Chapter 42: Cruel Choices

Until U171 set sail, there was still no response from the report Colonel Georg had submitted to the Naval Headquarters. Zhang Hainuo and his crew had no choice but to proceed on their own. This time, headquarters dispatched them to the northwest Scottish waters. Although the journey was somewhat distant, at least they didn't have to risk crossing the heavily mined Dover Strait like some other submarines.

(PS: During World War I, the British Navy attempted to block the Dover Strait with anti-submarine nets and minefields. However, technical limitations meant their defenses had significant gaps, allowing a considerable number of German submarines to successfully pass through the strait into the Atlantic.)

Returning to the North Atlantic hunting grounds for the second time, Zhang Hainuo no longer felt the novelty he did the first time, and his record book was no longer blank. However, the rich harvest of the first outing didn't make him overestimate himself. On the contrary, he was well aware that he still had much to learn and explore in terms of single-boat command techniques. He believed that the success of the first mission had a significant element of luck.

In the first week back in the hunting area, Zhang Hainuo's "humility" was proven correct. Under his command, U171 attacked a lone cargo ship, but to his surprise, the torpedoes missed their mark when the target was just 1600 yards away. The target, upon noticing the torpedo wakes on the water's surface, swiftly changed course and sped out of range of U171's attack.

A few days later, while attacking a British armed merchant ship, U171 almost met its doom. Before Zhang Hainuo could launch torpedoes, the enemy opened fire—clearly having spotted the periscope. Fortunately, the shells didn't hit the submarine directly. Zhang Hainuo quickly ordered U171 to dive and retreat, while the British sailors, after repelling the German submarine, promptly left the area.

While missing another opportunity, Zhang Hainuo began to seriously consider how to minimize the chances of the submarine's periscope being detected during observations. Factors such as distance, waves, and lighting conditions on the sea surface were considered, and he discussed these with the main officers on board, such as Edvin and Simon. During the long hunting process, they conducted several practical operations and drills. Although these techniques couldn't be mastered immediately, Zhang Hainuo felt a clear improvement. What made him equally happy was the deepening friendship within the command team through their joint discussions and learning.

As the saying goes, "things happen in threes." Several days later, Zhang Hainuo finally scored a hit.

The cargo ship he encountered was overloaded with food, vegetables, and meat. Despite its size, the ship's speed was barely 12 knots when sailing alone, and the dense smoke emitted by its old coal-fired boiler could be seen from miles away. Zhang Hainuo couldn't afford to miss such a prize. A single torpedo sent it to the bottom of the sea. When U171 surfaced, the crew were delighted to find fresh vegetables floating on the water. After two weeks at sea, their meals had consisted only of smoked meat, canned goods, bread, and pancakes, so the sight of fresh greens brought great joy to everyone.

Days spent waiting and searching for targets depleted their food supplies and tested their patience. Sometimes, not a single ship could be seen all day, and the horizon was nothing but waves and blue sky, with even seabirds avoiding the desolate area. At times, Zhang Hainuo was so eager for prey to appear that he wished to wreak havoc directly in British ports—where there would undoubtedly be numerous large ships unable to evade torpedoes.

As he turned the pages of his logbook to June 3, 1917, Zhang Hainuo spotted a target on the horizon that would soon lead to a series of events.

It was a passenger liner, flying the flag of the United States and heading from North America. Judging by its size, it displaced at least 6000 tons.

A passenger liner, as the name implies, is a large passenger ship that operates on a fixed route and schedule at sea. Since waterborne mail was often entrusted to such large, fast passenger ships in the past, they were called "liners." After the 20th century, these ships mainly transported passengers and small batches of goods. Even during wartime, there were still many passengers traveling between continents on liners, including soldiers, low- to mid-level government officials, and civilians such as merchants and military families.

The American liner was fast, but unfortunately, its course passed through the waters where U171 lurked. Zhang Hainuo easily positioned the submarine for the attack and waited for it to approach, ready to ensure its destruction with two torpedoes.

Since the United States declared war, German submarines were authorized to sink any ship heading to Britain without warning, whether it was British, American, or neutral, and regardless of whether it was a warship, armed merchant ship, ordinary merchant ship, or a passenger liner.

To avoid scaring off their prey with the periscope, Zhang Hainuo estimated the distance to the target using a watch and raised the periscope only every 5 minutes to confirm that the target hadn't changed course. Each time, he confirmed the target's position quickly, never exposing the periscope for more than 15 seconds.

During the last confirmation of the target's position, the passenger liner was less than 3000 yards from U171. In broad daylight, Zhang Hainuo could even see people on the deck through his periscope, some sheltering under umbrellas, others wearing hats. However, they had no idea that death was lurking beneath the waves, ready to claim them.

Zhang Hainuo had initially considered surfacing the submarine and capturing the liner, allowing the passengers to escape in lifeboats before sinking it with torpedoes or deck guns. However, a final glance at the target changed his mind. He noticed several large objects covered with canvas on the deck, and although he couldn't be certain they were cannons ready to fire on the surface, as a submarine commander, he couldn't risk the submarine and its crew.

Attack or let go, Zhang Hainuo had to make a decision in a very short time. To attack would mean hundreds of lives lost; in May 1915, the British liner "Lusitania" was sunk by a German submarine, resulting in the deaths of 1198 of the 1959 passengers on board. To let go would mean the people and supplies on board would safely reach Britain. Among them might be tens of thousands of bullets and other military supplies that would be used to kill German soldiers on the battlefield...

On one hand, the sight of countless civilians struggling on the sea surface; on the other, the image of countless German mothers mourning their fallen sons. Zhang Hainuo found himself in a fierce mental struggle.