Chapter 621 The Egg Broken!
(Thanks to Huajin_Ed for casting a monthly vote.)
As Li Shiyue had planned, the two decoy boats appeared to be in a state of panic. The "laborers" on board rowed frantically, while the "sailors" on the deck would occasionally shout out their urgent messages.
This adds to the authenticity of their disguise.
Thus, they led the Japanese pirate fleet into the entrance of Ghost Tooth Bay.
Initially, the waters in the bay were relatively calm, and only the largest Atakebune at the head of the Japanese pirate fleet managed to enter.
However, as the Japanese pirate fleet ventured deeper into the waterway, the channel suddenly narrowed and underwater reefs proliferated. The large Atakebune and Sekibune began to struggle, their speed decreased significantly, and their formation became crowded and chaotic.
Hirota Hiroki initially didn't pay much attention, thinking it was just a necessary difficulty in the pursuit. However, when he discovered that the "merchant ship" ahead seemed to be unusually familiar with this complex waterway and was moving nimbly among the reefs, while his own ship was struggling to move, an ominous premonition quickly welled up in his heart.
"Oh no! This might be a trap! Retreat!"
Hirota Hiroki hurriedly gave the order.
But it was too late.
Most of the Japanese pirate fleet had already entered the ambush zone that Li Shiyue had planned!
At this moment, how easy is it to turn around in a narrow waterway?
As the ships collided, shouts, panicked screams, and the sound of breaking rudders quickly erupted into chaos.
Just as the Japanese pirates were thrown into chaos, two large Fujian ships suddenly appeared from behind the cliffs on both sides of Ghost Fang Bay!
Countless figures stood on the deck of the Fujian ship!
Those are archers from the Zhenhai Navy!
Li Shiyue stood at the highest point of "Breaking Waves No. 2" and waved the command flag in her hand expressionlessly.
"Release the arrows!"
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
In just two rounds, hundreds of ignited rockets ripped through the sky like a sudden rain, falling with deathly screams into the middle of the Japanese pirate fleet and the water surface that had already been doused with industrial oil!
boom!
Almost instantly, a huge wall of fire rose from the sea!
Industrial oil ignites instantly upon contact with fire, and the fire spreads extremely quickly. With the wind fanning the flames, the fire swiftly engulfed the first few of the Japanese pirates' early ships.
The Japanese pirates on the ship were instantly engulfed in flames. Some of them screamed and jumped into the sea, but the sea was also ablaze with flames!
Immediately afterwards, the Zhenhai Navy used a powerful bow to launch rockets at the ignition source hidden on the pre-arranged reef.
The oil tanks hidden among the rocks were shot open, and the oil splattered everywhere, making the fire even more intense.
The hay and firewood were also set ablaze, and the entire Ghost Fang Bay seemed to instantly transform into a giant furnace!
Thick smoke billowed and flames soared into the sky. The wooden hulls of the Japanese pirate ships crackled under the high temperature, and the sails turned to ashes in just a few breaths.
"Retreat! Retreat now!"
Hirota Koki roared at the top of his lungs, and the Ataka ship he was on was also surrounded by flames, the heat was scorching.
The Japanese pirates rowed desperately, trying to break free from the inferno, but the narrow waterways and chaotic boats hindered each other and slowed their progress.
Many ships were either burned or sank after hitting reefs.
The fire burned for nearly half an hour, leaving charred shipwrecks and corpses floating on the sea, and the air filled with the stench of burning flesh.
However, there were still people on a few of the Japanese pirate ships that were further back and less damaged.
In particular, Hirota Koki's Atakebune, which was smoking but still had its main structure intact, had the most Japanese pirates on board. Hirota Koki was still trying to gather his remaining troops and break through to the bay entrance.
However, would Li Shiyue give them that opportunity?
"Attack!"
At Li Shiyue's command, the Zhenhai Army, which had been lying in ambush outside the bay for a long time, rushed out in their "Breaking Waves" No. 1 and No. 3. They rushed forward like arrows and blocked the Japanese pirates' retreat.
"Move closer!"
Under Sun Xiaoliu's personal command, the "Breaking Waves No. 1" rammed head-on into Hirota Hiroki's Ataka ship.
