[A long chapter of 3,000 words!]

As dawn breaks, a massive fleet of merchant ships is slowly approaching on the distant horizon.

The ships were of a peculiar design, neither as cumbersome as ordinary merchant ships nor as narrow as warships. Each ship was exceptionally wide, yet still maintained agile maneuverability.

"Interesting." The wicked man narrowed his eyes. "These 'merchant ships' probably have something more to them."

Twenty years of military service had given him an exceptionally keen intuition for danger. This suddenly appearing fleet was clearly a backup plan that the Water King had prepared long ago.

"Order the entire army," he said in a deep voice, "to adjust formation and prepare to deal with the new threat."

But just then, the previously scattered Baiyue navy suddenly regrouped and began moving towards the merchant fleet. The Water King's ship sent out a series of complex signals, clearly conveying some kind of special instruction.

"Oh no!" Zhang Erhe's expression changed. "They're going to..."

"Take this opportunity to break through?" The wicked man shook his head. "Not necessarily. Given the Water King's personality, he won't retreat so easily."

Sure enough, the merchant fleet suddenly dispersed as it approached, taking up advantageous positions in the surrounding area. In the morning light, one could see that the ships were piled high with cargo of various shapes and sizes, almost filling the decks.

"Reporting to the Grand Commandant!" An old fisherman rushed over. "From what I've observed, those merchant ships all appear to be the famous 'triangular sailing ships' of the South China Sea. These ships are extremely maneuverable and can navigate freely in all kinds of winds."

The wicked man seemed to be deep in thought. This water king was indeed meticulous in his calculations, even in the selection of ships. Those seemingly chaotic goods must also have another purpose.

"Attention all troops!" he immediately ordered. "Prepare yourselves for a possible enemy attack!"

Before the words were even finished, a sudden change occurred!

Suddenly, the "cargo" on the merchant ships tipped over, revealing the crossbows hidden beneath. These were specially made ballistae from the South China Sea; although not as sophisticated as the mechanisms of the Mohists, they were incredibly powerful.

"What a cunning water king!" the wicked man sneered. "So he's converted these merchant ships into warships."

This was indeed a brilliant strategy. Ordinary warships, due to their speed constraints, could hardly carry many heavy weapons. But these merchant ships were large enough to carry a large number of ballistae.

Even more critically, they occupy advantageous positions on the periphery, making them fully capable of launching long-range strikes against the Qin fleet.

"Pass down the order," the wicked man decisively ordered, "Prepare for evasion!"

Just as the Qin fleet was preparing to turn around, the Water King unleashed his deadly move!

Suddenly, the Baiyue warships accelerated and rushed towards the merchant fleet. They weren't trying to break out, but rather to coordinate with the merchant ships!

"Oh no!" Zhang Erhe exclaimed, his face paling. "They're going to..."

"A pincer attack!" the wicked man chimed in. This was indeed a deadly tactic. The Baiyue navy, which had been scattered, feigned a retreat, but in reality, they were going to cooperate with the merchant fleet to form an encirclement.

If they succeed, the Qin fleet will be caught in a pincer movement. With ballistae suppressing them from the front and the navy pursuing them from the rear, even the strongest warships will be overwhelmed.

"This Water King..." A hint of admiration flashed in the wicked man's eyes, "No wonder he's been able to dominate the South China Sea for so many years. Such scheming is truly remarkable."

But how could he be so easily outmaneuvered?

"Pass on my order!" the wicked man suddenly drew his sword. "Prepare for the second strike in the naval battle!"

The generals were taken aback. They only knew that the Grand Commandant had prepared tactics to deal with the navy, but they were unaware that he had a backup plan.

"Gentlemen, do not panic," the wicked man said confidently. "Since I, the Grand Commandant, dared to lead troops into the sea, how could I be unprepared? Order Xiangli He to activate the second mechanism!"

Before the words were finished, a series of mechanical clicks suddenly sounded on the Qin warship. It was the signal that a special mechanism designed by the Mohists had been activated.

Suddenly, several hidden doors opened on the sides of each warship, revealing catapults that had been prepared beforehand. These mechanisms were specially designed by Zizhen, possessing not only an extraordinary range but also the ability to remain stable at sea.

"put!"

With a command, countless boulders burst forth from the sky. This was the true killing move prepared by the wicked man! The previous traps were merely a feint, designed to lull the Water King into the illusion that the Qin fleet had revealed all its trump cards.

Although the merchant ships were exquisitely modified, their hulls were not as sturdy as those of warships. After several volleys, several ships were hit. Heavy boulders smashed large holes in the hulls, and some merchant ships immediately took on water and capsized.

Upon seeing this, the Water King finally revealed a hint of anxiety in his eyes.

He never expected the Qin people to have such a hidden trump card. The power of those catapults was even more astonishing than his ballistae!

"Pass down the order," he gritted his teeth, "Prepare to break out! This time, it's really time to retreat!"

But would the wicked husband let him succeed?

"All troops, attack!" With that order, the Qin fleet's formation suddenly changed.

Ten capital ships formed a cone shape, pointing directly at the Water King's flagship. The warships on either side, like outstretched wings, blocked any possible retreat for the Baiyue navy. The entire fleet, bathed in the golden dawn light, resembled a giant eagle poised to pounce.

At that moment, a glint of ruthlessness flashed in the villain's eyes. In his twenty years of military service and countless battles, he had never encountered such a formidable opponent. Every step of the Water King's plan was ingenious; if he hadn't been prepared, he might have truly capsized in the ditch today.

But he had been waiting a long time for this final blow.

He said in a deep voice, "Activate all Mohist mechanisms!"

Instantly, all the mechanisms on the Qin warships sprang into action. Catapults, repeating crossbows, and pumping units—all the weapons unleashed their power simultaneously. The sheer force of the attack caused the sea to tremble.

The Water King stood on his ship, his face solemn.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!