Chapter 142 Let's Be Pirates Together
Qin Mo, dressed in a fine white shirt, jeans, and homemade "Nike" shoes, stood at the very top of the mast. A strong sea breeze blew, and he stretched out his arms, closed his eyes, and savored the wonderful feeling of floating.
"Your Highness, it's time for your meal."
Having spent a long time in Daikan, Kaihime had become fluent in Daxia language, and her tone had softened, losing its former harshness and acquiring a gentle, melodious quality that Qin Mo both enjoyed and sighed over. Perhaps only when she was pushed to her limits and forced into a full-blown struggle could Qin Mo rediscover her former strong-willed nature.
"Kai, on the ship, call for the captain and ring the bell!"
"Hi, Captain."
Kaihime is very sensitive now. She doesn't understand the sense of satisfaction on Qin Mo's face when she respectfully says "Hi," but that doesn't stop her from saying "Hi" very loudly every time.
Qin Mo leaped off the mast, with Kaihime following closely behind. Their matching attire—white shirts, jeans, and knock-off Nikes—reveals their identities as captain and first mate.
As for the other sailors, they all wore linen trousers and linen shirts, a style quite different from the captain's. The materials used were a direct reflection of their class.
The bell rang, and the off-duty crew members began to eat. Getting to know and operate a new ship is very troublesome, and fatigue is inevitable, so the food was plentiful and the crew members enjoyed it.
"Kai, what do you think of this ship? I appointed you as the first mate, not as my maid. What have you learned these past few days?" After dinner, Qin Mo began to test Kai-hime.
“Your Highness, this ship reminds me of the ‘Blue Star’ that I once sailed on, but it’s… thinner, faster, and… not as big as the ‘Blue Star’.”
Kaihime carefully considered her experience, but since she had no experience in shipbuilding and had only been on board for a short time, she could only point out some obvious differences.
“Kai! This ship is different from the ‘Blue Star’, that’s a merchant ship…this is…a warship.”
"A warship, but this ship has no battering ram, no catapults... Could it be relying on those 'Elf Wrath's'?"
Kaihime had never witnessed a cannon test firing, but she knew about "Wrath of the Elves." Qin Mo would usually tell her anything she asked without hiding anything.
"You'll know when we test it tomorrow," Qin Mo said smugly, then settled into a comfortable position in the wicker chair. Kaihime obediently began massaging his shoulders, even though they weren't sore at all.
This ship was the first warship Qin Mo had ever built. In his previous life in the 18th century, it would have been called a "frigate," with a single or double deck, equipped with thirty to forty large cannons, mainly used to escort caravans or to carry out commerce raiding missions on shipping routes.
Qin Mo possesses advanced iron smelting furnaces, forging a large number of steel components, making the ship stronger, with a taller mast, and faster speed. The only drawback is that Qin Mo has not yet solved the steel plate processing technology, preventing him from adding armor to the ship.
In Qin Mo's previous life, during the Battle of Trafalgar, the British were the first to cover their ships below the waterline with metal plates, reducing water resistance and enhancing protection. Therefore, Qin Mo is currently working on the necessary technology; once the steel plates of uniform thickness are put into production, the combat power of the Yuan Navy will be greatly enhanced.
Secondly, the uninhabited sea area east of Dayuan Island has excellent visibility and stable winds, making it a good time for a test launch.
A makeshift target ship was launched into the sea. Its hull sank underwater, but its sails were raised high to increase its target area and mimic a real enemy ship. The pre-raised sails propelled the target ship faster and faster, gradually increasing the distance between them.
"The maximum firing range of a six-pounder cannon can exceed 1,000 meters, while the firing range of a twelve-pounder can reach 1,500 meters. However, on a ship that is in a rolling motion, firing at that distance is simply guesswork." Qin Mo stood on the deck, explaining the regulations to a group of gunners.
"Therefore, no firing is allowed beyond 500 meters. Anyone who violates this rule will have their gunner qualification revoked and be reduced to a mere gunner."
All the gunners felt a chill run down their spines, and they all memorized the distance of 500 meters. You see, the ripper was just someone who would wipe the debris left after the cannon was fired with a damp cloth. He was just a cannon cleaner, and his status was far different from that of the gunner.
"Begin the test firing!"
The gun chambers of this frigate were specially designed, with the guns located on the lower deck, unlike the commercial galleons used in previous test firings. The gun ports had a larger firing arc and a more reasonable observation port. Each gun had a reasonable anti-interference design, and the fourteen guns were handled methodically by dozens of sailors and gunners.
"Boom... Boom... Boom"
Kaihime finally learned what "Elf's Wrath" was, and the violent tendencies within her were reignited, her hidden tomboyish nature began to stir again.
"You... stand behind the gunner and carefully sense the wind direction and wave fluctuations at the moment of firing. Then you fire a few shots. Don't worry, with your current eyesight as a Yellow Realm cultivator, you will surely establish your authority as the first mate."
Qin Mo whispered something to Kaihime, who nodded heavily after hearing it.
Kaihime adopted the airs of a first mate, standing behind the most skilled gunner, pretending to supervise, but actually looking at the sights and feeling the trajectory of the bullet. After all, the explosive velocity of black powder was limited, and the trajectory of the bullet was still traceable in the eyes of a Yellow Realm cultivator.
"Cease fire! All artillery pieces, report your scores!"
At the gunner's command, some gunners were overjoyed, while many others were dejected. They were all used to life on land, and how could they possibly hit their targets accurately on this swaying ship? Moreover, this time it wasn't the usual 150 meters, but a full 300 meters.
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