161
The hurricane shouldn't have come now, and the sea fire only appeared last night. They should have had time, even just half a day longer, to safely escape danger.
But the dark clouds rolling in the distance shattered this idea.
It was a scene that no one could ignore. The wind was howling, the Milky Way was upside down, and the sea had torn off its gentle veil, revealing its violent and ferocious true face.
At this moment, all the people fighting stopped and frantically grabbed anything they could around them, trying to control their bodies and avoid being swallowed by the huge waves.
Their enemy has changed, becoming an unstoppable scourge.
Oh no, the typhoon arrived early! Cheng Xi hadn't expected things to develop like this, but this was the terrifying thing about the sea. Even with the most advanced instruments, it was impossible to accurately predict the weather, especially in ancient times when people relied solely on experience.
However, standing at the bow, the wind speed was not as exaggerated as expected. Was it because the tropical cyclone had changed temporarily, or were they just brushing the edge of the outer wind circle?
Cheng Xi quickly turned his head and looked at the ships around him. The sails of each ship were shaking violently and the waves were chaotic, but he could still vaguely make out the wind direction.
She shouted, "All ships, turn around and return to Luoling Island from the southwest! Lower the mainsail and have the lookouts return to the deck as soon as possible!"
Contrary to what most people know, typhoons are also divided into a "dangerous semicircle" and a "navigable semicircle." Because of the formation of the cyclone, the right semicircle often has stronger waves and winds, which can easily pull ships into the highly destructive high-pressure vortex area.
The left half, on the other hand, is near a low-pressure area, with slower winds and lower waves, making it relatively safe. When encountering a typhoon at sea, the key is to determine its path and try to navigate along the navigable semicircle away from the danger zone.
Now, heading towards Luoling Island is the only way to stay away from the "danger quadrant". We must return as soon as possible while the wind and waves are not strong enough!
At her command, the horn blew "woooo", replacing the flag signals and drum beats, and also suppressed the howling of the wind in an instant.
The penetrating sound also brought Xu Xianrong back to his senses. He only took a glance at the enemy ship and shouted, "Turn around and head for Wuyuan Island!"
They are now between two islands, with no shelter or obstructions. There might even be a wind tunnel, so they definitely cannot stay there.
Since the Red Flag Gang was going to retreat to its base camp, he could naturally choose Wuyuan Island without any hindrance. Moreover, this place was closer to Wuyuan Island, and there was a greater chance of saving his life.
As for the boat people and sea merchants hiding on Wuyuan Island, they should have all come ashore by now. They just need to sail into the safe harbor before the hurricane actually arrives.
But I'm afraid it will be difficult to explain this time. What if someone finds me wrong...
With this thought flashing through his mind, Xu Xianrong gritted his teeth and gripped the sail even harder. They would suffer losses, and so would the Red Flag Gang. Now was not the time to dwell on these things; saving his own life was more important!
The violent storm was like a sharp blade, separating the two fleets and making them go in opposite directions.
It is not easy to sail in such weather. Even with the sails lowered, the main mast still makes a creepy "creaking" sound.
The weight of the ancient hard sails was already astonishing, and when blown by the wind, the pressure brought by it was even more astonishing, and they could capsize at any time.
However, despite the danger, someone still has to stay on the deck to control the rudder and auxiliary side sails to ensure the direction of sailing.
"Everyone, get inside the cabin, tie up the boxes and the people, and don't run around!"
The wind was getting stronger and stronger, making the roars intermittent. Cheng Xi held the rope tightly with both hands. He was soaked all over. He fought desperately with the sail and shouted loudly.
Knowing that a typhoon was coming, she had actually made some preparations. In the cabin, apart from the weapons for combat, most of them were tied up tightly, and a large number of ropes, floats and other life-saving equipment were also distributed.
Now that we are really hit by a storm, all we have to do is get the crew members to hide in the cabin and save their lives.
Yet others could retreat, but she couldn't. What good was a military commander if he couldn't boost morale at a crucial moment? And she was probably the only one in the world who knew about the "navigable semicircle." It was her duty to constantly monitor the wind direction and determine how to avoid the storm.
And now, the wind is getting stronger.
There was a sharp whistle of the wind, and a cable that was stretched so tight that it could no longer hold and broke in the middle. The rope flew out like a whip, dragging a crew member who was pulling it into the sea.
"Quick, quick, secure the rope!"
"Throw the float down!"
“It’s too late!”
"Boss! It's all right here!"
The heavy rain was pouring down on them, making it impossible to open their eyes. In the hazy vision, Cheng Xi saw that they had finally managed to tie the mainsail rope, and then they changed from grabbing it to hugging it.
She had to hold on to the mast. She wasn't heavy enough and might get blown away.
The wind was getting stronger, and it seemed that they were not just at the tail end of the wind, but were just at the head end.
Fortunately, she had chosen a good direction and was able to maintain her course. Luoling Island loomed in the distance, and regardless of whether she could reach the harbor or not, as long as she could hide in the waters near Luoling Island, she could rely on the island's shelter to offset some of the wind and waves.
There's still time! After a quick assessment, Cheng Xi shouted, "Tie up some ropes if you have them. Keep steady and don't get blown away! We're almost home..."
A loud thunder boomed and exploded, rolling endlessly, covering up her roar.
The official ship on the other side has become a Shura ghost zone.
When the wind and waves reached a certain level, the artillery that made the government troops invincible became deadly weapons.
The rope broke, and the huge bronze cannon rampaged across the deck. Countless people were unable to dodge, leaving a pool of blood on the ground.
