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Although the treasure ship was huge, it was not fully loaded at the moment, and with the wind in its favor, its speed was still quite astonishing.

The pirates' ships were densely packed together, so even if they sensed danger, it would not be easy for them to escape.

Like a tiger charging into a flock of sheep, the great ship plunged headfirst into the enemy lines.

With a loud bang, the two ships blocking the way were knocked away together. The bow rams wrapped with shining copper plates had a terrifying effect at this moment. The enemy ships shattered, their keels broke, their masts and sails overturned, and they were swallowed by the waves. The crew members who were lucky enough to survive fell into the sea and paddled desperately to escape from the sinking ship to avoid being caught in the whirlpool of the undercurrent.

The thousand-ton treasure ship only trembled slightly before continuing to rush forward. Such a huge ship could cause people to be doomed if it was hit. What's more, it was equipped with several cannons.

Deafening cannon shots rang out one after another, each shot bringing out flying wood chips or churning water columns. From the towering decks and bulwark loopholes, a rain of arrows continued to fly out, densely packed and easily taking lives.

With such a fierce attack, even the encirclement became a luxury. The allied pirate ships were like lambs among sheep, and could only flee in panic, fearing that they would be swallowed up if they moved slower.

In just a moment, the formation of the entire coalition army was in chaos, and the Red Flag Gang fleet that was raiding the formation on the side also began to show its fangs. Small boats surrounded the lone ships in groups of three or five, while the large ships spread out in a goose shape, blocking their way.

With wolves in front and tigers behind, the coalition forces were in a panic and had no energy to fight back. They just wished they could give their ship wings so they could escape faster.

"Military Advisor, what should we do?!" The Changjing Gang's ships were also dragged into the chaos, and the little leader couldn't help but shout loudly.

Ning Fu ignored him, squinting his eyes at the large ship and sighing, "They really swallowed it whole. What a good move."

If Lu's fleet hadn't been swallowed whole, how could this thousand-ton treasure ship have maintained its combat effectiveness? Any other ship gang that wanted to capture such a ship, short of surrounding it and setting it on fire, would have had to resort to feigning surrender. Could it be that this young woman was behind this? She had escaped right under his nose, so what was the point of swindling such a ship? What was her identity and origin?

"military adviser!"

The screams beside his ears grew louder, and Ning Fu frowned impatiently: "Is that even a question? If you can't win, just retreat. Have them organize their formation and retreat slowly. Don't get separated."

Retreat now? They didn't want to try to resist. Although they were at a disadvantage, they still had more ships than the enemy. If all three armies attacked together, they might be able to handle it.

But no matter how brave he was, he didn't dare to ask any more questions and could only hurriedly run to pass on the order. This order became a lifeline in the chaos, and many ship owners followed closely behind the Long Whale Gang's ship and retreated in a hurry.

This retreat actually worked. After all, they were on the vast sea, and the Red Flag Gang didn't have many ships. If they wanted to retreat, they could still retreat. And no matter how powerful the thousand-ton treasure ship was, it was impossible to catch up with it at that speed.

So, except for those poor creatures who were bitten to death, this group of pirate ships actually withdrew from the battlefield in a very miserable state and escaped from the waters near Wuyuan Island.

Cheng Xi raised an eyebrow in surprise. Just leaving like that? She had arranged so many backup plans, but she had never expected Ning Fu to withdraw without even a hint of resistance. Could it be that he didn't want this bait anymore?

The messenger on the side quickly said, "Boss, Chief Li asked if we should give chase?"

"No rush, let's eat the enemy in front of us first." Anyway, she has the advantage, so why bother to advance?

With the leader's orders, the ships, both large and small, began to close in formation, separating the stubbornly resisting enemy ships and capturing them one by one. Of course, some ship owners, seeing the situation was not good, simply surrendered, making the cleanup work smoother.

The coalition forces retreated quickly, but soon stopped short. If the battle hadn't gone well, they'd have to ask the leader for clarification: should they continue fighting or just withdraw?

