The British battlecruiser *HMS Inflexible* was the flagship of the fleet shelling Shanghai. Laid down at the John Brown & Company shipyard in Clydebank on February 5, 1906, she was launched on June 26, 1907, and commissioned in October 1908, at a cost of £1,720,739.

During the Great War in Europe, *Inflexible* hunted the German battlecruiser *SMS Goeben* in the Mediterranean in July 1914. On December 8, 1914, she participated in the Battle of the Falkland Islands alongside *HMS Invincible*. In January 1915, *Inflexible* served as the flagship of the Dardanelles fleet, taking part in the bombardment of the Turkish coast from February to March. She was severely damaged by a mine on March 18 and forced to return to Malta for repairs. On May 31, 1916, she was assigned to the 3rd Battlecruiser Squadron and fought in the Battle of Jutland.

This battlecruiser had participated in almost every major British naval engagement of the Great War. Now, on the verge of decommissioning, she had come to China as a flagship to lead a fleet in executing "gunboat diplomacy" against Shanghai.

Inside the bridge of the *Inflexible*, the Fleet Chief of Staff looked out through the porthole at the faint outline of the distant city and said with emotion to the Fleet Commander, "Rear Admiral, will the *Inflexible*'s final mission be the shelling of Hong Kong?"

The Fleet Commander was momentarily at a loss for words. He and the Chief of Staff had discussed the current situation in China several times on the journey over. Downing Street's judgment remained quite calm; they were not considering a declaration of war against the new Republican government. The purpose of this bombardment was punitive and demonstrative.

Warships could not conduct landing operations. Their ammunition and barrel life were limited. Even if the British Empire disregarded bankruptcy and sent its entire fleet to the Far East, they could not prevent the Chinese army from seizing Hong Kong with sustained shelling alone. Since it could not be done, they would simply not do it. It was only a matter of time before Hong Kong was taken by the National Defense Force.

Thinking of the advantage the British Empire had held in China for eighty years, the Fleet Commander felt disheartened. He hummed a uniquely British nasal sound and said, "Chief of Staff, our future task will be how to cut off China's trade lines and deal with the navy China will build in the future. However, we likely won't have the chance to engage the Chinese navy before we retire."

Hearing mention of the British Empire's naval superiority, the Chief of Staff's sense of loss was washed away considerably. He stood up. "Your Excellency, in about an hour, we may encounter Chinese artillery. I will go make preparations."

The British Chief of Staff was clearly mistaken. The National Defense Force was well aware of its own artillery strength. Without coastal defense guns, ordinary field artillery was no match for the British fleet.

Not only was the National Defense Force General Staff clear on this, but the Special Flight Team had also received relevant briefings. Or rather, only pilots who understood this situation could volunteer for the Special Flight Team.

Squadron Leader Shen Chonghui originally thought he understood clearly, but when he piloted his plane and saw the British fleet shelling with his own eyes, he realized he hadn't fully grasped it.

The Air Force was used to seeing the effects of artillery explosions on the ground, but the "flowers of death" blossoming before his eyes were incomparable to anything heavy field artillery could produce. If the explosion from a 120mm field gun was like a fingernail-sized wildflower by the roadside, then the 305mm main guns of the British battlecruiser created peonies the size of half a hand.

Although it was difficult to see details on the ground from the air, Shen Chonghui knew with certainty that no one could survive such explosions. Before setting out, Shen Chonghui had hoped his sacrifice would create something. Now, looking down at the city under bombardment by the British fleet, that expectation, mixed with faint unease, was dispelled and replaced by a more intense emotion.

If they could not destroy the British fleet, China could only watch them ravage the land until they exhausted their ammunition and returned to port to resupply. Once the British had resupplied and repaired, they would come again. Endless, ceasing. To save the Chinese people from such a fate, they had to end the British fleet causing this destruction right now.

From takeoff, Shen Chonghui had subconsciously hoped this short flight would last a little longer. But now, the boiling emotion in his heart made him wish to finish this journey immediately and reach the endpoint where he would end the British fleet.

In his urgent anticipation, Shen Chonghui finally sighted the British fleet. Just as the reconnaissance planes had reported, there were seven warships in total. The most striking among them was a massive battlecruiser. The ship was bristling with guns, and every time its main batteries fired, they spewed out huge clouds of smoke visible even from the air.

