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Even without the patrolling fishing boats, it is not difficult to observe the enemy situation. After all, there are piles of large ships floating on the sea, and you can see them clearly as long as you stand higher, not to mention the existence of powerful tools such as telescopes.

Therefore, the enemy's movements quickly reached the ears of everyone on the island.

"The enemy is splitting up, and the red-haired barbarians have left behind most of their gunboats." Lin Meng's face didn't look good when he told this news, but he managed a forced smile towards his sister. "Now you don't have to worry about luring the enemy."

Lin Meng wasn't surprised by the enemy's splitting of forces; after all, their actions were intended to facilitate this. However, he was surprised that Xisai's fleet remained as the main force. Those foreign ships couldn't even withstand a single attack from Shen Sandao, and if deployed on a frontal battlefield, the devastation would be terrifying. Unexpectedly, they were left on Luoling Island, where there were no artillery batteries. Wasn't that like overkill?

However, this inexplicable arrangement posed a real threat. Since the gunboats had been left behind, Luoling Island would not be facing a simple feint, but a fierce battle to the death. At this point, who was in command on the island, or whether the leader was present, was meaningless, and Lin Mo's worries were no longer relevant.

Lin Mo didn't quite understand the significance of the gunboat's departure, but he sensed something was wrong from his brother's expression and hurriedly asked, "Wouldn't it be better to hold back the foreign gunboat?"

"We can't delay them. Once the gunboats enter the harbor, we can only defend the camp. Besides, there are still many ships left by the Long Whale Gang, and we have to guard against attacks from both sides." Lin Meng said.

He said it simply, but Lin Mo, who was already familiar with the terrain of the island, understood it immediately. In other words, not only the village wall in front, but also the mudflats in the back could be attacked. This was a standard "defense to the death", and the price paid could be imagined.

His face turned slightly pale, but Lin Mo said: "As long as you can hold on, it will always be good for the gang leader."

Looking at his sister's expression, Lin Meng was silent for a moment, then smiled: "Well said."

If they could really hold back those Xisai gunboats on their own, the pressure of a head-on battle would certainly be reduced a lot. Now that things have come to this, they might as well fight to the death.

…

"Sir, the reconnaissance ship we sent out was attacked by the enemy, and one ship was sunk. The enemy has ambushed both sides of the harbor, and has prepared a number of fire ships and explosives."

Having decided to attack Luoling Island, Baron Luciano wasted no time and immediately sent people to scout the enemy. Of course, at this time, he would not be so foolish as to use his own people, and he still had to let the Long Whale Gang take the lead.

As expected, there was an ambush hidden in the winding bay. Ordinary ships might find it difficult to deal with this kind of terrain, but it was nothing for his gunboat.

Baron Luciano coldly ordered: "Let Cotanzo lead the fleet to attack and capture the dock before dark."

Given the tonnage of their gunboats, the ideal strategy would be to seize the deepwater harbor and then send in landing troops. As for the mudflats on the rear, they would have to wait until the frontal battles began before opening up a battlefield, so seizing the docks became a top priority. He had only sent two ships to accompany the Long Whale Gang's army to deliver the message, leaving the remaining gunboats with him, so he naturally had to fully utilize his firepower advantage.

With an order, several ships broke away from the fleet and headed towards the harbor.

The five leading gunboats formed a typical diamond formation, their ships deliberately spaced apart to bring both sides of the harbor within range. Before the enemy could even make their mark, the gunboats on either side began firing volleys. Each ship had fifteen to twenty guns on its broadside, firing simultaneously, the intensity of the firepower was unimaginable.

There were no shouts of killing, and no one could charge under such artillery fire. Only some faint screams could be heard from the shore. The small boats following the warships swarmed out and began to sweep the directions where the enemy might be hiding.

With artillery fire and dragnets deployed, even the most resilient enemy could not resist, and the fleet easily approached the dock. However, upon arrival, they discovered several dilapidated ships stranded near the dock, occupying most of the sea. This was likely the pirates' last resort, to complicate their landing.

The gunner immediately said, "Captain, do you want to sink those ships?"

As long as these ships disintegrate, they will make room for their warships. Sinking them is the easiest way. Cotanzo was surprisingly cautious. He thought for a moment before saying, "Send someone up there to check for any flammable or explosive materials or ambushes. If not, tow the ships away and clear the channel."

