Chapter 1: The Wealth of the Aegean Sea

I will only pay the remaining amount once both the person and the goods safely arrive in Athens

Is that so

The bearded man no longer had the opportunity to ponder why this had happened. In such a violent explosion, none of the 42 crew members and passengers on board survived. Within just a few minutes, they sank to the seabed along with the ship, leaving only floating debris and some miscellaneous items on the surface of the water

Additionally, this commander has a very peculiar habit: whenever his submarine departs from port, he always ensures that the crew prepares a torpedo with the minimum depth setting in the rear torpedo tube. However, before this day, no one knew the reason behind his actions

Do not rush, do not rush, we cannot win this direct confrontation; our East India Company has other means!" The old sailor teased a bit and proudly switched to using the term "we". Seeing that the people around him were truly anxious, he then calmly said:

Boom

The gentleman raised his wine glass to eye level, allowing the sunlight to refract through the red liquid into his eyes. Red is a color not only found in blood and wine, and transparency is not a quality exclusive to glass. In the safe within this room, a necklace made of red and crystal-like gemstones possesses a value millions of times greater than this bottle of red wine; it is a collection that he, as well as the entire Fengge family, takes great pride in. Over a hundred years ago, only the most esteemed women of India were qualified to wear it around their beautiful necks during very important celebrations.

Ah... these fortunes are still astronomical figures today. The sailors were all wide-eyed, wishing they had been born more than 100 years earlier, even if it meant being an ordinary groom, they would still want to participate in that thrilling battle for wealth

"Countless!" the old sailor remarked with deep emotion, "Every year, many treasure seekers come with hope, but the vastness of the sea means that most return empty-handed!"

No, its cannon cannot sink us in one shot, but we can charge and ram it! At such a close distance, that German submarine has no time to escape back into the water! The gentleman's tone left almost no room for negotiation. The bearded captain was about to retort, but found that the other party had already drawn a revolver and aimed it at him.

Of course

In fact, there is no need for everyone to feel disheartened! The old sailor suddenly spoke in a mysterious tone: "Gold, silver, and jewels are not exclusive to the Indians! For instance, the depths of the Aegean Sea are buried with countless treasures!"

In the autumn of 1915, the flames of war raged across the European continent. The ambitions of Germany, the resolve of France, and the aspirations of Britain found themselves in an unprecedented stalemate along the Marne River front in eastern France. Artillery, machine guns, barbed wire, and the intricate network of trenches left commanders on both sides at a loss, while millions of soldiers could only helplessly wait and wait in the muddy trenches. The war of attrition fought in this confined area posed a tremendous test of manpower, resources, and patience for both the Allied and Central Powers.

Upon discovering that the cargo ship intended to ram and sink his vessel, Herson decisively ordered his crew to move to the forward compartment of the submarine, as only with the stern of the submarine slightly raised could torpedoes launched from the rear torpedo tubes possibly hit a ship at such close range

Once again, a cannon fired, and this time the shell accurately struck the bow of the ship. However, the bearded captain revealed a hint of disdainful smile, saying, "Germans, do you think this will sink my ship?"

On the other side of the European continent, the beautiful Mediterranean Sea appears calm on the surface, yet it is fraught with undercurrents. Here, there are the naval forces of the Central Powers—Austria-Hungary and Turkey, both possessing independent navies—as well as the formidable fleets of the Allies, including the powerful British Mediterranean Fleet, the French main fleet, and the Italian Navy, which has just entered the war in spring. Compared to the stalemate on the continent, the Allies hold an absolute advantage in the Mediterranean. The fleet of Austria-Hungary is firmly suppressed by their arch-rivals, the Italians, within the Adriatic Sea, while Turkey is exhausted from dealing with the land and naval offensives of the British and French forces. Their weak navy can only remain ineffective behind the Dardanelles Strait, which their opponents cannot cross.

No more deliveries!

Regarding this name, the gentleman appeared quite dismissive; in his eyes, it was merely a warship with the ability to flee. Currently, the main forces of the British and French fleets are gathering at the entrance of the Dardanelles, and it likely lacks even the courage to leave Istanbul for a breath of fresh air, let alone venture into the Aegean Sea for a cruise.

