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Fighting at sea, especially large-scale naval battles, is often more complex than engaging tens of thousands of troops on land. Fleets on both sides clash, back and forth, relying on artillery bombardment and harpoon warfare. This requires numerous rounds of probing and tactical adjustments, and neither side will give their all in the first place.
However, this battle was somewhat unusual. Perhaps due to their previous frustration, the Long Whale Gang's offensive was incredibly aggressive, launching a barrage of attacks almost from the outset with exceptional ferocity. They were all veteran pirates, and while their fleets weren't as well-organized as the Red Flag Gang's, their agility and flexibility made them more difficult to defend. Furthermore, their deliberate flanking attacks scattered the merchant caravans, which hadn't yet established a firm foothold, preventing them from regrouping.
After only a day's hold, the crumbling flanks of the Red Flag Gang's main force were affected. Like a weak woman being pushed by a thug, the Red Flag Gang's central army began to retreat, their battle line shifting and quickly crossing Wuyuan Island. This was their base, and they should have had a lot of supplies. They couldn't hold it in the blink of an eye, which made the Long Whale Gang's pirates extremely excited.
However, the leader was not carried away by this advantage. Xu Hei looked a little strange: "They are retreating so easily. Could it be that there are some plans on Wuyuan Island?"
It wasn't like they were going to rush over and seize the island just because they gave up. Who knew what they had set up on the island? If they ended up blowing up the ship like those barbarians did, it would be troublesome.
"The Wuyuan Island is probably just a decoy. Since the barbarians have already surrendered to them, deploying defenses on Luoling Island is the best choice. Now that the central army is retreating, they still want to lure us into splitting up. Maybe the Qingfeng Gang is also lying in ambush on the side, just waiting for us to fall into the trap." Ning Fu answered with an indifferent look, waving his fan.
Xu Hei nodded repeatedly: "There are also foreign boats waiting there. We definitely can't split our forces. But if that's the case, how can we encircle them?"
The most troublesome thing about fighting at sea is encirclement and annihilation. If we don’t encircle the enemy from two directions, the enemy will flee when they see the situation is not good. How can we catch up with them?
"Since they want to retreat, we will march our entire army around to the right and threaten them again. In this way, we will be separated between Luoling Island and Dongning. If the fleet escapes, we will attack Dongning. We will always be able to attack them and force them to come to the rescue." Ning Fu said simply.
The sea chart was right before their eyes, and as soon as they uttered this, everyone understood what he meant. Attacking Dongning while the Red Flag Gang's main force hadn't yet deployed was naturally uneconomical. However, now that the fleet had surfaced, attacking Dongning now would likely mean they couldn't escape and would have to turn back to rescue them. Furthermore, over the past two days, the patrols they had deployed had been able to track the movements of large and small ships along the coast. They were certain there were no ambushes along the coast, allowing them to advance and retreat, taking care of both sides.
Xu He also liked to hear this. Pirates fight for wealth. Who would fight for nothing? He had already disappointed his men once before, so it would be a good idea to try a different method of motivation.
Without hesitation, the Long Whale Gang's fleet moved, sailing to the right and bypassing Wuyuan Island, like a wave roaring around a giant rock. This move clearly caught the enemy off guard. The Red Flag Gang did not continue to retreat, but instead re-formed their formation, trying to regain their footing.
It's self-evident what they care about.
Ning Fu smiled. She wanted to continue pestering them and delay time. Unfortunately, he would not give her another chance.
The battle raged on, day and night, without a moment's respite. Artillery exchanges, small-scale advances, and night raids raged. The sea was a boiling pot, torches blazing, and the burning warships blazed even more fiercely. The Red Flag Gang's ranks thinned with each passing day. Those who deserted, those who retreated in tatters, it seemed as if with a little more effort, they could be surrounded and devoured.
While others were jubilant and felt victory was a sure thing, Ning Fu's expression had changed.
"Hasn't there been any sight of the foreign ship yet?" Ning Fu asked again with a gloomy expression, asking very seriously.
"We only vaguely spotted a few on Wuyuan Island, but the others were nowhere to be seen," the leader replied confidently. They'd been scattering their boats in all directions for the past few days, fearing they'd missed a spot and made a mistake. But they couldn't find any. The foreign boats were so strangely designed that it was impossible to mistake them.
