The blueprints and data that Shire provided to Tijani are for the "Agile-class" destroyer that France developed nine years later.

Everything else is the same, except that the two single-barrel 37MM anti-aircraft guns were replaced with ten 20MM machine guns.

Although it started construction in 1925, the two 37MM guns used are called "French Hand Crank Machine" gears, with a maximum rate of fire of only 30 rounds per minute and a combat rate of fire of less than 15 rounds per minute.

(Note: The "Agile-class" was built shortly after World War I ended, and the French Navy did not yet have an emphasis on anti-aircraft defense, so these two 37MM anti-aircraft guns were more of a last resort than a strategic presence.)

The combat rate of fire for the Oerlikon 20MM machine gun, however, can reach 320 rounds per minute.

It is well known that anti-aircraft defense relies on a barrage of bullets to hit the target, and the rate of fire translates to a higher hit rate.

As a result, Shire did not hesitate to replace them with Oerlikons to enhance its anti-aircraft capability.

(Above is the French "Agile-class" destroyer, which started construction in 1925, with a standard displacement of 1380 tons, a full load displacement of 2000 tons, and a speed of 33 knots.)

...

London, England. After work, Stokes walked home as usual.

It's not that Stokes was frugal; rather, he was accustomed to thinking while walking. The prototype for the mortar came to him during one of these walks.

Right now, what occupied his mind was the task Shire had given him: to shorten the gun breech and produce a specialized tank gun.

This was no easy task because the gun breech housed a hydraulic recoil mechanism, and shortening it would almost mean optimizing the entire mechanism except for the gun barrel.

During this time, various improvements and optimization plans ran through Stokes' mind continuously, sometimes even invading his dreams.

The headache-inducing part was that the laboratory was in France, while Stokes and his machinery company were in Britain. This meant Stokes had to communicate via telegraph every day.

This took more than an hour, and there were many misunderstandings due to poor communication and unclear expressions.

As Stokes walked along with his head down, he suddenly felt something amiss, as if someone was following him.

The thought sent a chill down Stokes' spine. In these wartime days, it wouldn't be surprising if someone pulled out a handgun and shot him in the back of the head.

To confirm his suspicion, Stokes quickened his pace and turned into a nearby alley. He pretended to light a cigarette to wait.

Sure enough, a man in a bowler hat and a black cloak appeared behind him. The man halted abruptly when he unexpectedly saw Stokes in front of him, then casually looked around before continuing to walk forward.

Stokes quickly changed direction and made for his villa, his steps growing ever faster.

The man followed relentlessly until Stokes entered the villa gates, but he then stopped, still pacing outside and reluctant to leave.

Stokes closed the door but didn't rush to remove his hat. Instead, he went to the window and lifted a corner of the curtain, seeing the black-clad man's eyes persistently looking inside the front gate. This confirmed for Stokes that he was in danger.

His wife, who was setting the table, noticed his actions and asked in confusion, "What happened, Stokes?"

Stokes hesitated. He wasn't sure if he should tell his wife, fearing it might scare her.

However, if his wife was kept in the dark, she might not be prepared for the potential danger.

Thinking of this, Stokes gently helped his wife to a chair and said in a low voice, "Don't worry, Lola, there's something I think you should know."

"What is it?" his wife looked at Stokes with confusion.

She had never seen her husband this serious, not even when German airships flew over London.

Stokes hesitated a while longer before deciding, "We're being followed."

His wife froze, then laughed, "Are you being paranoid? It could just be a coincidence..."

"No, no." Stokes hastily explained, "It's real, believe me. And I might know why."

"Why?" his wife asked in confusion, "Did you upset someone?"

Stokes was well-liked and usually wouldn't find himself in such a situation.

"Maybe..." Stokes sighed softly, "I might have offended the British Government."

His wife's mouth hung open, and after a long moment of shock, she asked, "You said the British Government..."

"Listen to me, Lola," Stokes explained, "I didn't expect it would come to this. I'm collaborating with Shire, as I've mentioned to you, and others know about it too. I think the British Government knows about it."

"But that..." Then she understood, "You're working on some invention with Shire?"

Stokes nodded.

His wife followed up, "Some important, undisclosed invention?"

Stokes nodded again.

"Military equipment?"

Stokes admitted with a helpless look, "Yes, just as you may think."

His wife's face turned pale immediately, "You're mad, Stokes. You're British."

"I know," Stokes replied, anxiously and awkwardly:

"But the idea is Shire's; technically, it's his invention."

"I'm just helping him realize it. I thought this was just business."

"Plus, Britain and France are allies, aren't they? I didn't think there would be an issue, it's legal..."

His wife interrupted him, her eyes filled with fear, "They don't care about legal or not; they certainly don't want France to outdo Britain, at any time."

"You're right, but what can I do now?" Stokes asked, exasperated, holding his head, "Should I turn myself in?"

The next moment, Stokes dismissed the idea, "No, they don't want me to turn myself in. They want what Shire and I are developing. So, they would want me to become a spy..."

Stokes shook his head bitterly.

He was a businessman and did not want to be caught up in such complex relationships, living in constant fear.

His wife thought for a moment, then suggested:

"Why don't you ask Shire?"

"If it's Shire's project with you, he should take responsibility for it."

"Or you could choose to leave the project."

Stokes' eyes lit up.

Yes, as long as he left the project, he wouldn't have to worry about anything.

But just as Stokes rose, he hesitated.

During wartime, the machinery company was struggling, and the rising cost of raw materials like steel had brought it to the brink of bankruptcy.

And the project with Shire involved producing tank guns.

In the future, every tank would need a tank gun, which could potentially bring him a fortune that could last several lifetimes...

Leaving would mean getting nothing. He could only wait here for the day the company went bankrupt.