Captain Big Beard grumbled and cursed, but the current situation allowed him no moment of hesitation. He pushed aside the first mate who was at the helm and took control of the wheel himself. Given the close proximity of the two vessels and the high speed of his own ship, he did not need to order an increase in speed; a sharp turn of the wheel was sufficient, and soon the bow of his ship was aimed directly at the German submarine, which was traveling at a significantly lower speed. Since the two ships had been moving parallel to each other, the cargo ship was now heading straight towards the side of the submarine. If they were to collide in this manner, the one to suffer would undoubtedly be the slender-bodied German submarine.

Cheers to this pleasant weather and to our enjoyable journey

Captain Big Beard nonchalantly grabbed the bottle of red wine with a French label from the table, pouring it into his glass while confidently stating

However, Captain Big Beard ultimately guessed one thing correctly: the commander standing on the conning tower of that submarine, with a face full of indifference, was indeed a "madman." His name was Hesse, the captain of the German submarine U21, a name and vessel number well-known in the German Navy. That spring, this brave captain led his U21 into the Irish Sea, a place regarded as sacred by the British forces. Despite the numerous surface "lookouts" and the dense underwater anti-submarine mines, he successfully sank three British ships and even approached the British coast one night to shell a nearby British airfield. It was because of such nearly insane actions that Hesse earned the nickname "The Madman of the Sea."

The imbalance of power is what renders the Mediterranean this seemingly irrational tranquility, yet at least before the arrival of autumn, the vessels of the Allied and neutral nations navigate here with relative ease. The route from the Suez Canal to the Strait of Gibraltar is even busier than in peacetime, as Britain and France continuously transport troops and supplies from their colonies in Africa and Asia. The only real threat to them comes from those Allied sharks accustomed to lurking beneath the waves. However, both the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Turkey possess very few submarines. Thus, in the eyes of most Allied captains, the probability of being struck by an Allied torpedo in the Mediterranean is exceedingly low; they jokingly refer to it as something that would only happen on Black Friday.

Despite the fact that several pieces of glass from the control room's porthole had been shattered and acrid smoke was pouring in, at this moment, the bearded captain became resolute. His bloodshot eyes were fixed on the German submarine ahead, 250 yards away—he could see the German crew members busily loading shells into the deck gun; at 200 yards—he noticed a German officer wearing a white military cap on the conning tower. What was that German officer thinking? How would he respond?

Stop the ship! In the name of the Imperial German Navy, we command you to stop the ship immediately; you have been captured by the Imperial German Navy! Stop the ship at once, or we will use cannons and torpedoes!

After fully charging the battery, Herson and his submarine submerged once again into the seawater, continuing their journey in search of prey

What a big fish! The previous burly Egyptian sailor provided a wonderfully imaginative answer

During the height of the Ottoman Empire, the Aegean Sea was the internal sea of the Ottomans, with a large number of merchant ships traveling along the route between Athens, Cairo, and Istanbul. A single pirate attack or a storm was enough to bury countless treasures beneath the waves! Do you know how many there were in total? How many?" The old sailor's gaze searched the audience, but no one could answer. Do you know how many there were in total? How many?" The old sailor's gaze searched the audience, but no one could answer

150 yards -- Captain Beard discovered that the submarine was also turning, but instead of pointing its bow towards him, it was turning its stern around. As this maneuver progressed, the deck gun of the German submarine quickly lost its firing angle

The sailors shook their heads in unison

The old sailor vividly recounted

What did you say? The sailors leaned in, both envious and curious.

Did they win? a small sailor eagerly asked

The gentleman's nonchalant tone clearly displeased the bearded captain, but despite his annoyance, the clean-shaven man before him was his wealthy benefactor. With this thought in mind, the captain couldn't help but let out a hearty laugh

Compared to the two powerful British battleships, this small British cargo ship is truly insignificant. However, as he gazed at the debris floating on the sea, Herson showed no sign of victorious joy. After all, in this remote location, every torpedo is exceptionally precious. He had originally planned to intimidate the British with two shells to make them abandon their ship, then send crew members aboard to search for valuable items such as fresh vegetables, meat, and fresh water, and finally have the crew place some explosives in the ship's hull, which is a common practice among German submarine commanders.

