I'll tell you all, this land is round and we can sail forward without looking back, never worrying about losing our way home—wealth and homestead lie straight ahead.
Fear no powerful enem...
Chapter 144 Waiting for him to drown half to death
"This is Taiwan's territorial waters. Stop the ship immediately for inspection, or we will sink it!"
The pirate ship, with its elven-style design, was arrogant. Upon hearing the shout, it did not slow down at all, but merely changed its course slightly, sailing horizontally toward the port side of the Kai, intending to pass it by.
A figure in blue appeared at the bow of the pirate ship, standing with his back turned and looking up at the tall sailing ship he had never seen before with a scrutinizing gaze.
"Turn around and ram it!"
Kaihime was furious. It was her first time inspecting the ships, and they were ignoring her orders! Not only were they ignoring her orders, but they were also acting all high and mighty with their hands behind their backs—even a prince wouldn't act that way! It was utterly outrageous!
The Kai had a ram underwater at its bow and a displacement of over 300 tons. If it collided with a speedboat of a few dozen tons, it would definitely sink instantly.
The speed at which the Kai turned surprised Qingyi Rao, but he had just taken the downwind position when he turned and sailed towards it. With a slight right turn, he veered several tens of degrees to the south, and his speed did not decrease much. He actually managed to pass the Kai.
"Hehe!... It really is the Elven ship handling technique. Interesting, very interesting. Kai, your captain qualification exam has begun. Chase after them, but be careful not to capsize your ship."
Downwind is advantageous for escape, while upwind is advantageous for pursuit. When the elven-style pirate ship seized the downwind position, Qin Mo knew that the other party did not intend to confront him head-on. Since he was upwind, his cannons could exert their maximum power, so he naturally did not intend to stop the other party. Who knew that the pirate ship's ship handling was indeed like that of the elves, turning very quickly.
It's important to understand that sailboats are not horse-drawn carriages. After turning the rudder, the boat will have a reaction process. Only by precisely coordinating with the angle of the sails can the boat turn smoothly and maintain speed.
"Push the cannon to the port side and secure it, then all personnel to the port side and hold on tight." Kaihime was now calm, and her command was extremely steady.
"Left 25, hold on tight!"
Kaihime's palms were sweaty. The ship had undergone a sharp turn test, which took much longer back then. But that pirate ship had already sailed far away and it would soon be dark. If it escaped her sight... her captaincy would be ruined. She should just go back to her old job as a personal maid!
The helmsman quickly turned the rudder, all the way to a 25-degree angle, which is the limit during normal driving. The maximum full rudder angle of 35 degrees is used when approaching the shore at low speed.
The Kai was like a nimble fat man, reacting quickly and turning left. The tall mast, pulled by the sails, caused the ship to tilt to the right until the angle between the wind and the sails no longer created thrust and suction, and then it gradually stopped tilting.
Using its momentum, the Kai drew a large arc, finally turning from its westward course to the southeast, once again aiming at that arrogant and showy pirate ship.
"Quickly adjust the sails, quick... you guys go adjust the rigging sails."
Without Kaihime giving any further orders, the boatswain began directing his sailors to quickly climb the mast, adjust the sail rigging, and create a suitable angle between the sails and the wind, causing the sails to billow again. The ship then slowly accelerated and began to catch up.
"Your Highness, it's getting dark..."
As Kaihime watched the setting sun sink into the sea, a hint of anxiety finally crept in. The sailboat's acceleration was a gradual process; by the time the Kaihime reached full speed, the pirate ship was already at least five miles away.
"Kai, the moon must be beautiful tonight..."
Qin Mo didn't say much, only uttering a sentence that left Kaihime puzzled. But Qin Mo's faint smile gave her confidence.
"When installing the bar and auxiliary sail, pay attention to the safety line and do not operate in violation of regulations."
The sailors climbed the mast in the last rays of the setting sun and laboriously installed the barred sails, which could only be used in straight-line sailing conditions and were relatively fragile and difficult to adjust.
The Galleon merchant ship, No. 43, sailing with a heavy heart, saw the Kai make a sharp turn in the distance, then quickly accelerated to full speed and gave chase to the south. Its excellent maneuverability was something even the captain and Qiao Erlang envied.
"I'm going to take the naval academy entrance exam... I'm going to pilot this kind of warship!" Qiao Erlang encouraged himself bitterly, preparing to go home and study hard.
"Hehe, Qiao Erlang, I don't know how many ships like this exist in our Dayuan, but there certainly aren't many! What kind of person is the captain? He has to be ruthless and black-hearted. Can your physique hold up those elite sailors and soldiers?"
"Let me tell you, old man Yu, my health may not be good, but my family is rich! You wait, when we get back I'll ask my older brother to get me some rubbing medicine. It's only ten or twenty thousand taels on the black market, I can afford a few servings. Once I become a cultivator..."
"He turned again, thirty degrees to the west."
Qin Mo lowered his binoculars. The bright moon made the sea ripple with light. The pirate ship in the distance had nowhere to hide under Qin Mo's abnormal eyesight. Even after changing direction twice, it could not shake off the Kai.
"He'd better change course again, then we can catch up with him."
Kaihime directed the helmsman and sailors to change course, muttering to Qin Mo that every change of course would result in a loss of speed, especially at sharp angles. The Kaihime, which was in pursuit, needed to adjust its angle more frequently. As the sailors' adjustment skills became more proficient, they gradually closed the distance considerably.
The man in blue had obviously also spotted the Kai following behind. Given the size of the Kai, it was impossible for such a large ship to be completely unlit while in pursuit. Not everyone has the superhuman eyesight of a cultivator, and a safe operating environment must be ensured.
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