Not far from Elvin and Gary's residence, in the Third Fleet's naval base.
Fleet Headquarters.
It was a solemn Gothic marble building. The main color was pure white, which was very suitable for the navy. It was five stories high, and on both sides of the building stood a two-story clock tower. The top of the tower was a high spire that pierced the sky.
In the main conference hall, a debate about Elvin's vital interests and even his future had been going on for a long time.
"Although the kingdom promised to promote the 'Rising Star of the Navy', there must be a limit to this promotion. It's better for young people to gain more experience. Pulling a seedling to help it grow may destroy a good seedling! "
"That's right, a sixteen-year-old naval captain who has just reached adulthood is enough to show the importance the kingdom places on this excellent young man.
If he is directly promoted to captain of a battleship within three months, not only will there be no precedent for this in the navy, but our counterparts in the other countries in the alliance will also laugh at us for having no talent at all! "
Led by a silver-haired old man in a general's uniform, several senior naval officers belonging to the staff room were discussing. Their words were all from Elvin's perspective, and every word was for his sake, fearing that excessive praise would "affect" the young officer's growth.
In fact, everyone knew that Elvin's qualifications as the "Rising Star of the Navy" were indisputable, and it was not something that the senior officers of the Third Fleet could criticize.
However.
The ownership of the captured battleship "Storm Horn" was the focus of the debate!
Although Faletis's national strength had been thriving in recent years, and whether it was economic strength or naval strength, it was still a long way from a veteran naval power like Shilius.
This was reflected in the naval equipment, the overall displacement of the Faletis naval battleships was smaller, and the number of cannons was fewer. Especially as the powerful first-level battleships that could determine victory, they were pitifully few compared to Shilius, and could only be supplemented with cheaper and weaker low-level battleships.
It was a very simple example. If the navy was really rich and had enough battleships, they wouldn't have "exiled" Garl, the top knight, to the outside world.
Therefore, in the navies of Faletis and most of the ocean kingdoms, a Level Four battleship was enough to enter the "main battle line" of the fleet, becoming the gear that could decide the fate of the nation in large-scale fleet battles!
Because, at least in this era, it was fine if the main battle line did not appear, but once it did, it would be the ultimate gamble that would determine the fate of the country and the hegemony of the seas for the next few decades or even centuries!
Although such a battle of national fate was rare even in the entire history of navigation, the number of warships they had was already the greatest deterrent!
Judging from the cost of a battleship, one could see how rare it was.
Take a third-level battleship with 74 cannons as an example. It was the most cost-effective battleship in the navy, with the perfect combination of firepower, speed, and cost. Just the wood alone required more than 2,000 high-quality oak trees that had been planted a hundred years ago, and it took six years to build.
And these oak trees had to be specially planted in private manors, riverbanks, and roadsides. The spacing could not be too close, and every tree had to be free to receive light, heat, rain, and dew, so that it would not be like the trees in the forest that would only grow taller and compete with their brothers and sisters for sunlight.
Only oak trees that had calmly grown for a hundred years and reached a height of more than 20 meters could produce a piece of wood that could be used to build the ribs of the battleship.
It was completely imaginable, to build such a battleship fleet, how much thick wood would be needed, how long the growth cycle would be, and how much the purchase price would be!
Therefore, it was not an exaggeration to say that the outcome of a large naval battle was enough to affect the fate of the nation! If the family's foundation was gone, even if they had money, it would be impossible to quickly replenish it!
Of course, if they wanted to use inferior pine and cypress wood like the low-cost merchant ships, and build so-called battleships that were not much stronger than paper shells, then pretend I didn't say anything.
What was commensurate with the value was naturally the status.
Regardless of the previous military rank, becoming the captain of a battleship meant that they had stepped into the ranks of middle-level officers, and met the prerequisites for further promotion in the navy. The treatment and status were completely different.
This was a real benefit!
"That's that. Even if we captured a pirate battleship. But after all, our Major Elvin also lost the elite battleship "Roaring Conch" that belonged to the Third Fleet.
Moreover, military law stipulates that in wartime, all captured goods, other than the part allocated to the crew, actually belong to the fleet and the kingdom's public property.
It should be handed over to the fleet headquarters to be redistributed. I think it should be placed in the hands of more suitable people to display its greater value! "
At this time, the atmosphere was more or less set. The silver-haired old man stood up and concluded with a righteous look on his face as if he was wholeheartedly serving the public. At the same time, he also faintly revealed his own little abacus.
