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The moment the boat people emerged, the situation on the battlefield changed.
Even if they were just small and broken fishing boats, as long as there were enough of them, they could pose a threat. Moreover, the coalition forces were now concentrating on dealing with the powerful enemy in front of them. When an enemy suddenly appeared from behind, they were almost scared to death and couldn't help but panic.
And these are exactly what Cheng Xi needs: "Order the treasure ship to charge, don't be stingy with firepower."
Treasure ships are standard mobile fortresses and the best means to disrupt enemy formations and drive out enemy soldiers. The boatmen's ships are basically small boats, so they still have to break up the enemy's formation before they can attack them.
Of course, what really attracted this group of helpers was her promise.
As long as they could capture the enemy ship, everything on the ship would belong to the boat people. She had no objection whether they kidnapped people as hostages or robbed the ship as private property.
This made the Tanka people extremely excited. Besides, this battle was also a battle to determine the ownership of the South China Sea. The Tanka people had long been tied to the Red Flag Gang and had enjoyed low-interest loans, fair-price transactions, and even technical training for several months. Naturally, they knew who to help to gain the most.
This kind of deeply integrated alliance of interests from top to bottom will not be broken by a little bit of petty profit, and fighting the enemy together is basically a token of allegiance. In the future, more and more boat people will become part of the Red Flag Gang, and at that time no one will be able to shake the position of the Red Flag Gang.
Someone in the coalition might have thought of this, but the one who thought of it early on was obviously not interested in informing everyone.
So this sudden ambush became the fuse for the rout.
The thousand-ton treasure ship rushed forward again, like a tiger pouncing on its prey. Several Fujian ships also passed by, bit by bit splitting the already thin formation. With the swarm of boat people rushing in, it was almost a foregone conclusion that the coalition forces lost control and began to fight on their own or even flee in all directions.
"Tsk tsk, your methods are quite good." As the commander-in-chief of the coalition forces, Ning Fu did not take on the responsibility of command, but watched the chaos in front of him as if he was watching a show.
If the previous battle relied solely on the chaos caused by the sudden attack of the large ships, this battle was not just about the effectiveness of the ambush.
On such a vast battlefield, there are tricks to deploying troops, breaking up enemy formations, and commanding encirclement and suppression. The more chaotic the situation, the more the commander's ability can be seen.
The one who commands the Red Flag Gang is a true expert. Not only is he familiar with combat tactics, he is also very good at controlling the fleet. Even officers and soldiers may not be able to do it so smoothly.
More importantly, this is an absolutely powerful army. The Red Flag Gang has sent half of its troops to aid the Green Phoenix Gang. They can't just create confusion, right?
If those who remain now are so strong, then what kind of strong army will be sent out?
This trip was not in vain.
Ning Fu sighed here, and the small leader beside him was almost crazy with anxiety: "Military Advisor, we are almost unable to hold on. How are we going to resist the enemy?!"
"We can retreat now." Ning Fu smiled slightly and answered calmly.
The little leader was stunned and quickly asked, "How should we retreat? What formation should we form?"
Ning Fu didn't even turn his head: "Call the two families who are familiar with us and just leave."
The little leader almost thought he had misheard: "But the coalition forces..."
"Allied forces?" Ning Fu laughed. "There's no such thing as an allied force. They're just bait. If we withdraw now, the bait can still be used."
This, this is too outrageous! This time, they've completely wiped out the boat gangs and merchant gangs that refused to submit to the Red Flag Gang. If they leave them behind, they'll probably become enemies with the Long Whale Gang. How can they become enemies instead of allies?
However, no matter how much he complained in his heart, he didn't dare to say it out loud and could only obey orders. It was only then that he discovered that there was something strange about the fleet formation set up by the military advisor.
The direction they were in was just right to avoid the boat people, and the two merchant gangs that had close ties with the Changjing Gang were protecting their boat on both sides.
Could it be that the military advisor had anticipated the ambush? Why didn't he take precautions earlier, instead of just watching the coalition forces being devoured?
These puzzling thoughts could only be thought of later. Without even saying hello to others, the dozen or so ships of various sizes broke away from the formation and fled into the distance.
At this moment, when the fighting was at its most intense, how many people would notice the Long Whale Gang's escape? However, a pair of eyes could see the whole situation.
"Boss, the treasure ship sent a message saying a fleet of ships is fleeing eastward in formation. There are sixteen ships of varying sizes, but their flags are unclear."
On the battlefield, the thousand-ton treasure ship was the largest ship and was at the forefront of the fighting. The watchtower set up on its main mast could naturally monitor the enemy's every move.
Therefore, when that fleet left the battlefield, news was immediately sent back from the treasure ship.
Cheng Xi raised an eyebrow slightly. "They can still maintain their formation without flags. I'm afraid that's where the central army is. Did Ning Fu escape with his men?"
In the middle of a battle, he rolled up his flag and ran away with his personal soldiers. What kind of operation is this? Although I know that Ning Fu doesn't take these "allies" seriously, it doesn't seem right to throw them aside so openly.
Moreover, the ambush she had guessed before did not appear. Could it be that her guess was wrong?
After a moment's silence, Cheng Xi said, "Have all the ships shout that the ghost scholar has escaped, and drive the fleeing soldiers to disperse their fleet!"
