Captain John's brows were knitted tightly together. As time passed, his mood grew ever heavier. He vaguely sensed that news of their secret mission had leaked. Otherwise, the Germans would not have discovered them so coincidentally.
Of course, it might also have been a coincidence. If it was, that would be for the best. In that case, they might still be able to escape. If it was not, then they were in grave danger this time.
Having gone the entire night without sleep, Captain John was utterly exhausted. Yet he forced himself to stay alert. What came next would be the most dangerous moment; there was no room for the slightest carelessness. One misstep, and they could all die here.
Less than half an hour later, the lookout aboard the destroyer Lancaster raised the alarm.
Captain John's face immediately darkened like the bottom of a pot.
"Captain, German destroyers have been spotted. There are ships to our northwest, southwest, and west—six in total!" an officer reported.
"Damn it! This is a trap!" Captain John cursed.
The German Navy had actually assembled six destroyers here. Without question, they had come for them. If this had merely been a routine exercise, there would have been no need to gather so many destroyers. Clearly, the Germans already knew about their mission and had deliberately been waiting for them.
However, Captain John had no mind to dwell on that now. He had to find a way to lead the warship out of here.
The destroyer Lancaster had decent performance. In a one-on-one fight, she would not have been inferior to a German Navy destroyer in the slightest. But one against six? The destroyer Lancaster had no chance at all. The German Navy's six destroyers could easily send them to the bottom of the sea.