The British fleet was moving toward the mouth of the Yangtze River in a nearly uniform straight line—undoubtedly the perfect opportunity for an attack. Soon, the air group arrived over the British fleet. Every pilot had been assigned a target beforehand. Shen Chonghui wanted to make a final call to his comrades, but their current communication equipment did not support it.

Shen Chonghui pushed the control stick. His specially designed plane was loaded with 300 kilograms of high explosives, with various control devices ensuring the explosives would detonate as simultaneously as possible. At this moment, Shen Chonghui began his final flight, diving toward the British battlecruiser assigned to him. Right now, leading by example was the best encouragement.

The British battlecruiser grew larger and larger in his field of vision. Shen Chonghui could already see the orange tongues of fire amidst the smoke as the British warship's main guns fired. Soon, the flags on the British battlecruiser were close enough to be seen clearly. Shen Chonghui pressed down hard on the control stick. In his mind, only one thought remained: let everything end as quickly as possible.

***

On the flagship of the Japanese fleet, the *Kongō*, Japanese officers and sailors currently off-duty were by the rails watching the British fleet shell Shanghai. As the lookout reported the appearance of Chinese planes, the officers raised their binoculars to the sky. The sailors also looked up. Soon, sailors with sharp eyes pointed at the sky, telling those around them that Chinese planes had appeared. Other sailors stretched their necks, straining to see.

A Lieutenant Commander standing next to Yamamoto Isoroku lowered his binoculars and laughed. "Yamamoto-kun, the British warships don't seem to have any anti-aircraft machine guns."

Yamamoto Isoroku was unimpressed. He lowered his binoculars and replied in a mocking tone, "Indeed. It seems the British navy thinks adding that little bit of weight would affect the ship's speed."

Receiving such a blunt response from Yamamoto, the Lieutenant Commander who had made the joke looked up at the sky again. Immediately, Yamamoto saw the Lieutenant Commander's expression change to one of astonishment. Yamamoto turned his head and saw the Chinese planes in the sky diving one after another toward the British warships on the sea.

With no superfluous movements, the planes streaked across the sky like meteors, crashing into the British warships one after another.

Yamamoto felt his mind go blank. Even as the impact sites exploded violently; even as a British *Town*-class light cruiser, after being hit by a Chinese plane, spewed a massive tongue of fire upwards from within and broke in two, sinking rapidly; even as the superstructure of the battlecruiser *HMS Inflexible* was instantly destroyed, its tall masts blown apart and falling into the water along with the signal flags—Yamamoto Isoroku's mind remained blank.

At this moment, there were no more Chinese planes in the sky. Only the British warships on the sea, exploding violently.

What exactly had happened?

Yamamoto managed to pull himself together from the chaos. He seemed to recall the Chinese planes simply diving down and crashing into the British warships. Then everything became like this. At that moment, another British light cruiser exploded violently from within. Every opening in the hull connecting to the outside spewed flames. Immediately, it was blown to pieces like an over-inflated balloon and began to sink rapidly.

Footsteps rang out. Having witnessed the briefly soul-shaking scene, the Japanese naval officers and men stood frozen as if under a spell. Apart from the communications officer running up from the telegraph room below deck, no one was moving quickly on the deck.

The communications officer ran to the Japanese Fleet Commander, Vice Admiral Okada Keisuke, and reported loudly, "Commander, we have received a clear-code telegram from the Chinese side!"

Okada Keisuke still appeared composed. He ordered, "Read it!"

The surrounding Japanese officers and men held their breath. The only sound on the deck was the flapping of the naval ensign in the wind.

The communications officer read aloud: "The East Route Army of the National Defense Force of the Republic of China informs the Japanese fleet off Shanghai: Your fleet is already within Chinese territorial waters. You are ordered to leave immediately. Otherwise, you will be destroyed."

Just as he finished reading, an incomparably massive, dull explosion rang out. The Japanese naval officers and men hurriedly turned to look. They saw the forward deck guns of the British battlecruiser *Inflexible*, which was still afloat after taking at least seven hits from Chinese planes, being blown directly into the air from below. Massive fragments of the deck danced in the sky—the result of the magazine detonating.

Next, the *Inflexible*, a meritorious warship of the British Royal Navy that had survived almost every battle of the Great War, began to slowly list. Although the angle of the list was not yet great, the Japanese naval officers knew that this ship was beyond saving.

Footsteps sounded again. Another communications officer delivered a new telegram. It was still from the National Defense Force, and the content was exactly the same as the previous one.

"Your Excellency, Chinese planes have appeared in the sky again!" A new report came from the lookout.