Bah! The way you eat is too ugly, you don't even care about your face!
A sixth-level battleship, the lowest sixth-level battleship, can be described as an elite battleship by you, that's just a f * cking coastal patrol ship! Can it be compared to a battleship?
If someone can drive a sixth-level battleship out and then exchange it for a battleship, we will collectively recommend him to be the fleet commander! We will give all the "elite" battleships of the fleet to him!
Most of the upper echelons of the fleet around the conference table, representing the interests of various parties, looked at his performance expressionlessly, but they were all cursing him in their hearts.
However, this was the advantage of being in the bureaucracy.
Even if your fists were harder and stronger, under the layers of suppression of the system, even if you were not convinced, you could not solve the problem by force, nor could you solve the problem.
Seeing that the upper echelons did not speak and were all looking at him with inexplicable gazes, the silver-haired old man, who had already taken the field himself, coughed lightly and continued.
"Of course, Major Elvin is a rare naval talent after all. He has many merits and won glory for the kingdom and the fleet.
According to the distribution system, we can use the highest standard to convert the battleship into Gold Lions and distribute it to Captain Elvin and the crew of the "Roaring Conch".
Moreover, I suggest that since our "Naval Rising Star" temporarily has no battleships available, the fleet can make an exception and allocate him a fifth-level battleship. I heard that the fleet just launched two new fifth-level battleships last month, right? "
"Pfft, shameless!"
Hearing this, Lieutenant General Snyder, who was also seated, only wanted to punch this shameless old man in the face. The ownership of the two fifth-level battleships had already been decided before they were launched, and it was the result of a game between the various forces.
Moreover, there were more than half the number of "half-paid captains" on the shore, waiting for an opportunity to go out to sea and make a fortune … Ahem, to serve the queen!
As soon as this proposal came out, wasn't it obvious that he, who was in charge of the logistics department, wanted to offend a large number of people?
Not only did he want to benefit himself, but he also wanted to be generous with the fleet. What a good plan! Moreover, who in the fleet did not know that Elvin was one of them? Who was he looking down on by leading a group of shrimp soldiers and crab generals here?!
However, it was not appropriate for him to directly challenge this old man in the staff room, so he gave a look to a major general who also belonged to the logistics department.
The major general immediately understood. He stood up and directly exposed the silver-haired old man's disguise of "using public resources for private use" in the name of "public interest".
"Mr. Manison, the Third Fleet has not had an available battleship captain for more than two years. Now that the Storm Horn has returned, you're not thinking of allocating this battleship to your 'outstanding' grandson, are you? "
This silver-haired old man was an acquaintance of Elvin. To be precise, his butler had met Elvin once before. It was the Manison family that had almost intercepted the Transcendent characteristic of the "Blue Flag Demon Shark" that Gör had obtained in the logistics department.
Although the major general did not show it in his words, in his heart, he felt that this old general might have lost his mind because of his old age.
Although the upper echelons of the fleet next to him did not say anything because it was none of their business, their thoughts were similar to the major general's.
Anyone with a discerning eye did not know that although Major Elvin was young, his Transcendent level was not too high. However, judging from the appointment letter sent by the military, it was clear that this person had caught the eye of His Highness the Crown Prince.
As long as he did not make a big mistake, it was only a matter of time before he soared to the top.
Hearing the major general's merciless questioning, the silver-haired old man's face stiffened slightly, but he could not refute it no matter what.
In fact, as an old bureaucrat, how could he not see the situation clearly?
However, he had already severely offended this uncle and nephew in the matter of the Transcendent characteristic. Although he did not succeed, there was already a grudge between them. If he had been taken advantage of when he was weak, he would definitely find a way to take revenge after he rose to power!
Since they were destined not to be friends, even if he could not do anything big, how could he let go of the opportunity to suppress and delay the speed of his progress?
Moreover, he did not use any tricks. He was completely relying on the military rules of the fleet. No one could find fault with him on the surface.
Moreover, his only grandson who served in the military was already over 30 years old. He did not pass the Naval academy's entrance test and did not meet the minimum qualifications for the short-term training class at all. So far, he was only an ordinary captain of a fifth-level battleship.
When he retired in two years' time, who would support the family?
Manison lacked a sense of security. This was something that everyone knew!
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
