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"Will there really be a hurricane?" Cheng Xi's face changed. Although she didn't know what "sea fire" was, predicting typhoons through weather forecasting has always been an essential means of survival for coastal fishermen.

Li Fu grew up in a fishing village and had been on a sea ship with Li Niu for many years, so he must have some understanding of typhoons.

Li Fu immediately said, "No doubt about it, this is definitely sea fire, also known as a floating sea lantern. If you see it, there will be a hurricane in a few days!"

"Send someone to the Tanka people and ask what they say," Cheng Xi said immediately. It wasn't that she didn't trust Li Fu, but everyone has their own expertise. The Tanka people were the ones who truly made the sea their home, so they would definitely be more accurate in their assessment of the typhoon.

Before she could send anyone to inquire, a boatman came rushing over: "Boss Cheng, there's a sea fire on the sea. I'm afraid there's going to be a storm in the next two or three days! Alas, we've been fighting these past two days, so I didn't think too much about it. It's been sunny these past few days, without even a drop of rain, and the wind is barely there. It's the perfect weather pattern before a hurricane..."

After all, Cheng Xi came from the navy and had seen typhoons before. He knew how terrifying it was to encounter a storm at sea. Modern ships were not able to withstand it, let alone ancient sailing ships.

If you want to protect yourself, you have to dock immediately and let the ship enter a sheltered harbor.

However, they are now at war. Will the enemy notice the changes in the weather and retreat?

After a brief pause, Cheng Xi gave the order: "You and the sea merchants retreat together and head to Wuyuan Island to avoid the hurricane."

The boat people were so anxious to come and give the news. In fact, it is not difficult to guess what they were thinking. Small boats are the least able to withstand the wind and waves. Not to mention typhoons, even the sudden change in weather before a storm is difficult to withstand. The only option is to escape to a shelter as soon as possible.

However, the two nearby sheltered islands belong to the Red Flag Gang, so they naturally came to ask for leniency.

Hearing this, the boatman who reported the news was overjoyed and immediately went down to inform everyone. Li Fuze asked anxiously, "Boss, what about us?"

"First, organize the troops and see what the enemy is doing." Cheng Xi frowned and replied in a deep voice. Judging from the current intelligence, this situation might not end peacefully.

At this moment, the lights on the government army's flagship were also bright, and all the generals were called over, each with a solemn expression.

"The spies reported that sea lights appeared on the sea surface and schools of fish were rising. I'm afraid a hurricane is coming." Xu Xianrong went straight to the point and directly stated the crisis they were facing.

This was truly terrible news. A captain said anxiously, "General, we must retreat as soon as possible! The fish are all floating up, and there's no telling when the hurricane will hit!"

"This is horrible weather, there's not even a breath of wind. We can't walk fast even if we want to. Wouldn't it be even more dangerous if we encounter a hurricane on the way?" Someone immediately refuted.

This is also the most fatal point nowadays. Before a hurricane comes, there will often be a period of calm on the sea. At this time, it is almost impossible to increase the speed of the ship. When a strong wind really comes, you don’t know which direction it will blow. If you rush back blindly, you may hit the wind disaster head-on.

"Perhaps we could dock? The East Gate Garrison is nearby..." someone suggested. It was definitely too late to return to Panyu now. While there were islands along the way, they were too small to accommodate a fleet of their size. Going ashore was a good idea; at least they could get to the Garrison to avoid the storm.

"But I heard that East Gate is also Red Flag Gang territory. If there's a storm, I'm afraid the entire fleet will be destroyed." Someone immediately objected. If the fleet encounters a hurricane, it will be completely useless. If they are captured by the enemy, won't they be at the mercy of the enemy? And what about the East Gate guards? What if they are bribed by the Red Flag Gang and they try to collude and claim that they were shipwrecked and wiped out? That would be a waste of life.

"This won't work, and that won't work. We can't just sit there and wait for death, right? I think we should withdraw our troops immediately..."

"We can't withdraw." A voice interrupted all arguments. Xu Xianrong raised his head and said firmly, "Only by defeating the enemy can we have a chance of survival."

There was a loud bang in the cabin, and countless people screamed.

"General, don't be reckless!" "How can we argue at this moment?" "As long as there is green mountains, there will be no shortage of firewood!"

Seeing the hurricane coming, if we don't retreat now, wouldn't that be courting death? Even if it's for military merit, we can't risk our lives, right?

However, Xu Xianrong didn't retreat an inch. "The sea-floating lanterns have appeared. There will definitely be a hurricane within two or three days. We're too far from land now. No matter which direction we retreat, we'll likely be swept away. The nearest safe havens are Wuyuan Island and Luoling Island. If we defeat the Red Flag Gang's fleet, we can advance directly to capture Luoling Island. If we can't, we can force them to retreat and seize Wuyuan Island's port. It's only about half a day's journey, isn't it safer than other places?"

This made everyone shut up. It was actually true. After all, there was a possibility of winning when fighting against people, but fighting against heaven would mean death.

Although Wuyuan Island is not big enough, it has a safe harbor that can barely accommodate the fleet.

Besides, they went out to sea to suppress bandits. Whether they occupied Wuyuan Island or actually captured Luoling Island, they would have made great contributions, and it would be easy to explain when they returned to the camp.

A group of people looked at each other, but no one dared to be the first to speak. At this moment, there was a crackling sound outside the window. Xu Xianrong stood up and pushed open the window. The raindrops immediately floated in with the wind. It was raining.

