The battle at sea had reached a stalemate. Neither the fleet nor the sea beasts could gain an advantage. However, the fleet's disadvantage was clear: ammunition was difficult to replenish once expended. Continuing the fight would only make their situation worse, which was why the Chosen Bureau needed to rendezvous with the Abilities Administration.
During the voyage, the sea beasts found it difficult to organize attacks. Many soldiers believed they would successfully meet up with the Northern Fleet, thus securing their safety.
Unexpectedly, at dusk, a frigate on the west side began to leak. Soldiers immediately moved to seal the breach. If it couldn't be plugged, the frigate would surely be unable to sail, even if it didn't sink.
"Protect the leaking vessel, all ships halt!" The fleet commander, faced with this situation, had no choice but to stop.
Soldiers' duty was to obey orders, but no one wanted to abandon their comrades. Therefore, when a ship sprung a leak, the priority was to stop and wait. Once the breach was sealed, they could continue sailing.
Upon hearing the news, the captain of the leaking frigate became furious. He demanded, "Were the hull inspections thorough before setting sail? We haven't suffered any impacts, so why is it leaking?"
The soldiers were also confused but reported loudly, "We inspected the hull three times every day before setting sail and never found any issues. We don't know why it's leaking now. Perhaps the hull is aging, or maybe some parts are damaged!"
The captain sighed in resignation, "Hurry and seal the breach. We cannot let our damaged ship endanger our brothers!"
The soldiers immediately began to seal the leak. Fortunately, the breach in the cabin was only about the size of a fist, allowing for a quick repair.
While the damaged frigate was being diligently repaired, the sea battle resumed. To protect the damaged vessel, a cruiser and three frigates sailed around it, forming a protective cordon.
The giant squid suddenly submerged and disappeared from the surface. The great white sharks began to patrol around the fleet but kept their distance, circling like oxen tethered to a millstone. Their dorsal fins broke the surface, as if trying to disorient the people on board.
Meanwhile, the giant sea turtle, which had been left far behind, had caught up. Its mountain-sized body headed directly for the outer frigate.
Seeing this, the frigate quickly fired underwater missiles to slow the turtle down. Aircraft from the frigate also took off again, preparing to use their heavy firepower to prevent the turtle from approaching.
However, this time, the turtle continued to advance, even at the risk of its head being hit by the underwater missiles.
The missiles struck the turtle, causing a violent explosion. The turtle sustained severe injuries, but as long as its brain remained unharmed, it wouldn't die immediately. Its wounds could be healed with its abilities.
Finally, the turtle's massive body slammed into the frigate with a resounding thud. After a deafening impact, the frigate tilted. Such a large frigate might not have suffered much even if it hit a reef, but now it was listing, clearly from the turtle's collision.
At this point, the frigate activated its electrical systems, sending high-voltage currents through the water. The turtle, electrocuted, swayed violently. The immense current was almost unbearable. Its shell could withstand missiles and bullets, but the electricity directly attacked its vulnerable internal organs. It couldn't endure further electric shocks.
The turtle quickly retreated, and the frigate's hull rebalanced.
After observing the day's combat, the soldiers realized that electrifying the water underwater was the most effective way to deal with the sea beasts. The ships were insulated, but the sea beasts' bodies were not. The seawater conducted electricity, and electrifying it underwater could inflict significant damage on them.
Unfortunately, the warships had limited energy reserves and couldn't maintain continuous electrification. Otherwise, constantly electrifying the surrounding seawater would have defended against most sea beast attacks.
The turtle reverted to its previous tactic, exposing its shell to absorb attacks and preparing to charge the warships at any moment.
Twenty minutes later, the leaking frigate's damaged cabin was successfully repaired.
"Report, the leaking cabin has been repaired and we can resume sailing!" a soldier reported to the captain.
Relieved, the captain was about to order the other ships to continue when he realized the critical situation and the need to save time. Only by meeting the reinforcements sooner could they resist the sea beasts' attacks.
Alas, when it rains, it pours. Just as the captain was about to give the order, a soldier reported, "Captain, another cabin has sprung a leak, with a diameter of over ten centimeters!"
"Quickly repair the breach and use the pumps to drain the accumulated water from the lower cabins!" The captain, upon hearing this dire news, could only order his soldiers to continue sealing the leaks.
The lowest cabin already had a significant amount of water, reaching knee-high, a result of leaks over just ten minutes. The accumulated water had to be drained promptly.
If the water in the cabin had reached head level, divers would have been needed for repairs, making the task immensely difficult.
The pumps immediately sprang into action. One end of the hose was in the cabin's lower level, while the machine was on the deck. As the pumps activated, the accumulated water in the cabin's lower level was swiftly removed.
The captain fell silent, his eyes filled with thought. Why were his warships suffering successive leaks? The ships had been thoroughly inspected before setting sail. It was impossible for two leaks to appear in such a short period without any prior damage.
"Could these three sea beasts be the cause? But the sea beasts haven't gotten close to the ships during this time. How did they manage this?" the captain pondered, but couldn't find an answer. The ships hadn't collided or been attacked, so why the sudden leaks?