Facing the terrified and enraged ship owners, Ning Fu appeared quite calm: "What? After just one fight, you're already scared? If we withdraw now, the damaged ships will still be damaged, and the grudges will still be remembered. Wouldn't that be a complete waste of effort?"

This was so unpleasant to the ears that someone couldn't help but shout, "Mr. Ning, you forgot that the Long Whale Gang only sent two boats!"

This is a bit unkind. The Changjing Gang only has two ships, while other gangs have more than that. If they directly capture this ghost scholar and hand him over to the Chiqi Gang, they might be able to find a way out.

Faced with this threat, Ning Fu chuckled, "And then what? Watch the Red Flag Gang take over the South China Sea, with their flags flying on all their ships and trading seafood at their mercy. Will we stop plundering merchant ships and just follow them around to eat their scraps?"

This silenced many. If the Red Flag Gang were simply a bandit gang, perhaps they wouldn't be such a headache. But they were businessmen, and they were blocking other people's financial resources. They were all sailors, so who could stand this? Traveling through the South China Sea, they might even have to pay tribute to them. It would be like having an imperial court.

Seeing everyone quiet down, Ning Fu continued, "You may think you've lost this battle, but I've discovered the enemy's true strengths. If we fight again, won't we be more confident?"

Someone couldn't help but get angry: "Mr. Ning, are you testing us with your lives? We've lost so many ships, are you just playing with them?!"

The smile on Ning Fu's face faded immediately, and he looked over coldly: "Why do you think I divided the fleet into three armies and placed the rear army to the leeward? Those who are indecisive and want to escape in the face of battle should be thrown out as bait."

The man was startled, instantly remembering what Ning Fu had said earlier. Could it be that the defeated rear guard were all members of the Red Flag Gang who had been instigated to rebel? No wonder they were defeated so easily. But if that were the case, wouldn't the Red Flag Gang's strategy have been predicted by the Ghost Book? This was like sacrificing a traitor to the cause!

The cabin immediately became quiet, and you could hear a pin drop. Many people couldn't help but shrink their necks. Who could have thought that this ghost scholar would be so cruel?

After everyone was stunned, Ning Fu continued, "Since the Red Flag Gang has captured Lu's fleet, they should have ships of a thousand tons. Their absence from the fleet must be a deliberate ambush. They're bringing out such a force the very next day, intending a quick victory. How can we possibly let them do what they want? Only by holding the enemy back here can we force Dongning to act with alarm, forcing them to lose sight of the main issue and show signs of defeat."

Such a eloquent talk really frightened people. Someone asked cautiously, "So, Mr. Ning, how do you think we're going to fight next?"

"The treasure ship is full of bows and arrows and cannons, like a moving city. It will definitely be placed in front of the battle line. All we have to do is go around behind the enemy and outflank them. If I'm right, once the Red Flag Gang has swallowed up that group of people, they will immediately send troops to chase us. All we have to do is fight and retreat, stretch their front line, and then we will have a chance to attack their soft spot." This time, Ning Fu did not hide anything and told his plan in detail.

Although they had just suffered a crushing defeat, the only losses were a few ships, not the foundation of the coalition. Now that Ning Fu had said this, many people were reconsidering their plans. After all, he had said something right: the arrow is on the string, and it must be released. If they retreated directly, they would be unable to deal with the behemoth that was the Red Flag Gang.

Seeing these people's expressions wavering again, Ning Fu raised the corner of his lips slightly. How could he let the hooked fish escape like this? As bait, it should be more lively and swallowed as deep as possible.

…

After capturing more than a dozen ships in one breath, Cheng Xi did not try to persuade the enemy to surrender. Instead, he directly pushed the captives to Wuyuan Island, reorganized the troops, and formed a battle formation.

According to the news from the scouts, the enemy did not go far away, but was still staying nearby, as if they were planning to attack again. The enemy was about to be defeated, but they were still under control again. It seems that the ghost scholar is quite capable.