Turning his head, Xu Xianrong looked at everyone: "There is no time to hesitate."

After a few days of clear weather, it suddenly started raining heavily. This was not a good sign. Everyone's faces changed and they no longer hesitated.

They really have no way out, so they might as well give it a try!

In the heavy rain that covered the sky, the fleets on both sides started moving.

Looking at the government troops who were also lined up in battle formation, Cheng Xi sighed in his heart, thinking that it would be a fight to the death.

When a fleet faces an impending storm, the best option is naturally to sail to the nearest safe harbor. Unfortunately, the nearest ports nearby are Wuyuan Island and Luoling Island.

In order to survive, not to mention the government troops, even the surrendered soldiers would fight to the death. But, this was the territory she could not give up.

Once the fleet withdraws to Luoling Island, the government troops will inevitably occupy Wuyuan Island, which means they will seize their bridgehead. How can they allow others to sleep soundly beside their bed?

Moreover, if Wuyuan Island were to be occupied by the enemy, the boat people and the sea merchants who had taken refuge there would also be swallowed up by the enemy, which would be equivalent to cutting off one's own arm. However, at this time, it would be impossible for these outsiders to enter Luoling Island for safety. They are all fence-sitters, and who knows if they would suddenly develop malicious intentions?

If they retreated to Wuyuan Island, it would be entirely possible for the government troops to bypass them and head straight for Luoling Island.

There are no artillery batteries on the island, and all the ships have been withdrawn. How can the camp alone defend against the officers and soldiers?

Since there is no choice but to choose between the two options, it is time to fight to the death. This battle is obviously unavoidable.

Cheng Xi closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he was still sharp-witted: "Change formation, diagonally form a fish-shaped formation, and prepare to engage!"

When two brave men meet in a narrow road, the braver one wins. Moreover, the heavy rain is in their favor. The cannonball will be useless once it gets damp. The government army has no cannons and can only use longbows and boarding battles. She is not afraid at all!

Following the order, the Red Flag Gang's fleet deployed again, but this time, the government troops did not retreat, and even the surrendered soldiers rushed up like crazy.

"Those untouchables and traitors have all fled. The enemy is weak and we are strong. Now is the time to defeat the Red Bandits and capture Luoling Island!"

The same roar echoed from countless boats. With the rain pouring down and the hurricane still imminent, there was no turning back. It was just a bloody battle, and we'd have to fight our way out!

No longer concerned with formation or conserving strength, the surging fleet came crashing down like a sledgehammer.

“Kill!”

Fighting at sea is different from fighting on land, but there is one thing that is quite similar: boarding combat is a face-to-face attack, a positional battle to the death.

The springboards were connected, the blades were clashing, the rain did not abate, the spears in the hands would slip, the arrows would deflect, the smell of blood and the smell of the sea blended together, but no one dared to retreat.

The more violent the wind and rain, the stronger everyone's desire to survive becomes. We must defeat the enemy to survive!

As if being pushed by an invisible giant hand, the fleet kept shifting during the fighting, and unknowingly crossed the line of Wuyuan Island and lay between the two islands.

"General, the enemy is tough and we may not be able to defeat them for the time being. Should we turn back to Wuyuan Island?" A captain wiped the rain off his face in embarrassment and shouted loudly.

"Charge forward and break through the enemy lines!" Xu Xianrong's voice was sharp, his expression unmoved. Turning back here would give them a chance to reach Wuyuan Island, but if the enemy caught up and joined forces with the ambushes hidden on the island, there would be no turning back.

This battle line was too long and too thin. As long as they could break through, they would have an absolute advantage. Now he could conclude that there were no defenders on Luoling Island. If they reached Luoling Island first, victory would be a sure thing!

None of these enticements or arrangements could sway him; the battle between the two sides was simply a test of resilience. His large number of ships was his greatest advantage!

"Boss, we can't hold on any longer!" Across the Red Flag Gang's flagship, a deafening cry erupted. Without the boatmen and merchants, their fleet had dwindled dramatically, and they were still on the defensive. Even if the enemy lacked artillery, they could still gain the upper hand with enough ships!

"The surrendered soldiers are about to retreat, hold on!" Cheng Xi shouted sternly.

It was a good strategy, but it was designed to capture the enemy's heart. She was betting on the enemy's resilience. Whether it was the surrendered soldiers of the coalition forces or the soldiers of the imperial army, were they truly determined to fight to the death? Of course not! They fought so hard for a chance to survive, and now, that chance lay right behind them.

Even if the enemy general could control his men, he couldn't control the surrendered soldiers. Once that string was broken, the enemy's formation would be broken!

Sure enough, within two breaths, something unexpected happened in the fleet formation. A dozen or so ships on the flanks actually slowed down and gradually broke away from the formation. They turned around and fled!

"It's done! The enemy has retreated!" someone shouted on the flagship.

Cheng Xi roared, "Watch out for the right wing!"

"Advance the vanguard." Xu Xianrong ordered from the other flagship. How could he not know that the surrendered troops were unstable? However, when the surrendered troops retreated, the enemy would inevitably be at their most vulnerable point, and they would tear through the fleet formation...

"Boom boom"

A deafening thunder exploded in the sky. The next moment, the whole world seemed to be stirred by thunder. The waves rolled back, and heavy rain poured down. The originally bright sky suddenly darkened.

The boat was tossed in the wind and waves and was almost overturned. Xu Xianrong grabbed the side of the boat and looked up at the horizon.

His expression changed: "A hurricane is coming..."