Ah, old Jack, you are not trying to fool us, are you

Cough cough! 3,000 against 70,000, can this battle be won? ... Of course not!" The old sailor shook his head, immediately eliciting a chorus of sighs. Judging by the facial contours and features of these individuals, apart from the old sailor and the short sailor who are typical Europeans, the others should all be local Egyptians.

Ah... the sighs around carry different meanings, some express regret, some envy, and others jealousy

September 25, 1915, Friday

Do you want to escape? A group of German pigs! The man with the big beard sneered contemptuously, unless the Germans could completely submerge in a very short time, they would not be able to match the speed of his ship. But suddenly, he noticed a bubble rising suddenly behind that submarine, what could it be? A signal from the ship's propeller? ... Or ...

Good wine! Good wine! Truly the finest Bordeaux red wine!" exclaimed the mustachioed man in admiration

"Germans, they are Germans!" This shout threw everyone on the ship into a complete panic, for it was well known that in the British government's propaganda posters, Germans were depicted as a group of ruthless demons who kill without blinking. As for why the German submarine appeared here, the sailors had no idea and no time to investigate.

This group and the hybrid of books... fought fiercely!

A few weeks later, in an inconspicuous corner of the London Times, a notice was published: a fast boat named "Pike" had gone missing while en route from Cairo to Athens, along with the renowned jeweler Stipik Finger and his jewelry valued at over 2 million pounds. Anyone with information is urged to promptly notify the British police, and a substantial reward will be offered

At that moment, a somewhat non-standard English shout came from the German submarine. Due to the use of a loudspeaker, everyone on the ship could clearly hear the content of the shout.

In the year 1756, the British East India Company was at the height of its power, engaging in lucrative trade in India. They established their own army and trained Indians to fight on their behalf. To garrison their troops and store valuable goods, they constructed a massive fortress in Calcutta. One must consider, who would be willing to allow outsiders to build such a stronghold in their own home? Consequently, this quickly led to discontent among the Indians. After the Nawab of Bengal, equivalent to a governor, found his protests against the East India Company ineffective, he ordered an attack on the fortress. At that time, there were only 900 British soldiers in Calcutta, and with the Indian soldiers they had trained, their numbers totaled less than 3,000, while their opponents numbered as many as 70,000

Thus, we spent a fortune to bribe the officers of Varanabha. When we engaged in battle with the Indian army again, they fell into internal strife, and even Varanabha was killed by us! Our troops seized the opportunity to advance towards the treasury of Bengal. When the doors of the treasury were opened... Oh God! The treasury was filled with gold, silver, and jewels, dazzling to behold! Suddenly, a cry of 'Robbery!' rang out. Tsk tsk tsk. The scene immediately spiraled out of control, as everyone desperately stuffed jewels into their pockets, boots, and even hats. Oh God! The treasury was filled with gold, silver, and jewels, dazzling to behold! Suddenly, a cry of 'Robbery!' rang out. Tsk tsk tsk. The scene immediately spiraled out of control, as everyone desperately stuffed jewels into their pockets, boots, and even hats. Do you know what the British commander said afterward?

You do not know?

On the deck of this ship, the on-duty firemen are leisurely enjoying the warm spring sun. For these sailors who have lived at sea for many years, the opportunity to come ashore and seek pleasure is indeed a rare treat. However, during the voyage, listening to the old sailors tell stories is a great pleasure for them, as it allows them to pass the time without spending any money.

"Submarine... submarine... submarine!" The old sailor was stunned for a full two to three seconds before he gasped and shouted, "Captain... submarine... we have a submarine 500... no, at most 450 yards to our front right!"

I said, "Captain, we should still have over ten hours before we arrive in Athens! The wine is fragrant, but we must not neglect our important business!"

"Damn it, Jim, stop interrupting..." Another burly stoker waved his fist.