Of course, the fact that the enemy hadn't left was also good news for Cheng Xi. Her plan hadn't been fully implemented, and she hadn't yet annihilated the enemy's vital forces. How could this battle be considered over?

The only question is what Ning Fu is thinking?

He had already split his forces into two groups, and then forcibly combined a disorganized group to confront his main force. This was not what a top strategist should do. Since he could tie with Fang Tianxi, Ning Fu would definitely not make any outrageous mistakes.

So what was he relying on? He couldn't possibly make enemies with the entire Panyu boat gang and bring eternal unrest to the Red Flag Gang, could he? There were countless people in Panyu who hated her. If she could completely defeat this coalition, the South China Sea would actually be at peace.

Ning Fu wouldn't make such a mistake. The information he got from her information network didn't have any loopholes. Unless, of course, he was hiding a force he didn't know about.

Although Cheng Xi had a vague suspicion in her mind, she did not stop, but ordered the fleet to move forward and continue to approach the bandits. At least Ning Fu was right about one thing: she did intend to fight quickly to avoid unnecessary trouble.

One was intentional, the other intentional, and the two sides were truly in sync. Upon seeing the other side dispatch troops, the coalition forces quickly took action. They didn't have the naval skills of the Red Flag Gang, but after being divided into five fleets by Ning Fu and given simple gongs and drums, they actually deployed their fleets in a realistic manner, like an open pocket, waiting for someone to slip in.

Cheng Xi saw the key to this formation at a glance: they wanted to use the length of the formation to prolong the battle line and break up her fleet. After all, she had fewer ships than the enemy, and it would be dangerous if they were separated.

However, there was one thing that these thieves could not prevent. Cheng Xi chuckled and ordered, "Maintain the formation and drive the enemy to the predetermined direction."

Since we are luring the enemy, we have to follow her movements. You have an ambush, so why don’t I have one?

So the two sides began to advance and retreat in perfect coordination. It looked like they were trying to break through the blockade and encircle the opponent, but in fact they wanted to force the opponent into the battlefield they had set.

Standing at the bow, Ning Fu couldn't help but laugh: "The leader of the Red Flag Gang is truly a wonderful man. No wonder that young lady fell in love with him."

It's already this late, and you're still thinking about someone else's wives and concubines. The small leader beside him frowned and said carefully, "Military Advisor, the Red Flag Gang seems to have ambushes. Isn't it inappropriate to be led away like this?"

"When fishing, you have to follow the force of the fish. If you pull hard, the hook will come off." Ning Fu narrowed his eyes and the scar on his jaw twitched slightly.

Fishing? A shark had bitten his tail, and it was hard to say who would be eaten! However, no matter how anxious he was, he was still a member of the Long Whale Gang, so the little leader was sensible and didn't ask any more questions, just following orders and moving forward.

They fought and retreated like this for most of the day. Suddenly, the Red Flag Gang changed their offensive and rushed towards the enemy on one side!

This move was not a safe one. After all, the enemy had formed a pocket formation. Any attack on one flank would immediately draw a counterattack. At sea, once surrounded, with enemy ships to the front, back, and left, a boarding battle would mean facing three to four times the number of enemies. Even with a behemoth like a treasure ship, it was not certain that they could break through the formation and escape.

After all this waiting, wasn't this the opportunity they'd been waiting for? The coalition forces grew excited, and following the flagship's instructions, they began to turn around, hoping to encircle the enemy force.

However, standing at the bow, Ning Fu didn't look at the boiling battlefield, but instead focused his gaze on the other side. Over there was also an island occupied by the Red Flag Gang, but it was said that there was no one on the island, and no one cared. What if they sent a surprise attack here?

The shouts of killing grew louder and louder, and Ning Fu suddenly smiled: "He really can make the boat people do what they want..."

Following this sigh, a dense crowd of small boats swarmed out from the island and rushed towards the battlefield.