This scramble took quite a while, until nightfall, when they finally cleared the docks and completely occupied the harbor. When word reached the flagship, Baron Luciano hesitated. The enemy's resistance seemed too weak. Did they realize they couldn't defeat the gunboats and so withdrew their forces? Or was there some other conspiracy?

After a long pause, he gave the order: "Have Cotanzo remain on standby and land tomorrow morning. Have the Long Whale Gang also prepare to surround the island and coordinate operations."

Even if they captured the harbor, he had no intention of letting the fleet enter, believing the open sea was safer. As for the landing battle, it would cost the lives of the Long Whale Gang.

"The enemy's flagship hasn't entered the harbor." Lin Meng was quite disappointed by the Xisai people's caution. It seemed that even their deliberate concessions hadn't made them complacent. Since they couldn't set fire to the ship, they could only fight a head-on defense of the city.

No longer frustrated, he ordered: "Let all parties prepare, the war is about to begin!"

…

Early the next morning, the people of Xise guided the ships of the Long Whale Gang into the harbor one after another. This time, Ning Fu left not many ships, but quite a few people, more than 3,000 in total. They were pirates of real origin, and they could fight at sea, and naturally they could also go ashore to burn, kill, and loot.

The leader of the troops was already impatient. As soon as he got ashore, he spat, "These barbarians don't even treat us as human beings! They want us to be the first to rush in for everything. Do we have to work for them?"

If he hadn't been afraid of Mr. Ning's investigation, he would have quit long ago. They were needed to explore the way before, and now they're needed to clear the way for the siege. Isn't that just using them as cannon fodder? Don't let it end up with you losing your life instead of getting any benefits. Rather than suffer the humiliation here, it's better to follow the army to Panyu.

"Boss, why don't we just reduce our efforts?" the subordinate immediately suggested. "The barbarians are the main force in this battle anyway, and the island will be taken by them. Why should we rush?"

These words finally struck a chord with the small leader. He sneered and raised his voice, "The Red Flag Gang is not to be trifled with. Let's go up and test them. Don't rush in rashly."

With his order, what else could the others not understand? There was no enthusiasm to charge at all, and a group of people rushed towards the camp.

Under the pretext of being "cautious," it took quite a while just to get from the dock to the camp gate. When they finally arrived, everyone gasped. This wasn't a pirate den; it was just an ordinary provincial capital.

Those rows of trenches and chevaux de frise were enough to make people tremble with fear, not to mention the armed soldiers and gleaming cannons on the city walls. They didn't even have any siege equipment, nor did they have looted laborers carrying sandbags. Could it be that they were really fighting to the death?

"I quit! Let those bastards fight it out!" Without even trying, the Long Whale Gang's small leader immediately resigned. Mr. Ning wasn't around, and no one could court-martial him, so why should he be afraid? It was better to let the bastards handle this tough situation.

These guys' retreat at the last minute really gave the Xisai people a headache. When the news got back to the flagship, Baron Luciano almost doubted his own ears: "The Long Whale Gang's people are not following orders? Didn't they receive orders?"

The adjutant was completely helpless: "They are all pirates. Without a bounty, why would they be willing to work for us? Besides, the city on the island is heavily fortified, so it doesn't seem easy to attack."

This series of bad news left Baron Luciano speechless for a moment.

He could predict that this island would be difficult to capture, but he didn't expect that the Long Whale Gang would send such trash. Could it be that the man in white did it on purpose and wanted to use this island to consume his troops?

But if they retreated now, wouldn't all their previous efforts be in vain? Leaving in disgrace without any results would probably affect their confidence in negotiations with the Long Whale Gang.

After a long silence, Baron Luciano finally spoke: "This is the pirates' lair. They have captured our warships and hundreds of our soldiers. We can't just let it go. First, build siege equipment, transport some cannons to the island, and set up camp to prepare for battle. Then tell the Long Whale Gang that if they don't want to fight in the front, they can take small boats to the beach and attack from the rear. If they can break in, I can give them some treasure and women as a reward."

For pirates, perhaps only money and women can be of some use.

He didn't ask these people to fight hard, as long as he could put some pressure on the enemies defending the city.

They still have to fight the main battle themselves. If they can't break down the city gates with flesh and blood, they can use artillery fire and lead bullets.