Impossible

The gentleman said with irritation that if it were not for the fact that the luxurious cruise ships of Cairo had all been requisitioned by the navy to serve as troop transport vessels, he would never have chosen such a heavy-drinking captain and such a ship that could only run aimlessly.

Quick, what is that

The pirates that once roamed the Mediterranean disappeared a century ago. I believe that aside from those damned Germans and Turks, no one would dare to offend the ships of our British Empire! Even if the Goeben, one of the only two German warships in the Mediterranean at the outbreak of World War I, a modern battlecruiser known for its speed, were to arrive, successfully escaping the encirclement of the British Mediterranean Fleet into the then-neutral Turkey, and later nominally sold to Turkey but still operated by German crew, we could still leave it far behind! Even if the Goeben were to arrive, we could still leave it far behind!

However, he was mistaken. Just seconds later, accompanied by a thunderous explosion, the entire ship was almost blown into the sky—this was a highly powerful German Type T torpedo, which even large warships with considerable armor would strive to evade, let alone a vessel with a steel frame and wooden hull like this one

But there are also those who have found one or two sunken ships, some of which are worthless, while others can yield tens of thousands of gold coins and various kinds of jewels! Perhaps... perhaps there lies a ship filled with treasure chests right beneath us on the seabed, but who really knows?

In the most spacious and brightly lit room of the ship, adorned with the most luxurious decorations, a bearded man wearing a captain's hat and a well-dressed middle-aged gentleman stood by the window, each holding a glass of wine. After the crystal-clear glasses gently clinked together, producing a pleasant sound, the bearded man downed his blood-red wine in one gulp, while the gentleman merely took a delicate sip.

Oh... The sailors were filled with astonishment after hearing this

"Do as I say, this is our only way to escape safely!" The gentleman said this, but in reality, he was unwilling to hand over the contents of the safe to the Germans. In such a situation, if the ship were to stop, the Germans would board and plunder, leaving the crew and passengers with only a few lifeboats, and then sink the ship with cannons or torpedoes. This information was obtained by the gentleman from British newspapers, which, although not entirely reliable, clearly made him reluctant to risk his life and fortune on a gamble.

The total value of wealth exceeds 58 million pounds! The old sailor emphasized this figure particularly, stating, "The officers and soldiers seized 21 million, and the rest went to the East India Company!"

Regardless, it is always wise to be cautious Moreover, Captain, I do not wish to see your men recklessly approaching my door again If any issues arise, I will not take responsibility The gentleman cast a glance at the sturdy safe in the corner of the room and compared to the mahogany furniture and the 500 barrels of whiskey brewed from top-quality wheat in the cabin, this was the true "cargo" he was transporting on this trip However, do not think for a moment that he was merely a fish on the chopping block aboard this ship To enter this room, one must first contend with the four unsavory-looking strongmen at the door and their quick-draw guns Compared to the mahogany furniture and the 500 barrels of whiskey brewed from top-quality wheat in the cabin, this was the true "cargo" he was transporting on this trip However, do not think for a moment that he was merely a fish on the chopping block aboard this ship To enter this room, one must first contend with the four unsavory-looking strongmen at the door and their quick-draw guns

The sailors, upon hearing this, were once again filled with exclamations of astonishment

He said: "Ah, I was really foolish at that time. I was surrounded by gold, silver, and jewels, with entire boxes of gold bars and bags full of various gemstones, yet I only took away £200,000!"

The sailors rushed over to take a look, but the old sailor appeared indifferent.

The Germans clearly sensed the signs, as a flash of fire erupted on the submarine's deck, followed almost instantaneously by two loud explosions less than one second apart. A shell accurately struck the ship's starboard side. Amidst the rapidly scattering shrapnel and splintered wood, several crew members fell into pools of blood before they had a chance to react

"Do not stop the ship!" The employer of this vessel—a distinguished gentleman who suddenly appeared in the control room—shouted at the captain: "Charge ahead! Sink it!"

