freenovelworld Chapter 643 I'm frying some fish, do you have a problem with that?
Chapter 643 I'm frying some fish, do you have a problem with that?
The P2V-7U crew frantically rowed the plane, while our "Sea Eagle" minesweeper tried desperately to drive the Bald Eagle destroyer away.
"Captain! This can't go on! We can't hold out! How about we aim for their bridge? It's worth sacrificing a couple of lives!"
"No! That means war has officially begun..."
Liu Huaqing shook his head. The intensity of the confrontation had been deliberately maintained by both sides. Although they had fired their cannons, it was aimed at empty sea areas, merely a warning.
If they actually fired at the ship's hull, the confrontation would escalate to a whole new level. They might feel good, but the consequences would be severe!
"Boom..."
The 37mm gun at the bow fired another tracer round, leaving a red trail that splashed a small spray of water in front of the Bald Eagle destroyer.
"Captain! This is the last tracer round!"
Liu Huaqing's lips twitched. "Why can't they understand human language! It seems we've been too quiet! Navigator! Did we bring eight depth charges?"
"Yes!"
"Modify it on-site! Tie empty oil drums to it, and change the detonation depth setting of the depth charge to the shortest distance!"
"Yes!"
"Captain, we're using BMB-2 depth charges, which have a minimum blast depth of 40 meters!"
"I know! Get to it! Arrange the three empty oil drums in a triangle! Finally, use hemp rope to clamp the depth charge inside. And remove the original depth-stabilizing fuse!"
"Helmsman, create some distance and keep the boat relatively stable."
Liu Huaqing pried out a mechanical clock embedded in the control panel, hesitated for a moment, and then resolutely smashed it.
"Wow, this is the first reward I ever received back in school!"
After taking out the mechanism, despite the inconvenience caused by the swaying waves, Liu Huaqing connected the spring power output shaft to the firing pin release device. This way, after winding up the spring, the gear set would drive the firing pin to strike the detonator at a set time, which would detonate the depth charge!
Inside the cabin, as everyone was busy, the lookout's shout came from the communication tube again: "Report! The enemy ship has made a new move!"
Liu Huaqing stopped what he was doing and looked up at the Bald Eagle destroyer not far away. He saw figures moving on the opposite ship's side.
Almost simultaneously, several huge circular panels on both sides of the massive hull of the "Blue" near the waterline suddenly sprang open! The dark torpedo tubes were clearly revealed! The deep openings of the tubes, like the bared fangs of a giant beast, pointed directly at the "Sea Eagle" bobbing up and down in the waves!
"Torpedo tubes! They've opened the torpedo tube covers!" The lookout's voice trembled slightly.
Inside the bridge, the air seemed to have been completely sucked out! A cold, suffocating feeling gripped everyone's throat.
"Hahaha!" Liu Huaqing suddenly burst into laughter.
"Captain?"
"The bald eagles are frantic! They're... terrified!"
"Hahaha! Don't be fooled by their imposing 127mm naval gun. Once we get close, that thing is just a decoration!"
"This five-tube 533mm torpedo launcher is filled with Mk.15 torpedoes, impressive stuff: 5.5 kilometers range, 374 kilograms of TNT warhead. But there's still the same problem—distance! The minimum safe distance for this thing is 1 kilometer! We're so close, they won't dare to launch it!"
"It's just a baring old cat, trying to scare us!"
"Captain, really?"
"It couldn't be more true! During the Battle of Tassafaronga in 1942, American cruisers launched torpedoes at a distance of 800 meters, but because they couldn't stabilize their course, they all missed their targets. When I was in school, my Allied instructors used this as an example. Their torpedoes' gyroscopes needed to stabilize their course at 200-300 meters, otherwise they would deviate significantly from the preset trajectory!"
"Helmsman, can we get any closer? As long as we maintain our current direction and try to get as close to them as possible, they're like tigers with their teeth pulled out, only able to fight us with their claws! But with just their claws, they're no match for the dirt we'll make later... That's what you call having nothing to lose!"
"Yes, sir! Mission accomplished! But please, Xiao Zhao, use the radar to assist me!"
"Alright! Xiao Zhao, follow the helmsman's orders! Don't panic, stay calm! Watch me give them a shock!"
Liu Huaqing tucked the newly assembled items into his coat pocket and stumbled out of the cabin, leaning on the railing.
"Xiao Zhao! Keep a close eye on the radar. That thing can show the distance, right? If it exceeds the 300 meters the captain mentioned, remind me!"
Xiao Zhao watched as helmsman Chen Gang's mouth opened and closed, then took off his headset and strained his neck, saying, "Brother Chen, say it again..."
"I told you to keep a close eye on the radar! Distance, the safest distance! Three hundred meters! Aren't your ears supposed to be the best?!"
Chen Gang kept his head tilted, staring intently at the gray wall opposite, unaware of Xiao Zhao's somewhat pale face.
"understood!"
Xiao Zhao shook his dizzy head and couldn't help but vomit something, but his eyes were fixed on the radar screen.
"460 meters! Stick close, stick close... ugh..."
Inside the cockpit, helmsman Chen Gang's arms were already numb and sore, as if filled with lead, but his hands gripping the steering wheel were as if welded to it, his knuckles white from excessive force.
His gaze was fixed on the massive gray iron wall ahead, his ears listening to the radar operator Xiao Zhao's occasional distance reports, his brain rapidly calculating the slight shifts caused by each wave's push, using all his strength and willpower to maintain that fragile safety line.
Sweat stung his eyes, and he blinked hard, not daring to look away for a moment.
……
"Captain! It's all set!"
"Okay, push it down, be careful! Secure a few empty oil drums in place. No need to attach deep-sea bombs, damn it, those bombs are expensive. Just use one for a show!"
"Captain! No!"
"What!"
"Three empty oil drums would have too much buoyancy. Our bomb only weighs a little over 200 pounds, so it would float on the surface and probably wouldn't achieve the effect you want! A moderate depth would create a bigger splash!"
"Hey, you know what I'm up to?"
"Hehe, just splashing water to scare people! Just like when we fried fish the other day, we've got plenty of experience with that!"
"Okay! Then let's add a counterweight."
"Alright! But the only iron lump that can provide weight is our anchor... the original ballast... we took it all off the ship when we left port to carry a few more pounds of fish..."
"Then I'll use fish! You dare touch my anchor, kid? When we get back to port, I'll string you together and throw you overboard to use as an anchor!"
The soldiers moved quickly; after securing the large yellow croaker, the modified depth charge fell into the water with a "plop."
"Signalman! Signal that bastard! Tell him we're just fishing with explosives in our own backyard. If he's not happy, he can shut up! If he doesn't get out of our territorial waters, the aftershocks will blow us up. Don't blame us for not warning him!"