Chapter 73 Crossfire

Because everyone had made preparations in advance, they were obviously more cautious when dealing with the situation.

In particular, any phenomenon that occurs at sea is monitored and reported by a special team, just in case.

They were already on high alert for this whirlpool surge, but this sudden, large-scale event, despite its small individual size, greatly hampered their operations.

Experienced sailors, in particular, can easily tell that these small whirlpools are not difficult to deal with.

What's terrifying is that its scope and power expand, becoming a massive vortex that engulfs it!

"Quick, watch out for the side position."

"We've reached the bow; everyone must hold on and make it through."

Everyone focused on their hands, striving for success on the first try, while waiting for the large ship to pass through dangerously. At the same time, the warship behind them also saw the danger.

However, the helmsmen of both ships were very experienced and managed to avoid the danger zone by following the narrowest gaps.

Once the boat stopped rocking, everyone who had been tense all day finally calmed down.

"So, we've taken this step, haven't we?"

"I think so. I heard that the sea was like a tornado. Luckily, we got through it."

Even though everyone had made ample preparations, they were still afraid.

Now that things have calmed down, I feel like I've finally recovered after exhaling all the stale air.

Following Elder Xia, they went up to the deck one after another. Listening to the comrades who had witnessed it firsthand recount the perilous situation they had just experienced, everyone felt both worried and afraid.

The first dark day seemed to be just the beginning, and they encountered difficulties several times afterward.

This truly proves the saying "nine deaths and one life"!

A major news story has emerged from Yongquan Island in Chengyang County these days.

Not long ago, a large ship brought a sunken ancient vessel ashore. Its value was immeasurable, and it was taken over by leaders from the county, city, and province as soon as it arrived on the island.

Following advice from professionals, they then docked near the Wuhuaxi Wharf on Yongquan Island, intending to use the location to build a warehouse specifically for storage.

Because of this, the person in charge, Mr. Yu, confronted everyone alone.

They managed to prevent them from further damaging the shipwreck, and instead placed it inside the natural U-shaped dock for protection.

But the reality is harsh; the government simply doesn't have the money.

Even with some economic development in the coastal areas, it was still difficult to provide the professional environment that Mr. Yu had envisioned; the situation reached a stalemate. At this time, the staff of the [unclear] proposed that they could not rely on external forces. At that time, foreign investment in the south was booming, and the news of a sunken ship carrying underwater treasure spread throughout the cities near this province within a few days.

With everyone contributing a sentence, the speed of its spread is immeasurable.

It was even said that foreign investment immediately came knocking on their door.

They said they were very interested in their traditional culture and were willing to donate a sum of money, but with several conditions.

Old Yu immediately expressed his opposition; without even hearing what he said next, he knew it wasn't a good thing.

But Lao Zhuang advised him that he should still give them face.

“This is clearly a malicious act. We worked so hard to retrieve it, and those foreigners are like flies drawn to a fish, coming in to take a bite. I’m really not happy about this, Lao Zhuang.”

"I know what you're thinking; you'd rather keep it than give it to someone else."

"But is that our current situation? And Lao Xia and the others are still adrift at sea." Although Zhuang Yongshou is engaged in architectural research, he has lived to a ripe old age and, especially in his early years, traveled all over the country to explore ancient buildings, so he has heard a lot about them.

"We're planning to pull off a big heist and make a big splash. With them showing up, aren't you worried the effect won't be good?"

"You agree with this?"

Yu Jingtong looked puzzled, but quickly regained his composure.

As the director of the National Museum, his methods and temperament are unmatched by ordinary people.

"Yes, why not give it a try!"

Yu Jingtong was silent for a moment, then said, "I need to inform the higher-ups in advance. Even if we need to make a fuss, we'll have to handle it."

Seeing that he had regained his composure, Lao Zhuang breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that he was back to his usual self, and didn't say anything more.

If it weren't for the special circumstances, he wouldn't have wanted to bring up Lao Xia and the others. After all, the person in charge of the initial plan was Xia Ming, who was in charge of cultural relics. However, the Maria ship intervened and the two of them were replaced.

Since they returned to Yongquan Island, he could tell that he was very worried about Lao Xia and the others, and he suppressed his worries every day.

"Thank you, Lao Zhuang, let's go!"

The eighteenth day of sailing on the high seas was also a dark Tuesday.

The group traveled smoothly for another half a day, but as dawn broke, they encountered an orca nearby.

Those who saw this scene for the first time were deeply moved. After hearing the introduction of this marine creature from those who knew about it, they were mostly surprised and afraid.

But they soon discovered that there might be a reason why these orcas were there.

This group of orcas was large, consisting of at least seven or eight individuals.

Since discovering them, James immediately ordered everyone to take cover. These creatures were not easy to deal with; not only were they large, but there were also many of them. If they were to accidentally run into each other, it would be a real problem.

