At 3:30 AM, the previously quiet Ice Queen began to buzz with activity. The combat personnel arrived at the mess hall, finished their breakfast, and then proceeded to check their equipment.
Meanwhile, the Ice Queen also began to slowly sail towards the target location. To avoid detection, the ship continued to use its electric propulsion engines.
Half an hour later, as the first rays of dawn touched the sea's surface, Ling Tian and his group were only about a kilometer away from the underwater structure located three kilometers south of the island.
In the bridge of the Ice Queen, the crew was busily working. Due to their proximity to the island, all navigation and positioning devices had failed. Captain Svenson and his crew were now relying on the most primitive methods to control the ship and determine their position at sea.
Some crew members were scanning with binoculars, while others were using a sextant to fix their location.
Ling Tian was also controlling the Albatross, guiding them from the air.
Ling Tian looked at the nautical chart, processing the information relayed by the Albatross in the sky, and then said to Captain Svenson, "Captain, we have reached the attack launch point!"
"Understood. All hands, attention! Course due east, speed 30 knots, full speed ahead!"
"Depth charges ready, set to 100 meters..." Captain Svenson decisively issued the attack order.
The ship's engines roared to life, and the speed immediately increased. Following this, the ship's depth charge loading equipment began to operate, and several large depth charges were loaded into the depth charge launchers.
"Attack point reached!"
At this moment, the Ice Queen had arrived directly above the underwater structure. The ship was only tens of meters away from the structure.
"Six depth charges, fire at will!"
"Boom, boom, boom..."
The depth charge launchers roared, and six cylindrical objects, approximately one meter long and nearly 80 centimeters in diameter, were ejected.
These depth charges rapidly sank into the water, and after launching them, the Ice Queen quickly turned and sped away in another direction.
Inside the underwater structure, a large number of merfolk were awakened. Within this underwater structure, there were over 200 merfolk and 30 Naga.
The other merfolk had been dispatched to the island to search for those causing trouble.
This was supposed to be the merfolk's resting and sleeping time, but they were suddenly awakened by the roar of engines.
In fact, the noise from a ship's engine underwater is considerable, capable of traveling several kilometers.
The merfolk awoke from their slumber and quickly began to assemble, preparing to investigate the source of the noise. Just then, the first depth charge reached its predetermined depth.
Depth charges are different from torpedoes. In fact, many people misunderstand depth charges, believing they detonate upon contact with a submarine to inflict damage.
In reality, depth charges do not have impact fuses; they have hydrostatic fuses, meaning they detonate when they reach a predetermined depth.
Furthermore, it is not necessary for a depth charge to directly hit a submarine to cause damage. For instance, a common depth charge loaded with 100 kilograms of TNT would cause catastrophic damage to a submarine if it detonated within a dozen meters.
Even at a greater distance, the water hammer effect caused by the explosion would inflict damage on the submarine's structure, internal systems, and personnel.
This underwater structure was actually a large formation, creating an energy membrane through complex formations and devices.
The structure of this membrane was designed to isolate the surrounding seawater, preventing it from entering. More remarkably, the membrane's structure not only blocked seawater but also allowed air from the water to permeate through, enabling the creatures within the space to breathe freely.
Of course, the strength of this membrane was also considerable, making it difficult for even large marine creatures to force their way in from the outside. However, it was very easy for the creatures inside to venture out into the surrounding seawater.
At this moment, the first depth charge reached a depth of over 20 meters above the top of the underwater structure, hitting its predetermined depth!
This depth charge had been modified and was loaded with 200 kilograms of TNT. The hydrostatic fuse was instantly triggered, causing a violent explosion!
It must be remembered that this was at a depth of 100 meters underwater, where the water pressure was already immense. The cavity created by the explosion and the tremendous water hammer effect released terrifying energy.
The membrane formed by the underwater structure was utterly incapable of withstanding this violent energy. It was instantly breached, and then, seawater from a hundred meters deep, carrying immense pressure, surged in!
This immense force was akin to a mountain weighing tens of tons descending from the sky, instantly crushing everything within the structure!
Following this, the second, the third...
All six depth charges detonated sequentially. The massive shockwaves generated by the explosions, wave after wave, enveloped the seabed.
Some merfolk who were not inside the underwater structure but in the vicinity were also caught in the shockwaves and were pulverized!
Meanwhile, the Ice Queen had already sailed several kilometers away at full speed.
"Reached second operational point..." a crew member reported to Captain Svenson via radio.
"Halt forward movement. Main guns target acquired, high-explosive shells loaded, coordinates..."
The Ice Queen's main armament was a twin-barreled 105mm high-velocity naval gun, known for its high rate of fire, rapid reloading, and excellent accuracy, capable of firing up to 12 rounds per minute.
"Boom, boom!"
The two naval guns directly fired at the structure on the island. The reason for choosing this time to attack was primarily because the prisoners were eating at that moment, and there were only a few merfolk around the structure.
Attacking at this time would avoid accidental casualties to the prisoners. Moreover, this structure had been built with great effort by the merfolk, and its destruction would deliver a fatal blow to their plans.
As only visual and mechanical aiming were possible, the first round of shelling had a slight deviation, with the shells landing several tens of meters away from the structure, only blowing away two patrolling merfolk.
The well-trained crew on the ship quickly adjusted the gun's coordinates. By then, the ammunition had been reloaded, and the muzzles once again spat fire.
"Boom, boom..."
With two loud explosions, two massive fireballs erupted on the island. These two shots, landing precisely on target, hit the structure on the island squarely!
Witnessing this, everyone on the Ice Queen erupted in cheers!