I Became a Tycoon During World War I - Chapter 93

Chapter 93: It Must Be Charles

King Albert I was not mistaken; the airship's target was indeed the water supply system behind Fort Wavre.

This was mainly because General von Beseler could no longer wait—or rather, he had been forced to lose his patience by Charles!

“It must be Charles; it must be him!”

After two "Big Bertha" cannons were destroyed, General von Beseler limped back to headquarters, covered in dirt and dust.

He had fallen off his horse after a shell exploded near him. Although his well-trained steed remained under control, chaos reigned around him as horses broke free and ran in every direction.

Suddenly, a few loose reins entangled both the general and his horse, toppling them. Von Beseler's left leg was crushed under the horse's body, leaving him immobile.

Terrified horses continued to stampede around him, their hooves kicking up dirt that splattered his face. Luckily, guards rushed over and dragged him away, sparing him from being trampled to death.

In fury, von Beseler yanked off his military cap and slammed it onto the table.

“General!” A staff officer stepped forward to console him. “We still have one 'Big Bertha.' Victory is still ours...”

“Is that what you think?” von Beseler turned and shot the officer a cold glare.

The officer's face betrayed his confusion. Was that not the case?

Von Beseler gave a faint, bitter smile. “A trick—a trap. They lured our two 'Big Berthas' into their range. Have you realized anything yet?”

The officer looked blank, hesitated, and then shook his head. He hadn’t realized anything.

Von Beseler glanced at the officer’s rank insignia and said flatly, “Major, you are now a second lieutenant. Report to the First Regiment with a rifle.”

The officer’s face turned pale. After a moment of stunned silence, he saluted stiffly and left.

Von Beseler muttered under his breath, “That fool still doesn’t realize it’s Charles’ doing!”

He then gazed thoughtfully at the map. “We can’t wait any longer. Otherwise, who knows what tricks Charles will pull next!”

As a result, an airship originally destined for the frontlines to bomb France was urgently redirected by General von Beseler.

Flying at a speed of 80 kilometers per hour, the airship approached Antwerp. General von Beseler repeatedly sent telegraphs to Captain Dümcke, the airship commander, verifying the target location and guiding the airship precisely into the bombing zone.

The massive airship loomed closer to Antwerp. Its enormous, intimidating frame blotted out the sky, casting its shadow even over von Beseler’s command post.

The nearby "Taube" planes providing guidance and protection seemed like harmless, insignificant bats compared to the behemoth.

The airship’s powerful engines emitted a unique buzzing sound, almost as if declaring its dominance to the world.

General von Beseler looked up at the aerial giant with pride in his eyes and murmured to himself, “This is a miracle of mankind. Nothing can stop it—not even Charles!”

German soldiers emerged from their trenches, some even stepping out of their tents. They cheered at the sight of the airship, their faces lighting up with smiles as if its arrival marked the end of the battle.

Across from them, the people of Antwerp also noticed the monster inching closer. At over 100 meters long and more than 20 meters in diameter, it was impossible to miss, even at an altitude of 1,500 meters.

People stared at it in horror, unable to believe that such a weapon existed. Soldiers in the fortress, who had been steadfastly guarding their positions, stepped out and gazed up at the sky. A sense of impending doom gripped everyone.

They thought, even Charles must be powerless against this. Compared to this monster, Charles was far too small—insignificant, even.

It wasn’t that they underestimated Charles; they simply believed that no human could counter such a weapon.

Even King Albert I, who had always trusted Charles, had lost hope.

He stood atop the tallest observation tower of the headquarters with General Gillis and General Winter, silently awaiting the arrival of “doomsday.”

Every possible solution had been considered, but nothing could stop the airship’s advance.

There was no doubt: Antwerp was doomed to lose its water supply system. Soon, the entire city would run out of fresh water, forcing them to surrender.

However...

Distracted by the airship, no one noticed a few planes taking off from the Antwerp airfield just a few kilometers away.

At first, people assumed they were German planes. But as the planes flew overhead, the Belgian insignias on their wings became clearly visible.

“They’re our planes!” King Albert I exclaimed.

General Gillis noticed them too but remained skeptical. “And what of it?” he said wearily.

Gillis was not wrong. At this time, planes were often the prey of airships.

Airships were armed with heavy machine guns covering all directions. Their stable flight provided an ideal firing platform—a fortress in the sky.

Moreover, airships were not much slower than planes. The airship’s top speed was 80 kilometers per hour, while most planes could only reach 100 kilometers per hour.

Reconnaissance planes from this era wouldn’t even dare approach an airship, as doing so would mean certain destruction.

King Albert I hesitated but said, “This at least proves I was right, General!”

“You mean...?” General Gillis looked at the king with puzzlement.

King Albert I reminded him, “Have you forgotten who commands the air squadron, General?”

Gillis let out an “oh” of realization. “You mean Charles hasn’t fled?”

“Yes!” King Albert I said proudly, gazing at the planes flying toward the airship. “Look at them. They are the first warriors to charge at the enemy!”

General Gillis chuckled. “Too bad Charles isn’t among them, Your Majesty. They’re merely being used by Charles. At this moment, Charles is likely heading in another direction—toward Paris...”

Before he could finish, one of the planes launched something. It was obvious to everyone—a projectile with a long trail and a distinct whistling sound.

“What is that?” General Winter asked in astonishment, raising his binoculars.

Before anyone could answer, the trail headed straight for the airship.

With a loud “boom,” it exploded in a ball of fire. Unfortunately, the airship didn’t detonate.

Later, pilots speculated that the projectile had struck the airship’s aluminum framework and been deflected, exploding outside the outer skin.

But it was enough to shock everyone, including the German soldiers who had been watching with confidence.

General von Beseler was horrified. Although he didn’t know what the weapon was, he understood its implications.

“It’s Charles—it must be Charles...” General von Beseler muttered, his expression blank and ashen. “He was one step ahead of us again!”

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