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Almost immediately, Lin Meng realized: "You mean send the selected striker?"
Only the elite in the army can be called "elite". The Lin family was the first to receive instruction from the gang leader, and also the family with the most elite soldiers and personal guards. They had followed the gang leader to do many world-shocking things.
But the next moment, he shook his head. "That's unrealistic. Most of the enemy ships are currently anchored on the sea, not in the harbor at all. With nothing blocking the sea, getting close to the enemy ships is a problem. Besides, if we go too few people, it's useless, and if we go too many, we'll attract too much attention and just end up losing our lives."
Originally, Lin Meng considered launching a surprise attack at the harbor, but the enemy was too cautious. Not only did they not allow the army to dock, they also towed away the sunken ships nearby and arranged many patrols, making it impossible to start a surprise attack.
Lin Mo had already thought it through and said quickly, "No need to board the ship. Just bring some explosives and blow up the hull. First, take a sampan to the vicinity of the large ship, and then swim over secretly. It will not be easy for the enemy to detect you. There is a pearl diver in the female barracks who can swim for several miles and hold her breath for an incense stick. There must be such people among the elite..."
Indeed, they did. The gang leader had even practiced diving and holding his breath. However, he still frowned and said, "How are we going to transport the explosives that far? If they get wet, they won't ignite. Ignition is also a problem."
"Using wooden barrels and paint glue, isn't it easy to make it waterproof? I once heard the gang leader say that in the future they can also make underwater mines that can blow up ships just by hitting them. Now they are just floating on the sea. I think there is still a way to make them waterproof." Lin Mo said firmly.
We were all seafarers, so who hadn't waterproofed their boat? It was just tung oil lacquer, so wouldn't it be easy to make a wooden barrel that would be waterproof and prevent the explosives from getting wet? Ignition might be a little more complicated, but as long as the explosives could be delivered, a solution would be found.
Lin Meng sat up straight. Is this method feasible? Yes, although it is extremely dangerous and may even make people unable to return, it is indeed feasible.
Moreover, if it succeeds once, it will pose a huge threat to the enemy. This is a sneak attack that is difficult to defend against. At least the ships docked in the harbor will have to be withdrawn, and then the dilemma on the island will be immediately resolved.
What's more, if a few ships could be blown up, the strength of the Cisse fleet would be greatly damaged, which would be beneficial to the war situation, but it would involve some risks and the loss of some lives.
Without hesitation, Lin Meng stood up and said, "Let's go find Master Ma!"
They're heading to the gunpowder workshop! Lin Mo's eyes lit up, and he immediately followed his brother and ran towards the city.
…
The original gunpowder workshop was built in a valley outside the stronghold. Because of the enemy attack, personnel and supplies were transferred into the city as soon as possible. Now it has been moved to a remote corner. Even though the war continues, the workshop is still producing cannonballs and mines day and night to avoid insufficient supply on the city wall.
There are now more than 20 apprentices in the workshop. Ma Ping, who has burn marks on his face, has become the master craftsman, replacing his father and is respected as "Master Ma".
At this moment, upon hearing the purpose of Chief Lin's visit, Ma Ping wasn't surprised at all: "Just a waterproof bucket?"
This looked like it wasn't a difficult task, so Lin Meng became excited: "We still have to protect the fuse. Can we ignite it in the sea?"
Ma Ping simply nodded. "Sure. The gang leader once told me to build a mine that can be hidden in the water and explode when a ship passes by. I haven't been able to make it yet, but it shouldn't be difficult to set someone off."
This was completely beyond the expectations of the Lin siblings. Lin Mo hadn't even thought that the thing the gang leader had mentioned was already being developed. He couldn't help but come forward and ask, "Can you put some camouflage on that barrel? We need to get close to the enemy ship at sea without being discovered."
Ma Ping thought for a moment and said, "We could wrap some seaweed around the barrel, or paint it in the shape of a large fish. If we get close at night, it would be hard to tell without careful observation."
"How can we blow up the hull?" Lin Meng asked immediately.
Ma Ping glanced at him and said, "If you want something powerful, make it bigger, so it can rival the simultaneous firing of several cannons."
This is explosives in a wooden barrel, which is absolutely incomparable to artillery. As long as there is enough explosives, the power is far beyond the imagination of ordinary people.
But he added, "If it's too big, the one who lit the fuse won't be able to escape."
Lin Mo's expression changed at this, and he hurriedly asked, "Then if we light it and dive into the sea, can we escape?"
Ma Ping said frankly: "Not necessarily. The fuse is too short, so casualties are not surprising."
This is how explosives work. The more powerful they are, the harder they are to control, especially to avoid the influence of seawater. The fuse cannot be too long, otherwise the consequences will be even more difficult to predict.
Before Lin Mo could say anything else, Lin Meng spoke up: "It doesn't matter. We just need to make sure it ignites smoothly and blows up the hull. Can you make fifty, no, thirty barrels by tomorrow night?"
Ma Ping frowned. "It's a bit rushed. We still need to test the results. I'll try my best."
Hearing this, Lin Meng finally breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing that his sister was about to speak but hesitated, he whispered to comfort her, "Don't worry, I will form a death squad, and everyone will be fearless."
Lin Mo was not worried about this. She moved her lips and said, "It's not enough to be fearless. You also have to be good at swimming, and it would be best if you can dive."
"Of course I know that. They're all skilled swimmers, and some have participated in night raids on enemy ships. Don't worry." This was also the main reason why Lin Meng temporarily reduced the number of gunpowder barrels. They were all elite soldiers in the army, and it was not easy to train them. Even in a critical situation, they couldn't be wasted. He had to pick the best, so that he could not only guarantee victory in battle, but also be sure to protect himself in times of crisis.