At that moment, a sailor standing closer to the ship's railing suddenly shouted

The old sailor looked proudly at the Egyptian sailors, most of whom could not read these large characters. In fact, what he knew was merely what he had heard from a few ships he had been on, and regarding the accuracy of that information, even he himself was unaware.

A hint of a meaningful smile flashed at the corner of the gentleman's mouth. This ship is indeed fast, but its capacity is simply too small. Apart from customers like myself, who need to transport valuable goods along with books, who would spend a large sum to hire a ship that can only carry a few thousand tons of cargo to cross the Mediterranean Sea

Mr. Finger, please rest assured, I will make sure they remember this! Captain Big Beard downed the remaining wine in his cup in one go, and before leaving, he did not forget to stuff the bottle, which still had more than half a bottle of wine, into his coat pocket. "You just take a good rest, I will have them bring lunch to you, goodbye!"

"Are you crazy?" In this life-and-death situation, the captain appeared very clear-headed, "We will be blown to pieces!"

Mr. Finger, you can rest assured! In Cairo, who doesn't know me, John White, and this ship that can race against torpedoes! Do you know why the navy hasn't requisitioned my ship as a troop transport? It's simply because my ship is too fast, fast enough to leave the entire fleet behind!

Geben number? Hmph!

What does 450 yards mean? 1 yard equals 0.9144 meters, which converts to just over 400 meters. In the vast expanse of the ocean, such a distance can be clearly seen without binoculars. What terrifies the old sailors even more is that a flag soon rose above the submarine's command cabin, a black ensign of the Black Cross that all British people detest!

On the surface of the sea between the island of Crete and the island of Kasos in the central Mediterranean, a ship with three smokestacks is sailing from south to north. Although it does not possess the massive body and luxurious decorations of the Titanic, it boasts a speed worthy of pride in these waters; despite having no cannons on board, a formidable flag flies high on its mast. On this planet, no one is unfamiliar with it; it symbolizes the dignity and might of the world's foremost naval power, and it is also the only flag in the world that is illuminated by sunlight 24 hours a day. A formidable flag flies high on its mast. On this planet, no one is unfamiliar with it; it symbolizes the dignity and might of the world's foremost naval power, and it is also the only flag in the world that is illuminated by sunlight 24 hours a day.

Affected by the close-range explosion, the U21 sustained some damage; however, Herson was not concerned. His well-trained crew quickly resolved the issues one by one, and he habitually recorded the time, location, and general process of the attack in his nautical log.

The old sailor glanced in the direction pointed out by the crowd, and that glance nearly paralyzed him with fear.

However, Hessen's madness did not stop there. In the face of the fierce offensive from the British and French armies, the Turkish government sent a request for support to Germany, which subsequently dispatched a number of submarines to the Mediterranean, among them U21. After a long journey of 4,000 nautical miles and passing through the layers of the Allies' blockade at the Strait of Gibraltar, Hessen commanded his submarine to stealthily approach the anchorage of the Allies near Cape Greece under the cover of night, and successfully sank the British battleships "Triumph" and "Dignity," achieving a remarkable feat in military history (this is a historical fact). After a long journey of 4,000 nautical miles and passing through the layers of the Allies' blockade at the Strait of Gibraltar, Hessen commanded his submarine to stealthily approach the anchorage of the Allies near Cape Greece under the cover of night, and successfully sank the British battleships "Triumph" and "Dignity," achieving a remarkable feat in military history (this is a historical fact)

Madman! Truly a madman!

This statement is not without merit. In the control room of the ship, the bearded captain can see through the telescope that the crew members on the German submarine are untying the waterproof canvas covering the deck gun at the bow of the vessel. Although this deck gun is not very powerful and has a limited range (during World War I, the deck guns on submarines of various countries were typically below 100 millimeters), it is more than sufficient to deal with a merchant ship of less than ten thousand tons that is completely defenseless.

What is there to be so alarmed about

The bearded man said to himself, "No one would launch a torpedo at this distance, as the torpedo would pass beneath and, even if it could hit the target, I would also be injured by the massive shockwave. Unless... unless the other party is a madman"

Indeed, indeed! Old Jack, where could there be treasures beneath the Aegean Sea!