"Quickly, quickly, get out of this area of ​​fish and warn the boats behind to avoid this area immediately."

Experienced sailors immediately realize that there must be prey nearby, and they mustn't get caught up in it, otherwise...

Everyone took emergency evasive action, driving as far away as possible to avoid the area where those large creatures were active.

Having finally gained some distance, the black figure soon reappeared rising and falling beneath the water's surface. The group breathed a sigh of relief and continued sailing further afield.

Beneath the surface, the waves stirred up by the ship disturbed the surrounding schools of fish.

The salmon that the orca liked seemed to be fleeing in one direction, but upon closer inspection, it turned out to be heading in the same direction as the large ship.

At first, the orcas didn't pay much attention to the changes around them. They were hunting salmon and, as they talked to each other, they devoured the entire group of salmon.

However, it was always restricted in its movement, and this bump caused it to collide with the bottom and sides of the boat.

A single adult male killer whale can weigh up to 5.5 tons, and the force of such a collision is enough to cause a mental upheaval among those on board.

On the nineteenth day of their voyage, they waited with a mixture of trepidation and anticipation for the day to arrive.

According to the navigation records, pirates will be active in the vicinity.

This pirate was different from the previous ones. They understood why it was different that day at noon: a large ship comparable to the Maria stood not far from them.

All sorts of things were placed around the hull, with dark holes pointing at them.

The sailors who saw this had just reported the situation when the ship suddenly accelerated and came within a hundred meters of them.

"Ooh ooh ooh ooh~"

Everyone on board could hear the pirates cheering and jumping for joy.

And they excitedly waved their weapons, eyeing them menacingly.

"Fire!"

"Bang bang bang~"

Loin seemed to hear a thunderclap explode in his ears.

She was tackled by someone, and then felt a violent commotion reverberate throughout the area.

Screams and shouts accompanied by a series of loud noises startled everyone, leaving them stunned for a few seconds before they could react.

Cries of pain and screams, roars and cheers~

As the weapons on the Maria struck the opposite ship with pinpoint accuracy, and the ship, which had not yet launched an attack, began to show signs of damage, their dispute began.

Countless people are caught in their own dangers and crises.

James instructed his men to keep an eye on the distance, and then they noticed two more large ships approaching from a distance.

Looking through the telescope, its shape and layout are very similar to the previous one.

James was shocked; there were accomplices among them.

He hurriedly contacted the person in charge of the warship, and Comrade Chen instructed him to be ready at any time and to immediately lend a helping hand should they be outmatched.

Captain Chen acknowledged that he understood, but he had to consider the attitude of his fellow countrymen on board, even though the other side was not friendly.

Moreover, he genuinely looked down on those pirates who plundered and looted.

"Have we started exchanging fire?"

"That's right, everyone hurry up and move the stuff upstairs, be ready to provide support at any time to ensure they have enough ammunition."

The group followed behind another foreign boy named Rowan.

It had been agreed beforehand that if a firefight broke out, they would be needed to retrieve the hidden shells from the hold.

"Oh no! Oh no! Look, there's another boat coming over there!"

"Oh no, there are two more ships, that makes three now! How many pirates are there?!"

"What are you afraid of? We have this." The man pointed to the cannon barrel that was being loaded with ammunition.

Seeing this, the soldiers nearby quickly told them to take cover and not rush outside.

"Go back quickly, it's too dangerous up there, you all need to leave!"

"Captain Jiang, we can help. You're all up there. I'm a grown man, so I'm sure I can do something. Let them go."

"What are you talking about? We can help too. What time is it? It's a matter of life and death, stop arguing!"

Dr. Yu gave him a disapproving look, then said, "Alright, Elder Xia and Elder Hu need someone to take care of them down there. I'm a doctor, I can help out."

"Bang!"

"Lie down!"

The Maria, which was moving quickly to avoid the two ships, was suddenly struck by a huge wave.

The waves, several meters high, crashed against everyone. Although it was just seawater, the force of the impact was enormous due to the difference in position, and it even soaked most of the cannonballs on the ship.

A series of wails and cries of pain were accompanied by several heavy curses.

As everyone scrambled to their feet, they clutched the spots where they had been hit, all looking disheveled. When they realized they had gotten the ammunition wet, gasps of surprise filled the air!

"What are we going to do? All these opened boxes are wet and unusable."

"Oh no, look, the ship is getting closer and closer."

"What was that just now? It hit the target from that far away."

Some who understood the gravity of the situation disregarded everything else, their eyes fixed on the ship that was drawing ever closer behind them. The ship's fiery red color, like blood splattered all around, even the masts and sails, were crimson.

The Red Skull pirate ship, after the captain discovered that the third captain's ship was under attack, immediately rushed the second captain and his brothers to intercept the enemy. The duck, which had been planned, dared to resist and not only sped up but also dared to fight back.