Hearing this, Lin Mo shut up. Lin Meng thought she was relieved and said nothing more. He quickly discussed it with Ma Ping.
…
There was no city defense like the main gate built at the back of the camp. Instead, the secret passage leading to the mudflat was converted into a narrow alley, and several checkpoints were set up and guarded by soldiers.
On the one hand, this is because of the terrain, and on the other hand, it is also to save manpower. The only problem may be that when facing a strong attack, it is easy to get into a fierce battle.
Fortunately, the group of bandits from the Long Whale Gang were unwilling to put in any effort. Seeing that the defenses on this side were also tight, they gradually slowed down their offensive, intending to wait for the results of the battle in front before taking advantage of it.
Even so, a number of casualties occurred within two or three days. Tents had been set up early in the open space, and the lightly injured were accommodated on the spot, while the seriously injured were sent to the hospital.
The female soldiers are also busy at this moment, but they are not fighting with swords and guns, but acting as nurses and taking care of the wounded.
"There may not be a fight here." When it was time for dinner, Shi Dani went to the corner and sat down next to Huang Yue.
Huang Yue was a little surprised and asked hurriedly: "Where did you hear that?"
"I ran to the front to deliver food and heard what they were talking about." Shi Dani casually handed a rice ball to Huang Yue and sighed softly, "The battle in the front is intense, and these are all long whale pirates. I guess they want to wait a little longer and wear us out before fighting."
This is not good news. Huang Yue's heart sank. "Is there no way out?"
Shi Dani didn't answer. This wasn't something she could answer. She reached out and rubbed her trouser legs hard. She whispered, "I want to go into battle too!"
Huang Yue was stunned by the suppressed voice and started to eat the rice ball silently.
She had been anxious, timid, and had struggled mightily before, but after making every possible preparation, she discovered that they couldn't fight in the end. No one expected them to kill the enemy, but only to be nurses and handle logistics.
She accepted it silently. Although she felt a little aggrieved, she was also secretly glad. There were many female soldiers like her, but Shi Dani was different. She wanted to go into battle and kill the enemy.
"They say we're new recruits, but there are already many new recruits here. Why don't they use us? I've been learning for so long to kill the enemy!" Even though she lowered her voice, Shi Dani couldn't suppress the anger in her heart. She thought she'd be able to use all the skills she'd learned this time, that she could be like the gang leader, rushing to the front and killing the thieves with her own hands. But unexpectedly, she ended up working as a nurse. Female soldiers learned how to bandage and stop bleeding, but they also learned how to fight.
Because they are women, Huang Yue thought silently in her heart, but did not say it out loud.
It's impossible to reason with this girl. She is a pearl diver and is naturally accustomed to going to sea and working just as hard as men. And the person she admires most is the gang leader, an extraordinary woman who can pull up a large ship gang.
But how many women like them are there in the world? Like them, being looked down upon and ignored is common.
Even with the support of the gang leader, and even with Lin Mo, the gang leader's sister, leading the team, no one really took them seriously. Perhaps for them, being a personal soldier was the best option.
Just as I was thinking about it, a voice suddenly called out: "Ahao!"
There was only one person who would call out this strange new name. Huang Yue looked up and saw Lin Mo striding towards her.
Today she was wearing the same red dress that the gang leader often wore, which made her heart tighten involuntarily and she stood up.
Shi Dani also jumped up and answered loudly: "Here!"
Hearing this reflexive response, Lin Mo pursed his lips and no longer hesitated: "Come here, I have something to tell you."
What happened? Huang Yue watched the two of them walk away in confusion. For some reason, she suddenly felt panicky.
Shi Daniko was not in a hurry. She followed Lin Mo to the corner and asked impatiently, "Captain, are you going to transfer me to the city wall?"
She also noticed the red dress Lin Mo was wearing. Could it be that he was going to pretend to be the gang leader and go to the top of the city to supervise the battle and boost morale? She could pretend to be a personal soldier and follow him. Maybe she could even go into battle herself when the time comes.
However, Lin Mo just stared at her for a long time before saying, "There will be a night raid tomorrow night. We need people to swim out to sea and blow up the enemy's gunboats. You are a pearl diver and the most experienced in the water among the female soldiers. Are you willing to go with them?"
Shi Dani opened her eyes wide in surprise, but the next moment, she shouted, "I'm going! I'm going!"
There was no hesitation, no fear. On the contrary, her eyes were shining and burning with excitement, as if she had obtained some treasure.
Lin Mo was her captain, so he naturally knew she would react like this. However, the more she thought about it, the gloomier her heart became. "This is no joke. We have to dive for several miles under the enemy's watchful eyes and ignite powerful explosives. If we're not careful, we could die."
This threat made Shi Dani take a step forward: "If we can blow up those ships, can we defeat those thieves?"
Looking at that rather fanatical face, Lin Mo nodded: "That's right, as long as we can blow up the enemy ship, we can free the island and save the army a lot of effort."
"Then let me go! No one can swim better than me!" Shi Dani said firmly.
Was she harming her? Was she putting her subordinates in unnecessary danger? However, Lin Mo just took a deep breath and said in a deep voice: "Follow me."
"Captain!" Huang Yue shouted immediately when she saw the two men turning to leave. Why were they leaving after just two sentences? Could something have happened?
Glancing at her, Lin Mo said, "Come with me."
She and Shi Hao have the best relationship in the team, and the night raid needs to be kept secret, so it would be better to take them away together.
Not knowing what was going on, Huang Yue walked over and was grabbed by Shi Dani's arm.
"I'm ready to go into battle! I can go into battle!"
Hearing that extremely low yet earnest voice, Huang Yue felt the hairs on her back stand up. However, before she could ask anything, Shi Dani was dragging her towards the city.
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