The steel warship's ramming rammed the Atakebune so hard that its bow was shattered and the ship began to shake violently.
Immediately, many Japanese pirates on the Ataka ship either fell on the deck or lost their footing and were knocked off the ship's side into the sea.
With just this one move, the Japanese pirates' Atakebune lost power.
The Zhenhai Army, which had been preparing for a long time, quickly threw out grappling hooks and fearlessly leaped onto the deck of the Japanese pirates.
In no time, the deck turned into a bloody battlefield.
Although the Japanese pirates were fierce, they had just escaped from a fire and were all still in shock.
Meanwhile, the Zhenhai Army was well-rested and in high spirits. Moreover, killing a Japanese pirate would earn them five taels of silver!
Besides, these Japanese pirates were their enemies, and the Zhenhai Army had a burning desire for revenge in their hearts!
Ding Haisheng took the lead, wielding a specially made "Child-Severing Blade" that targeted the lower body with ruthless and cunning moves. Wherever she went, the Japanese pirates screamed and fell to the ground.
Wang Xiaoying wielded a thick-backed cleaver with great force, fighting alongside the other Zhenhai naval forces, reaping the lives of Japanese pirates with each swift stroke of her blade.
Seeing that the situation was hopeless, Hirota Hiroki brandished his long sword in a desperate attempt to kill Ding Haisheng.
But Ding Haisheng, who stood out among the female soldiers, was no weakling.
She gripped the knife firmly, seized an opening, and stabbed Hirota Hiroki in the groin!
The egg has cracked! (Chapter title.)
The remaining Japanese pirates instantly lost all fighting spirit and knelt down to beg for surrender.
The battle lasted less than 15 minutes, and the Japanese pirate ships that had entered Ghost Fang Bay were all captured by the Zhenhai Navy.
As the last wisp of smoke dissipated in the sea breeze, the waters of Ghost Tooth Bay were tinged with a light reddish-brown.
In this battle, Li Shiyue achieved victory at an extremely low cost—losing only two old merchant ships used as bait, and suffering fewer than fifty casualties among the Zhenhai navy personnel.
But they won a resounding victory!
Nearly 300 Japanese pirates were captured, and more than 500 were killed on the spot. The rest of the Japanese pirates either fell into the sea and were eaten by fish or were burned to death.
The captured Japanese pirates thought they could be spared after surrendering, but Li Shiyue only allowed Sun Xiaoliu to spare the lives of less than fifty Japanese pirates who looked like minor leaders.
The rest were all slit at the throat and thrown into the sea.
The preparations for this battle took a full day and night.
The war went by very quickly;
Cleaning up the battlefield after the war was difficult; we had to see how many of the Japanese pirates' ships were still repairable and usable.
All the supplies on the Japanese pirate ships had to be cleared out one by one.
Of course, Chen Yong arranged all of these things.
Right now, Li Shiyue, along with Sun Xiaoliu, Li Qiutian, and Ding Haisheng, are watching the dozens of Japanese pirates kneeling at her feet, weeping and begging for mercy.
But how could Hirota Koki be the only Japanese pirate in this fleet of twenty-three ships who could make decisions?
Yamamoto Shun, the earliest Japanese pirate prisoner to "please" Li Shiyue, was summoned to the "Breaking Waves No. 2". Sun Xiaoliu smiled and said to Yamamoto Shun, "Come on, it's your turn to perform."
Sun Xiaoliu gestured to Yamamoto Shun to look at the dozen or so Japanese pirates kneeling on the deck. "Ask them carefully: Who are they? Where are they going? What are they doing? Who is the leader of the fleet?"
And who are these people kneeling on the ground? What do they do?
Yamamoto Shun slumped his shoulders and hunched his body. He didn't dare to look at Li Shiyue, but only tilted his head slightly to look at Sun Xiaoliu who was speaking.
After chuckling twice, Sun Xiaoliu continued to say to Yamamoto Jun, "Ask carefully, ask thoroughly. You know, this time you're not the only one I've brought."
"Yes! Yes! I understand! I get it! I'll go ask right away! I'll go ask right away!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
