Munitions Empire
Chapter 1400 - 1400: 1317 Emperor Captive

Leines I sat on a transport boat, in front of him were his guard captain and attendant.

They hadn't had lunch, and were hungry until nightfall. The night sea breeze was fierce and cold, making Leines I shiver all over.

This was a motor-powered boat, so they were actually capable of approaching one of the destroyers or cruisers.

But before they could do so, the remaining Laines Navy warships raised the white flag. As the Laines I aircraft carrier sank into the sea, the Laines Empire Navy lost the will to fight.

One after another, the terrifyingly powerful anti-ship missiles kept appearing, relentlessly pounding the burning, immobilized warships, shattering the hearts of all the Laines Empire Navy commanders.

They lost their fighting spirit and had no courage left to maneuver further. So, they surrendered and began raising white flags and rescuing the officers and soldiers who had fallen into the water around them.

Soon, the planes from the Great Tang Empire appeared overhead, the roar of their jet engines like heavenly thunder, intimidating all those who thought of resisting.

"How dare they surrender? How dare they?" Leines I watched angrily as a distant destroyer with a white flag sailed past, cursing furiously.

"Your Majesty! Now we should find an opportunity to leave! If we can find a warship that hasn't surrendered, we'll be safe." The guard captain advised sullenly.

There was no choice; if they were on land, he might still have some escape experience. But now they were at sea, and their boat certainly couldn't make it back to Brunas. First seen on NovelFire.

Another jet plane flew overhead, and now everyone knew that the aircraft carriers of the Great Tang Empire could launch carrier-based jet aircraft.

Because if the aircraft carrier couldn't launch or land planes, these jet aircraft couldn't possibly fly such a long distance!

But what good does it do to know? The Great Tang Empire has already defeated the main force of the Laines fleet, and the remaining ships are no match at all.

The flagship Laines I aircraft carrier that Leines I was on had been sunk, and it was unknown if Blomayer was dead or not. They had no choice but to board the transport boat that had been prepared long ago, drifting on a sea full of oil and soldiers who had fallen into the water.

Those soldiers had wanted to climb aboard the boat earlier, but to protect His Majesty The Emperor, the guard captain had resolutely opened fire, then ordered the boat to speed up and shake off those in the water, whom he called "rabble."

The Great Tang Empire soon had helicopters and seaplanes in the area, and the sky gradually darkened. Those burning cruisers that hadn't sunk became the best reference points.

The surrendered ships of the Laines Empire dwindled, as they clearly received orders to leave the area.

The Great Tang Empire ordered them to regroup and wait for Tang Country's troops to take over, because they knew that His Majesty The Emperor of the Laines Empire was there, so Lu Qianshan was determined to capture this high-value prisoner.

All surrendering vessels that didn't follow the set course to the grouping area would be sunk, and the aircraft carrier fleet had already bypassed this area to chase those ships trying to escape.

All that was left were the lifeboats floating in this area—they were considered suspicious targets, as no matter how desperate things were, the guards wouldn't let an emperor soak in the water.

Helicopters hovered continuously overhead, making Leines I all but certain he'd been found. Psychologically nearing collapse, he felt nothing but dizziness.

Even on a large ship, Leines I was prone to seasickness, and on the small boat, his stomach churned incessantly, ready to spill its contents at any moment.

Over half a month of torment had left his body extremely weak, and now, after drifting on the sea for hours, the emperor was on the brink of collapse.

The greater blow was psychological: his fleet had perished, his landing plans had failed, his transport fleets were in disarray, and the losses were incalculable.

The most elite part of the Laines Empire no longer existed, and the fate of this emperor now rested in others' hands...

All of this left him with tears unshed. Now, he was to become a prisoner to the Great Tang Empire, a country he once looked down on, particularly the businessman Tang Mo.

Regret, unwillingness, anger, pain, despair... countless emotions tangled in his mind, making his body tremble uncontrollably. He had begun to lose focus, unable to control his emotions.

Moments ago, when he saw the warship surrender, his uncontrollable cursing was a sign of his inability to cope. Now he had lost that rage, becoming timid instead.

As time passed, the surroundings darkened. The cold of the sea instilled fear, and its darkness brought despair.

Add to that the decreasing number of large warships around, the distant cries for help, and the slowly fading sound of airplanes... Leines I felt exhaustion and hunger. They hadn't brought any food—who brings piles of bread and sausage when changing ships?

"Don't worry, Your Majesty! The night is in our favor; they can't find us..." The guard captain reassured Leines I, hoping his emperor wouldn't give up, though he, as an officer with an army background, might have forgotten that times had changed. Soon after he said this, a Tang Army destroyer arrived next to their small boat.

Clearly, the larger, distinctly-shaped transport boat was more noticeable on radar, drawing the attention of the Tang Army destroyer.

Upon approaching, the markings on the small boat confirmed its identity: it came from the already sunk flagship Laines I aircraft carrier of the Laines Empire Navy fleet.

This immediately spurred the Tang Country's destroyer to heightened vigilance, conducting their search more carefully. Spotlights flashed on the small boat, the brightness so intense that eyes couldn't stay open. Soon, with shouted commands, everyone on the small boat raised their hands.

To ensure his own safety, Leines I declared his identity early on. He was genuinely terrified, fearing that they might open fire directly... death was the most unacceptable outcome for him.

A few minutes later, Tang Mo received word in Chang'an that Leines I had been captured. So the question asked by the Great Tang Empire's ambassador to the Laines Empire about the Crown Prince's options was real—they truly could impose a cost and ransom their emperor back if the Crown Prince agreed.

Ultimately, the choice lay with that Laines Crown Prince. His decision would determine the life or death of Leines I in the POW Camp on Dragon Island.

And so, Leines I had the dubious honor of becoming the first emperor in history to be captured by the Great Tang Empire.