"Your Lordship, First Lord of the Admiralty, we can now be almost certain that the Germans have dispatched a fleet into the Atlantic. This fleet has been relentlessly attacking our merchant ships and transport vessels, striking at the heart of our maritime trade routes. In just two days, we've lost nearly a hundred merchant ships. If this continues, our entire trade network may collapse," reported a British military officer to Churchill.
"Damn it! How did the German fleet manage to slip into the Atlantic? Isn't our main fleet supposed to be blockading the North Sea?" Churchill erupted in fury. He knew all too well the consequences for Britain if its maritime supply lines were severed. Their strategy to blockade Germany and slowly suffocate it into defeat would be rendered futile. Worse, Britain might crumble before Germany.
"Your Lordship, the Germans must have dispatched their fleet before the war broke out. Otherwise, there's no way they could have evaded our surveillance," the naval officer responded.
Churchill was momentarily speechless. It was understandable that the Royal Navy had only tightened the blockade after the outbreak of hostilities. Who could have foreseen that the German Navy would have such foresight, sending their fleet into the Atlantic ahead of time?
"Regardless of how they did it, we must locate that German fleet and either destroy it or force it back to Germany. If we allow them to continue their assault on our sea lines, the damage will be catastrophic," Churchill declared.
"Your Lordship, based on the telegrams sent from those merchant ships before they sank, our analysis suggests the German fleet is primarily composed of battlecruisers. This presents a significant challenge; their speed far exceeds that of our battleships, making pursuit difficult."
"What about our own battlecruisers? The 'Invincible,' 'Indefatigable,' and 'Lion' classes are all in service now, aren't they? Dispatch them at once. I refuse to believe that nine of our battlecruisers can't defeat six of the Germans!" Churchill ordered, regretting only that HMS *Tiger* had not yet entered service, or he would have sent it out as well.
"Yes, Your Lordship," the officer nodded.
"However, I recommend we also send a supporting fleet of battleships. The Atlantic is vast, and finding the German battlecruisers could prove exceedingly difficult," the officer added.
Churchill nodded. "Send the *King George V*-class battleships. Four super-dreadnoughts and nine battlecruisers—double the number of their battlecruisers. I trust the Royal Navy can obliterate them."
"Yes, Your Lordship. However, we've also discovered that the Germans have deployed submarines alongside their battlecruisers. Many of the merchant ships were sunk by torpedoes, fired from underwater. The merchant ships reported no sightings of German warships prior to being hit, indicating that German submarines are responsible."
"Good God! Battlecruisers and submarines—this has clearly been a premeditated assault on the Empire's maritime supply lines. The Germans have been plotting this for a long time. Curse those treacherous Germans, how could they be so devious!" Churchill's face darkened, turning almost as black as coal.
Even as a man of strong will, upon grasping the full extent of the German Navy's plans, he felt a chill run down his spine. The Germans had struck at Britain's most vulnerable point. If they didn't respond carefully, this could deal a devastating blow to the United Kingdom.
"Send out our destroyers and light cruisers to hunt down those submarines. Sink every last one of them! I won't allow the Germans to continue their unchecked assaults on our maritime lines!" Churchill roared.
"Yes, Your Lordship," the officer replied, promptly moving to carry out the orders.
Churchill sat in his chair, contemplating how to solve the mounting crisis. Before this, he had been confident that Britain would ultimately win the war. Now, however, doubts crept into his mind. The German Navy was proving to be more formidable and dangerous than he had imagined. Even with the might of the Royal Navy, defeating them seemed far from guaranteed.
Snuffing out his cigar, Churchill stood up from his chair.
"Damn those Germans! Come on, then. I want to see just how you plan to challenge the Royal Navy. I'll personally see to it that your ambitions are crushed," he muttered through gritted teeth, his face contorted with determination.
"Someone, prepare the car. I need to go to Downing Street immediately!" Churchill commanded.
Though it was already late at night, and Prime Minister Asquith was likely asleep, Churchill had no choice but to disturb him. The situation had become too urgent—one that could determine the outcome of the entire war.
Five minutes later, Churchill was seated in his car, heading to the Prime Minister's residence. Ironically, the very vehicle he rode in—a Daimler A-series—was produced by Daimler, a company under the control of QinTian. Though Churchill would never admit it, in his heart, he knew German cars surpassed British ones in both comfort and style. Before the war, Daimler's A-series had been exported across Europe, with many government officials using them as their official vehicles. Britain was no exception; most cabinet members rode in Daimler cars, while British-made automobiles were largely ignored due to their clunky and unattractive designs.
Since Churchill had informed his secretary ahead of time, Prime Minister Asquith was already waiting for him in his office upon his arrival. However, from Asquith's drowsy eyes and the steaming cup of coffee on his desk, it was evident that Churchill had interrupted his rest.
"Prime Minister, I apologize for disturbing you at this hour. But the situation is critical, and we cannot afford to wait until morning," Churchill said with a look of genuine remorse.