"Could it be that the Red Bandits have had a wild idea and unloaded the guns for a surprise attack?" a small leader muttered. The most important thing about a gunboat is the guns, and they might have already been transported to other ships.
Xu He frowned and said, "Ordinary warships can't carry so many cannons. If they're not careful, they'll capsize. I don't think the Red Flag Gang is that stupid."
They were all accustomed to fighting the Red Haired Barbarians, and they knew the consequences of heavily armed ships with heavy sails and broad bottoms. The Red Flag Gang was able to dominate the South China Sea and occupy such a large territory, and with Qiu Sheng's team, they probably wouldn't be such fools.
Where did the Sissai people's ship go?
Xu He turned to look at Ning Fu, only to find him looking gravely, his fan no longer flapping, and he wondered what he was thinking. Startled, he hurriedly asked, "Military Advisor, do you think there's something wrong?"
As if called back to his senses by these words, Ning Fu nodded slowly: "The Red Bandits were able to convince the barbarians because they wanted to use this group of people. Even if the barbarians are unwilling to put in real effort, they should at least show their face in front of us. It's really strange that they are still holding back after fighting to this extent."
Xu Hei felt that they now had the upper hand, but since Ning Fu had said so, he still asked, "Then how can we force the Red Bandits to use an ambush?"
The ambush isn't just by the Red Haired Barbarians, there's also the Green Phoenix Gang. They can't just disappear forever, right?
Ning Fu glanced at the crowd before saying, "There is a solution. We can simply send a detachment to attack Dongning. This will naturally force them to resort to a back-up plan."
This statement caused an uproar. If this had been said two days ago, everyone would probably have happily gone ashore to plunder. Now that the battle has come to this, what are they waiting for if not to seize the time to deal with the enemy in front of them?
"In this case, won't we have to divide our troops again? Besides, we don't know whether there is an ambush in Dongning." Xu He also felt something was wrong and frowned.
"If I were leading the troops, we wouldn't need to bring so many people." Ning Fu seemed to have thought something through, and his tone became more determined. "General, this time we have to eradicate the Red Bandits completely. We can't just fight them at sea, we have to eradicate their lair as well. Since they're hiding in their den, we have to find ways to lure them out and cut off their retreat."
There was a sense of power in his voice, as if anyone who followed his lead would surely win. Past experience told Xu Hei that this guy was indeed a rare talent, undefeated, and even Qiu Sheng was unable to defeat him.
After a long pause, Xu Hei said, "Since the military advisor has said so, I will assign a troop to you to fight Dongning."
If we can get some money, maybe it will boost morale. It's not a big deal to just keep the bait in front of us and not let them eat it.
Despite receiving the boss's promise, Ning Fu didn't leave immediately. Instead, he meticulously offered a series of suggestions for dealing with the enemy. He suggested three or five different strategies, including countermeasures for ambushes. Such thoughtful arrangements reassured Xu Hei and the others, making the battle easier.
…
"Boss, there seems to be a fleet heading towards Dongning. Should we give chase?" News quickly reached the Red Flag Gang, and Li Niu was already anxious. There weren't many defenders there, and if they were captured, it would be disastrous. He'd thought the fish had taken the bait, but why did something unexpected happen at the last minute?
This was indeed beyond Cheng Xi's expectations. However, after thinking for a moment, she shook her head and said, "The established strategy cannot be changed. Now is a critical moment. The outcome of the battle will be decided within a day or two. It's too late to capture Dongning."
Seeing that Li Niu was about to say something, Cheng Xi raised his hand to stop him. "Just like the battle on Luoling Island, everyone has their own responsibilities in this battle. Trying to shoulder the responsibility for others will only make matters worse. However, we can still harass the enemy. Send out those soft sailboats and have them pretend to pursue to attract the enemy's attention."
They had been reduced to a desperate struggle for the past few days. If the main force of the central army had not remained stationary and the soldiers had not been fully aware of the battle plan, a complete defeat would have been possible. And facing such an "advantage," the enemy still wanted to divide their forces, which was a strange intention. Most likely, they were wary of the "hidden" Xisai fleet and wanted to try to lure the enemy.
Since they want it, she can give it to them. As for whether it is true or false, it is up to the other party to distinguish it carefully.
If it were before, she probably wouldn't even use this chess piece, but now, good news has come from Panyu. Lu Jian's tactics are more efficient than she expected.
Once this news reaches the ears of the Changjing Gang, it will be time to make a move and slay the dragon.
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