestacks; it has a slender body and streamlined lines, featuring a semi-enclosed single turret at the bow, midship, and stern, along with several open small-caliber machine guns mounted on the sides. Bringing up the rear is a "torpedo boat destroyer," also known as a "destroyer," a new type of ship that emerged in the late 19th century. It is significantly smaller than the dispatch vessel, also has three smokestacks, a longer hull, faster sailing speed, and comparable naval gunfire power, equipped with powerful torpedo weapons, making it more suited to the demands of modern naval warfare.

Accompanied by each tremendous roar, clusters of water columns, resembling filled candies, rise from the surface of the sea—"heart" represents the dark sea mud stirred up by the violent explosion, while "clothing" is the abundant spray displaying a pure white hue, creating a striking contrast in colors. These water columns seem like strange flowers in the hands of a magician, instantly blooming in splendid beauty, dazzling to the extreme, and in a moment, the petals scatter, leaving no trace.

Just as the alarm was about to be sounded by the British, a sudden burst of firelight appeared at the distant fleet, accompanied by billowing gray smoke on the far horizon. This scene seemed to transport people to Trafalgar Square during a festive occasion, watching the ceremonial soldiers in vintage uniforms salute with flintlock guns from afar. The difference was that the sight before the British sailors left them all in stunned silence.

The dispatch vessel was a type of ship commonly found in the navies of various countries in the latter half of the 18th century. Its design purpose was for combat reconnaissance, patrol, and communication, pursuing higher speed at the expense of armament and armor, resulting in very limited combat capability. To evade enemy ships, they were typically equipped with various smoke devices and could accelerate the release of smoke screens by adding smoke agents to the boiler. Under the calm command of the officers, the British crew quickly opened the smoke canisters located at the stern of the ship, and the boiler's chimney began to emit thick smoke. The accompanying destroyers also assisted in creating a protective smoke screen. During this process, the enemy fleet conducted two rounds of firing. Although there were no direct hits, it resembled the warm-up activities of an athlete before exerting force, with the real effort still to come—each round of shelling was an extreme pressure for the British, who were passively taking hits, a torment akin to walking on thin ice. Faced with the sharp scythe of death being wielded, they prayed and pleaded, hoping to escape this calamity.

Before the British could regain their composure, another round of heavy artillery shells struck them with a terrifying whistling sound and a thunderous explosion, forcefully assaulting their eardrums and hearts. At that moment, a scene that left them deeply shocked unfolded: an old-style communication ship, displacing over 1,300 tons, was reduced to countless fragments amidst a horrifying blaze. The deafening roar continued to reverberate across the surface of the sea, as these fragments scattered like flowers released by a celestial maiden, ultimately sinking into the water. The massive warship thus vanished, along with more than a hundred crew members who had just moments ago been vibrantly alive, evaporating into thin air.

After approximately the time it takes to smoke a cigarette, the lookout on the British ship spotted smoke rising from the eastern sea and promptly reported it to the duty officer. The captain and the senior officers on board quickly observed this situation. Based on the scale and density of the smoke, they assessed that it was a medium-sized fleet. Just a few days after the outbreak of war, the Royal Navy was still actively adjusting its domestic deployments; therefore, the officers believed it to be a cruiser division of their own and ordered the lookout to maintain observation.

On two British warships, sailors dressed in white uniforms were clearly not restrained or anxious due to the outbreak of war. The personnel on duty remained near the gun positions, while the others leisurely walked on the deck. This is the territorial waters of Britain, which has not faced threats or invasions from enemies for a century since the great threat posed by Napoleonic France was eliminated. With the continuous accumulation of wealth and the increasing national strength, the global hegemony of the Empire on which the sun never sets is even greater than before. In the face of emerging industrial nations like Germany, which have been rapidly developing their navies in recent years, most British people maintain a sense of invulnerability, as their navy possesses a multiple advantage over their opponents. The focus of discussion is not on which side will win the naval battle, but rather on how the British Royal Navy, which advocates preemptive strikes and comprehensive blockade strategies, will destroy the German fleet. In the eyes of most, the Germans can only hope to preserve their costly high seas fleet by winning the land war, with no other options available.