Some people were screaming, some were crying, and some were frantically cutting the last section of rope, trying to free the cannon and let it fall into the sea.
"General, stop the boat, we can't go any further!"
The cry was hoarse and full of fear, like sharp claws scratching the flesh, revealing the bloody flesh and white bones underneath.
Xu Xianrong looked at the nearby Wuyuan Island, a look of despair on his face. "Drop anchor! Tie all the bronze cannons to the cables and push them into the sea to stabilize the ship!"
Under the current circumstances, they can no longer safely sail into the harbor. The wind and waves here are so strong that even approaching the island is dangerous. If they are not careful, they will crash into the reefs and cliffs and be killed.
In this case, the only option is to stop the ship. Even if the cannons are placed on the deck, they may not be able to stay in place. It would be better to tie ropes and push them into the sea to anchor the ship.
In this case, all the guns might not be usable, but at least the ship and the people can be saved...
After receiving the order, everyone worked desperately. The bronze cannons were tied tightly with ropes and retreated into the sea along the hull of the ship. However, the wind and waves would not stop, and there was no direction to be found.
No one could guess whether this cannon would stabilize the ship like an anchor, or be blown back by the wind and waves and directly sink the warship.
Thunder rolled across the sky, and lightning instantly split the dark clouds, revealing dark blue and deep black. With a "crack", the mainsail of a ship broke, and it fell into the sea in the raging wind and sank instantly.
His fingers gripping the fence until they turned white, Xu Xianrong looked up at the sky and roared. Why? Why is this world so unfair? Why are those with a clear conscience being punished? Why not another half day?!
The roar did not carry far before it was shattered and swallowed up by the huge waves, thunder, and strong wind.
…
Why is the wind so strong? Why haven't they returned yet?
Lu Jian walked around the room anxiously, his eyes fixed on the window, his heart burning with anger.
Is the fleet okay? Are they heading for Wuyuan Island? If they don't dare to go there, can they withstand the storm?
There was a rapid "crashing" sound, and Lu Jian looked up suddenly, and saw that the roof of the house was empty, the tiles were blown away, and even the partition below was taken away, revealing a dark sky.
The heavy rain swept in, soaking the floor and making a mess in the room.
This is a house made of cement, yet it is so vulnerable...
Lu Jian's mind went blank for a moment, and a chill ran up his spine, making his hands tremble.
This is not the "wind disaster" he is familiar with!
Even when he opened a shop in Hepu, or even when he went to Jiaozhi to transport grain, he had never seen such a wind. No, to be more precise, after Yuezhou, there were few true hurricanes in Linhai.
It was only a rainstorm, a gust of wind that bent branches, not like now, which seemed to destroy the heaven and earth and tear everything asunder.
"Master! It's not safe here, quickly go hide in the bathroom!"
The guards around him were so anxious that they were spinning around. Compared to this study with no tiles, the newly built bathroom was definitely safer.
There is only one small window over there, and the roof is made of cement bricks, so there will definitely be no leaks.
Half of Lu Jian's clothes were wet. He stared out the window for a long time before turning around and walking towards the bathroom.
…
The fleet was blown off course by the wind and ultimately did not return to Luoling Island. Instead, it dropped anchor more than ten miles away from the island.
Once they arrived at their destination, everyone moved into the cabin to avoid the possible increase in wind and waves.
The ship kept rising and falling, sometimes rushing to the top of the waves, sometimes falling into the sea, just like riding on the back of a crazy horse.
I don’t know how many people secretly prayed to various gods and Buddhas, and how many people hugged their knees and huddled in the corner crying.
No matter how brave or strong they are, they are nothing in the face of the sudden changes in the world. When even the will to live is extinguished, what else can save them?
However, Cheng Xi did not give up. She always stood by the window, looking at the dark and hazy sea in the distance.
They have already avoided the most difficult time, and the only thing they can rely on now is luck. The key is how strong the wind is and how large the range is.
All of this gradually took shape in her cognition and comparison. What they were facing was not the kind of terrible storm that required "elimination".
An hour later, as if suddenly, the wind died down, and Cheng Xi left the cabin without saying a word.
"Boss! It's dangerous outside!"
The guards shouted loudly, but did not stop Cheng Xi. She stumbled onto the deck and looked up at the sky. The gloomy, leaden black color had faded. Although there was still rain and a strong wind, the sea had become visibly gentler.
"The typhoon has passed..." Cheng Xi murmured. This was definitely not the scene that would appear in the eye of a typhoon. If this was the case, it proved that the wind had already passed through this area of the sea.
They were lucky and just brushed the edge and were not actually sucked into the center.
They survived.
As if they had sensed the change in the weather, more and more crew members came onto the deck. The area was in a mess, with countless ships having broken masts and smashed bows. However, they had managed to survive such a terrible hurricane!
The crying sounded, but it could not be called sadness. It was more like a release, a kind of relief, and then it was suppressed by the cheers.
Cheng Xi's shoulders relaxed, and the pain in her palms immediately spread. She looked down and saw that her hands were already bloody, probably from the injury she had just received while grabbing the cable.
She clenched her fists gently, letting the stinging pain wash away the numbness. She exhaled deeply and said, "Send someone back to the island to report the news."
They had narrowly escaped death, but many had not. The most important thing now was to return home as quickly as possible, repair the ship, and find the enemy.
Lifting his head, Cheng Xi looked into the distance. They were walking in the left half of the navigable area, but the government troops were heading in the opposite direction. How many of them could survive?
If a strong enemy can be eliminated by natural disaster, it would be a blessing in disguise.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