Now the Japanese officers and men could not help but feel nervous. Many officers unconsciously looked at the row of anti-aircraft machine guns installed on the side of the *Kongō*. If the planes of the National Defense Force descended from the sky, these guns could at least offer some resistance.

Vice Admiral Okada Keisuke tried hard to keep a straight face, not wanting his subordinates to see the change in his expression. But now, he had to give an order. Under the gaze of his subordinates, the Vice Admiral spoke, "Send a telegram to the National Defense Force."

The communications officer hurriedly took out his notebook and heard the Vice Admiral say, "In view of your side's naval experience, our side kindly reminds you that rescuing personnel who have fallen into the water after a naval battle is a naval tradition."

After speaking, the Vice Admiral clasped his hands behind his back and left the deck, walking straight to the entrance of the bridge.

The Commander entered the command center inside the bridge, and the officers hurriedly followed. As most of them passed Captain Yamamoto Isoroku, they glanced at him. There was unease in their eyes. It was as if the tragic attack just now had been commanded by Yamamoto Isoroku.

Yamamoto Isoroku felt he needed some quiet. The sailors had already returned to their duty stations on the battleship *Kongō* under the command of the officers. Only a few young officers remained on deck, looking at the British fleet that had not yet sunk. Yamamoto looked over; the ships had stopped on the sea. The superstructures of the cruisers were a mess. The superstructures of the light cruisers had been almost completely blown flat, their bridges gone without a trace. Less than a fifth of the smokestacks remained, and raging flames were consuming the twisted and distorted turrets.

Taking out a cigarette and lighting it, Yamamoto tried to recall how long it had taken from the moment he saw the Chinese planes to the moment they crashed into the British fleet. Although his mind could replay the entire process of the planes diving down without hesitation, that period seemed both very long and like a mere instant.

Just then, the battleship shuddered slightly and began to turn. Yamamoto, who should have been able to walk smoothly on a moving ship at any time, almost stumbled. A hand grabbed him, steadying him and saving him from embarrassment.

The person who supported him was Yamaguchi Tamon. Yamaguchi's eyes were red; he had clearly just been crying. The tear tracks on his face were still obvious. He said with emotion, "Senior Yamamoto, it took less than two minutes. From the planes arriving overhead to the completion of the attack, it took less than two minutes."

"It was that fast?" Yamamoto felt astonishment and heavy pressure. If Yamaguchi Tamon had not mistaken the time, given the speed and anti-aircraft capabilities of current large warships, there was absolutely no possibility of escaping the attack.

At this moment, another dull explosion came from the distance. The light of an explosion rose from a light cruiser. It would likely sink completely within a few minutes. Yamaguchi Tamon could no longer hold back. He walked to the ship's rail, raised both hands high, and shouted at the wreckage of the sinking British fleet, "Magnificent! The warriors of Asia!"

Several young Japanese naval officers standing next to Yamaguchi Tamon saluted in the direction of the explosions. It was unclear if they were mourning Britain, or if...

Yamamoto also had the impulse to salute, but he held back. He simply took off his military cap, put it back on straight, and walked with steady steps toward the bridge.

Many thoughts churned in Yamamoto's mind. The loss of such a British fleet meant little to the British Empire as a whole. The flagship, the battlecruiser *Inflexible*, was just an old ship ready for scrapping. A few cruisers and light cruisers were not worth mentioning against Britain's naval shipbuilding capacity.

The most direct immediate impact was limited to Britain abandoning its plans for gunboat diplomacy and adopting a trade blockade instead.

In the longer term, since Britain could not launch a full-scale attack on China by land or sea, Japan's value to Britain would rise rapidly. But this might not be a good thing. Yamamoto was very wary of the British. Once Japan was eyed by Britain, Britain would certainly try to strengthen its control over Japan. Present-day Japan had precisely many opportunities for the British to intervene.

Walking into the command room, which he expected to be buzzing with discussion, Yamamoto found few people speaking. Looking at the officers who still hadn't fully recovered from the shock, Yamamoto Isoroku suddenly understood the reason for everyone's silence.

It was not only Britain that had lost the opportunity for gunboat diplomacy, but Japan as well. As long as the He Rui regime did not suffer internal problems, the Great Powers would no longer consider gunboat diplomacy. Although a trade embargo was a noose around China's neck, there had been eras of isolation in Chinese history. As long as foreign countries could not use military force to smash open China's door, China could rely on its vast territory to live quietly.

China had broken free from the shackles forged by the Great Powers!