Before the shells fell, many seasoned British naval personnel still harbored a sense of optimism—enemy ships opened fire at a distance of approximately 20,000 yards. Even if the new Krupp naval guns could reach such a range, their accuracy could not be guaranteed. Normally, the Germans would need to gradually adjust the impact points of their shells, and given the proximity to the British coast, it would only take about an hour for ships to enter the protective range of the Abus River coastal fortifications... They should have a chance to escape the danger... Normally, the Germans would need to gradually adjust the impact points of their shells, and given the proximity to the British coast, it would only take about an hour for ships to enter the protective range of the Abus River coastal fortifications... They should have a chance to escape the danger...

Even under the relentless urging of enemy artillery, the cargo ships and barges, with a maximum speed of merely around 10 knots, still awkwardly and slowly turned towards the coast, making one wish to whip them as one would livestock. As the heavy shells, screeching as they fell, once again stirred up a tumultuous sea, the British crew and sailors could do nothing but pray. On the British destroyers and dispatch vessels flying the St. George's Cross naval flag, the gunners striving to turn their cannons towards the enemy had already realized that their artillery posed no threat whatsoever to the German fleet at the horizon. Most critically, this area of sea was nearly 200 nautical miles from the mouth of the Thames and several dozen nautical miles from the two military ports in eastern England—Scarborough and Kings Lynn. If the German fleet continued its bombardment unchecked, within half an hour, the cargo ships and barges would likely become victims of the Krupp artillery, and the British warships stationed nearby would be unable to exert any restraining effect.

He is a German

This is the most terrifying aspect of war

Despite their tremendous power, the torpedoes used by the British Navy at the outbreak of World War I typically had an effective range of only 2,000 yards. In broad daylight, a single destroyer was almost incapable of posing a threat to an enemy cruiser squadron. Yet, even in the face of seemingly no hope for victory, this British destroyer charged forward like a fearless bulldog, bravely and tenaciously advancing to draw enemy fire and cover the retreat of its own vessels. As the distance closed, they would despair even more upon realizing that the German fleet, flying the black eagle and iron cross flag from its masts, was even stronger than they had imagined. Without exception, these new cruisers possessed excellent maneuverability, and five of them boasted firepower comparable to that of battleships. The British Navy defined this new type of warship as "battlecruisers," while the Germans not only equipped these new warships with powerful artillery and high-capacity engines but also reinforced them with thick armor, enabling them to independently carry out combat reconnaissance missions and significantly enhance the tactical options of the main fleet, thus becoming a truly strategically mobile vanguard force.

This clear, tranquil, and peaceful day marks the third day after the official outbreak of the First World War, and also the third day since the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland declared war on the German Empire. Due to wartime regulations, the eastern waters of England have lost their usual bustling activity; cargo ships, mail boats, barges, and fishing vessels have all suspended their departures. They sit helplessly and lazily lined up in the dock berths behind the breakwater, waiting for the situation to clarify. Only those vessels carrying essential supplies or military personnel are granted escort by warships, heading towards the relatively safe southern and western waters. Due to wartime regulations, the eastern waters of England have lost their usual bustling activity; cargo ships, mail boats, barges, and fishing vessels have all suspended their departures. They sit helplessly and lazily lined up in the dock berths behind the breakwater, waiting for the situation to clarify. Only those vessels carrying essential supplies or military personnel are granted escort by warships, heading towards the relatively safe southern and western waters

Note: "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland" was the official name of the UK from 1801 to 1927. After the establishment of the Irish Free State, the name was changed to "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland"

A few minutes later, the outline of a fleet appeared on the horizon. Before the optical equipment was sufficient to identify the type of the opposing ships, the British officer on the reporting ship ordered an inquiry into the identity and military password of the other party. However, the signalman sent the message twice in succession, and there was no response from the other side. At this moment, the atmosphere on the British warship suddenly became tense