I'm playing whack-a-mole in Siberia

Chapter 239 Violent Joe

When the distress telegram from Jeju Island was sent to Nagasaki, the commander of the Siberian Fleet Alexeyev had not yet gotten up.

As Christmas approaches, the Siberian Fleet also holds a series of celebrations.

Last night, Alexeyev and the Siberian Fleet officers drank until one o'clock in the morning.

Alexeyev had a habit that no one was allowed to disturb him during his rest.

So when Alexeev learned that pirates had attacked Jeju Island, it was already four o'clock in the afternoon.

"Pirates? Why are there pirates on Jeju Island?"

Alexeyev’s first reaction was an April Fool’s joke.

The most prolific pirates in Asia come from Japan.

The most prolific pirates in Europe came from Britain.

Britain started off by relying on pirates. After defeating Spain and the Netherlands, Britain abandoned the privateering license system, and pirates around the world suddenly disappeared, leaving countless legends.

In East Asia, no pirates have appeared for a long time since the Japanese pirates disappeared.

Although Jeju is a civilian port, it is backed by the Russian Empire. Alexeyev really does not want to think about any blind pirate who dares to provoke Jeju.

"The telegram was sent from the Embassy in Korea. It shouldn't be a joke."

Alexeyev's chief of staff, Zhilinsky, looked gloomy.

This Zhilinsky was the same Zhilinsky who abandoned his subordinates and ran away alone during the Russian-Austrian border conflict.

Although Zhilinsky was not held accountable, he could not survive in the Army.

Zhilinsky was born into a noble family, and the family behind him was quite powerful.

So Zhilinsky entered the General Staff College in St. Petersburg to study, and a year later came to the Far East and served in the Siberian Fleet.

Compared with the Russian Army, the Navy is inherently weak.

Among the three major fleets, the Siberian fleet is obviously making up the numbers.

So Zhilinsky came to the Siberian Fleet, which was almost like a dispatch.

Zhilinsky is still very good at maneuvering. After Alexeyev became the commander of the Siberian Fleet, Zhilinsky quickly climbed up the ranks like a rocket. Not only did he serve as Alexeyev’s chief of staff, but his military rank also increased. Promoted to colonel.

"It's really troublesome to let Grigori go and take a look——"

Alexeyev didn't pay much attention to it. Pirates, when they saw a regular army warship, they had to flee.

Zhilinsky went to find Grigory, who also did not get up.

"Pirates? How can there be pirates in Jeju?"

Grigory's first reaction was the same as Alexeyev's.

"Anyway, you have to go see it."

Zhilinsky's attitude was not urgent.

"I'm afraid not. I don't feel well. I need to see a doctor."

Grigori was really not trying to push the envelope. He drank too much last night and had a splitting headache. He was indeed not fit to command operations.

"The general called your name. This is an order."

Zhilinsky has not forgotten that the reason why he was humiliated in the first place was because George exposed his lies.

Zhilinsky is smart, and although he hates George, he doesn't show it.

At least it won't be too obvious.

"Why should we go to rescue Jeju? After the pirates leave, why don't we go directly to take over Jeju Port?"

Grigori is not stupid either. He knows his own affairs, and with the strength of the Siberian fleet, if he fights pirates, it is hard to say who will lose and who will win.

Grigory was the most outstanding captain of the Siberian fleet, but the warship he commanded was just a wooden gunboat that didn't even have an iron shell. It was not essentially different from a pirate ship.

It was an era when ironclads had just appeared, and even the Baltic Fleet and Black Sea Fleet had not yet been completely refitted. The Siberian Fleet had not even thought about it.

"This is what you said. I am only responsible for conveying orders."

Zhilinsky did not act like a chief of staff at all, but a messenger.

Grigory sat there for a while, washed his face, brushed his teeth, changed clothes, and had a meal before wandering out.

It is very troublesome for a warship to set sail. It involves gathering sailors, checking equipment, and replenishing supplies. How fast the whole process depends on the combat readiness of the fleet.

So don’t talk about it for a day.

If the support of the Siberian fleet can reach Jeju within three days, it can be regarded as well-trained.

Danila didn't know when the Siberian fleet's support would arrive. Although there was no coastal defense fort in Jeju Port, the defense facilities were still very complete. The soldiers were hiding in the strong fortress, and the pirates' artillery could not cause real damage to the fortress.

The bombardment seemed huge, but in fact it was just loud thunder and light rain.

The power of today's artillery is different from that of future artillery. The pirate's artillery fires solid bullets, which causes very limited damage to the port.

The pirates did not have enough artillery shells. The bombardment only lasted for half an hour. Three pirate ships lowered their boats and carried more than 40 pirates to the port.

Really paddling.

These small wooden boats are unpowered.

"Do you want to attack?"

Akmu felt itchy. Heavy machine guns were enough to deal with these small wooden boats.