As the captain struggled to understand, his aide entered, holding a porcelain bowl filled with murky seawater. He hurried into the command room and said, "Captain, look quickly. This is seawater found in the cabin. This seawater is abnormal!"
The aide then inserted a pH meter into the water. The readings on the instrument immediately changed, eventually showing an acidity of 3. Such strong acidity was very serious.
"What is going on?" The captain was stunned by the seawater's high acidity. Could the cabin leaks be the result of corrosion? But how could seawater be this acidic? It was completely illogical. He had never heard of any sea area with such severe acidity. Furthermore, why were the other ships unaffected?
The aide quickly explained, "Captain, a soldier reported that after sealing the breach, the soldiers involved in the repair experienced redness and burning pain on their bodies. I suspected the seawater was wrong, so I collected a bowl for testing, and the acidity was surprisingly severe. I believe the leaks are related to the seawater!"
"Order all soldiers involved in sealing the leaks to wear diving suits before proceeding. Also, immediately locate the three sea beasts and investigate!" the captain commanded.
The aide promptly carried out these orders. Finally, an observer located the positions of the three sea beasts. The turtle was the most obvious, its shell always exposed above the water, visible even to the naked eye. The great white sharks were still patrolling the fleet, encircling them. As for the squid, it had stealthily dived underwater and was positioned directly beneath the damaged frigate.
At this moment, the captain had an epiphany, slapping his forehead. "I understand now! This squid's ability is to manipulate hydrogen ions. During our previous voyage, the squid was the closest to us, which is why we were affected first. The leaks in the cabin are due to corrosion by hydrogen ions!"
The aide also pondered the situation and concluded that this was the only plausible explanation. Otherwise, how could the warships, which were constantly inspected, keep springing leaks?
"I suggest we report to our superiors immediately and have the cruiser launch tracking missiles to force the squid away first. We cannot let the squid get any closer!" the aide suggested.
The captain nodded and immediately contacted the cruiser's commander, requesting assistance with tracking missiles.
The cruiser responded promptly. The underwater launch bays opened, and several tracking missiles shot towards the submerged squid. Once a target was locked, tracking missiles would pursue it relentlessly, even changing direction underwater.
When the squid was targeted by the missiles, it realized something was wrong and immediately dived deeper into the water. It was dusk, and visibility underwater was poor, with low temperatures in the deep sea. Consequently, the tracking missiles couldn't lock onto the target and eventually fell into the deep ocean.
The ocean was, after all, the domain of marine life. These creatures had mastered survival techniques, the most adept being their ability to dive into the deep sea, which served as their sanctuary.
After evading the missile attack in the deep sea, the squid swam back towards the surface. It then used its ability to gather hydrogen ions in the water into the central area of the fleet. Instantly, the acidity of the seawater around the frigate rose sharply, and the frigate continued to corrode.
Subsequently, the frigate developed more leaks. The outer hull of the cabin was constantly being corroded. At this rate, the damaged frigate in the center would inevitably become riddled with holes.
The cruiser, in an attempt to protect the frigate, continuously fired tracking missiles, hoping to drive the squid away. However, this was futile. The squid, sensing trouble, would immediately dive into the deep sea. The missiles' tracking relied on light and infrared, both of which were ineffective in the deep ocean. The light was dim, and the surrounding temperature was extremely cold, rendering the infrared detectors unable to locate high-temperature objects. Ultimately, they fell into the sea, whether they exploded or not was no longer important.
The squid, living up to its name, was cunning. Tactically, it was the most insidious. It rarely sustained injuries, yet posed the greatest threat to the fleet. The central frigate, corroded by acidic water, was forced to stop for repairs. However, as long as the squid remained close to the frigate, it would inevitably lead to the ship's sinking.
Half an hour later, under the continuous corrosion of acidic water, the central ship had developed thirty leaks. With so many breaches, the ship could no longer be repaired. The cruiser had also expended many tracking missiles, while the squid remained unharmed.
Faced with this situation, the captain regretfully issued the order, "Prepare small boats immediately. Everyone put on life jackets and prepare to evacuate to nearby ships for shelter. We have no choice but to abandon this ship!"
Upon receiving this command, the crew found it difficult to accept. They had developed a deep bond with the ship, and now they had to abandon it for their own lives, feeling as though they were abandoning an old comrade. However, there was no other option but to obey the order!
In light of the current situation, the captain made a reluctant decision. He finally devised a method to counter the squid's corrosive acidic water: to sail forward regardless of the consequences, using the water flow to wash away the acidic water around the ship. If they stopped to repair the leaks, the ship would only develop more and more breaches!
However, at this moment, an observer noticed something amiss. The great white sharks, which had been patrolling around the fleet, had disappeared, seemingly having left the area.
"Fortunately, there's some good news. With only two sea beasts remaining, the pressure will be significantly lighter." Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. They had never imagined that creatures of the sea could possess such formidable power, even forcing them to abandon a warship.