She didn't know what Ning Fu was planning, but she couldn't let him get away like that.
Going east, it is hard to say whether he wants to go to Panyu or the camp in Dongning.
Now that battlefields have been set up on both sides, if Ning Fu abandons the fleet and goes to Dongning instead, the pressure on the camp will be too great. She cannot leave the waters of Luoling Island, so using the defeated army to disperse the fleet and then find a way to intercept it becomes the best option.
There are certainly risks, but it is better than letting such a poisonous snake go and falling into a passive position again.
At the command, all the soldiers on board shouted, "The ghost scholar has escaped! The ghost scholar has abandoned you! The ghost scholar is leaving without a fight!"
The shout floated from one boat to another and soon resounded throughout the battlefield. It was not until this incident that the group of thieves realized that the situation was not good. Ning Fu, who was in charge of the flagship, was nowhere to be seen!
Who would still have the heart to resist the enemy now? Many ships desperately turned their heads, trying to keep up, while some captains were furious, cursing the ghost scholar for his betrayal and calling him a villain who deserved to be killed by a thousand swords.
However, no matter how these people reacted, the situation immediately changed. The vast number of ships turned into seven or eight scattered groups like a hornet's nest was blown up. Only a small number of them were entangled by the Red Flag Gang and the boat people, and most of them really scattered.
This is the second time Ning Fu has deserted the battlefield. Even the dumbest person would know that this man is tricking them into dying.
However, some people still hoped to follow the group and seek a way to survive, while some people were already extremely angry and started to run for their lives on their own.
"That's quite a quick reaction." Ning Fu looked at the boats clamoring behind him and shook his head with a smile. Any less alert person would have taken at least half an hour to notice his desertion. Now that he was being chased, it was quite troublesome.
The small leader beside him had no time to sigh and quickly asked, "Military Advisor, where should we go next? Should we go to the east gate to meet up with the detachment?"
The fighting has probably just started at the East Gate. If we go there, the two sides will join forces and we will still be able to fight.
Ning Fu said, "Go back to Panyu and travel along the islands, taking the shortest route."
The small leader hurriedly said, "Many islands over there are the territory of the Red Flag Gang. If we run into an ambush again..."
"Just go if I tell you to. Why waste time talking?" Ning Fu said coldly.
If the little boss hadn't known that he was his immediate superior and indeed cunning, he would have wanted to throw him into the sea! How could he be so unlucky to have such an assignment?
But it was too late to say anything now. The boats could only follow Ning Fu's instructions and take a shortcut back.
They were all walking on a familiar path, and with pursuers following them, no one had time to rest, and they just wished they could escape faster.
Unfortunately, the more ships there were, the more troublesome it was to take this sea route. The pirates were only concerned with escaping and had no formation at all. Even Ning Fu's fleet was torn to pieces.
This would be a true rout, and you could follow closely behind and fight to your heart's content.
However, Cheng Xi's brows furrowed deeper and deeper. What on earth did they want to do?
This road is not the best escape route. There are too many islands, which are neither close to the shore nor to the sea, and it is also the sphere of influence of the Red Flag Gang.
Although she did not arrange any more ambushes, it was not wise to take the risk of taking this route.
Is Ning Fu really such a frivolous person? Or is there some hidden agenda, waiting for him to take the bait?
Now that they were some distance away from Luoling Island, should they continue the pursuit or turn back? Could it be that their purpose was to lure them away so they could attack Luoling Island?
But Luoling Island is different from other places. How could she not know whether there are ambushes around and whether she can get back in time?
Holding the side of the boat with both hands, Cheng Xi recalled the nautical chart in her mind. Could it be that she missed something?
"Boss, there's a fleet of official ships coming from the side and rear!"
A warning brought Cheng Xi back to her senses. She immediately looked up and saw a fleet of warships coming out from behind the island to the side, with flags fluttering on the bow, looking very aggressive.
How could they be hiding here! Even Cheng Xi's heart skipped a beat. She had guessed whether the Changjing Gang would look for other helpers, and excluding merchant ships and pirate ships, the most likely ones were the officers and soldiers of the garrison.
However, the time when this team arrived and the place of ambush were beyond her expectations. This is her territory, so how come there was no news sent back?
"Military Advisor! Official ship! Over there comes the official ship!" The little leader on the Long Whale Gang's ship screamed in surprise, "Could this be our backup plan?"
Looking at the fleet that suddenly appeared, Ning Fu smiled and said, "I didn't expect them to hide here."
The little leader was startled: "Isn't this your arrangement?"
Ning Fu said calmly, "I have no interest in hiring ordinary garrison troops, and how could an extraordinary one listen to my orders?"
Unusual? What's unusual? The little leader was completely confused by what he said, but Ning Fu didn't explain anything further. He just ordered: "Tell everyone that the Red Flag Gang has been ambushed. Stop the boats and surround them. We're going to catch them in a trap."
They were originally scrambling to escape, but halfway through they found reinforcements, and they were government troops. The defeated coalition forces finally breathed a sigh of relief and became excited. They turned their ships around one after another, ready to avenge their previous defeat.
The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind it. But what if both the cicada and the oriole were right in front of him? Looking at the fleet re-arranging its battle formation, Ning Fu tapped his palm lightly with his fan and laughed.
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