"No, the heavy machine guns are not allowed to fire until they land."

Daniela showed the enemy weakness and put the person up to fight again.

The pirates were very cautious and did not dare to enter the port with their small wooden boats. Instead, they landed on the breakwater outside the port.

"Who the hell are these people? Is that guy carrying a musket?"

Akmu was stunned, these pirates were so unprofessional.

What a musket. Some of the pirates had very long knives.

Danila and Akmu were both veterans who had participated in the Tenth Russo-Turkish War. They were able to deal with such small scenes with ease, and the battle ended almost as soon as it started.

The Siberian fleet saw pirate attacks as an opportunity.

George also realized immediately that this was also an opportunity for Jeju.

Jeju is far away from the land. Because it is a civilian port and cannot garrison troops, this is always a hidden danger.

The emergence of pirates is a good opportunity. If used properly, at least Jeju Port can build a fort in an open manner.

“What do the British say?”

Milyutin's first reaction was whether the British would interfere.

"If the UK objects, can we do nothing?"

George has a tough attitude. The Russian Empire is too weak on the issue of Britain. It is not like Russia to be weak.

George didn't know what others thought.

Anyway, in George's view, the British forced the Siberian fleet to abandon Jeju by seizing Jumun Island, which was a great shame for the Russian Empire.

The British's long-arm jurisdiction has seriously violated the interests of the Russian Empire. The Russian Empire not only did not resist, but gave in step by step. Is this still the Russia that George is familiar with?

Oh, yes, Russia has always been like this.

George is not.

Milyutin only saw Britain's naval superiority, but completely ignored the Russian Empire's own advantages.

George doesn't need Milyutin's help, as long as Milyutin doesn't hold him back.

"George, your decision must be subject to the overall interests of the empire."

Milyutin's thinking still starts from the overall perspective.

"If Americans had thought the same way as you, would the United States be where it is now?"

George convinced people with facts.

"The situation in America is different from ours."

Milyutin finally realized how radical George, a "conservative," really was.

"Then let's change the approach. We can not arm Jeju. Emperor Gaozong always has the power to arm Jeju, right?"

George's greatest advantage was not his prophetic power, but his strategic detours.

For Milyutin, if Jeju is to be armed, then Jeju Island must be completely controlled by the Russian Empire.

It would be best for Goryeo to directly cede Jeju to the Russian Empire, so that it would be settled once and for all.

But this is obviously impossible. Not to mention Britain, Japan and the Qing Empire would not agree to the Russian Empire doing this.

Then the problem arises.

If your country doesn't agree, I will do nothing.

So am I still an imperialist?

"You want to arm Goryeo? Aren't you worried about Goryeo's backlash?"

Milyutin's vigilance is not only directed against Britain, but against all countries.

"Gao Zong and Concubine Min both need our protection to ensure their safety. What can Gao Li use to attack us?"

George really didn’t mean to look down on anyone, everyone here is rubbish.

"There is a man named Jin Soro in Jeju. You can appoint him as the owner of Jeju Island. Danila and Akmu are advisors. In order to ensure the safety of Jeju Port, Goryeo borrowed money from the Bank of Siberia and purchased weapons from the Russian Empire to protect Jeju. Is there anything wrong with that?”

When George sent Buddha to the West, he even helped Gaozong and Concubine Min think of the reasons.

"How could such an excuse fool the British?"

Milyutin felt that George's reason was a bit lame.

"You said it was just a fool's errand."

George didn't worry about whether the reasons were sound, as long as there were reasons.

Did the British give a reason when they occupied Juwen Island?

No.

The only reason why the British occupied Juwen Island is that because I am strong, I am qualified to reach out everywhere in the world.

If you are weak, you deserve to be beaten.

So when dealing with a pirate country like Britain, you have to use pirate thinking to explain Britain's behavior.

"George, have you considered the British response?"

Milyugin is worried that the Juwen Island incident will happen again.

"If Britain dares to occupy Juwen Island again, I will send people to blow up the British Straits Settlements Governor's Palace!"

George completely transformed into violent Joe.

Facing the aggressive British, passive defense alone would not work.

The British must take the initiative to take care of themselves. The British do not have time to keep an eye on whether the Siberian fleet will go south every day.

George is a "villain" who must retaliate against others.

Since the British dared to let the Gurkhas get involved in the war between the Dutch East Indian colonial government and Aceh, then George would have a reason to retaliate against the British.

So the East Indians were being trained by the Lansa Sultanate and there were some Irish people being trained in Vladivostok.

East Indians look similar to Indians. There is no need to emphasize the importance of India to Britain.

In order to get George's support, the "Fenian Brotherhood" even sold the elevator technology to Vladivostok. George had to show something.

As for whether the UK will target Vladivostok because of this——

Oh, even if the Russian Empire surrenders, can Britain let the Russian Empire go?

(End of this chapter)