Raging seas and strong barriers
The shadows of sails on the northwest sea, like ominous dark clouds, rapidly approached. This time, it wasn't just two exploratory Cangshan ships, but a fleet of five warships, large and small! Leading the charge was a 400-ton Hai Gu warship, far larger than the "Breaking Waves." Its bow was clad in iron, its sides were flanked by masts, and a flag embroidered with a ferocious sea beast hung from its mast—the very symbol of Zhu Jie's private army!
The enemy ships came with great force, their malice undisguised, fanning out towards the bay where the town lay. Clearly, having suffered a setback the previous time, they had made greater preparations and intended to use their superior numbers to force a landing.
“Woo—woo—woo—”
At the same time, watchtowers across the town blew low and rapid horns. This was the highest level of enemy attack alert!
"According to the plan, everyone, take your positions!" Zhang Qing's steady voice echoed through the entire defense system via a messenger. He stood at the core command post on the dock's defensive wall, with Zhu Wu, who was in charge of manipulating the crossbows, at his side. Qiongying was stationed at the rear command post, overseeing the care of the wounded and the allocation of supplies. Little Qiming was strictly placed in the safest stone house.
At the dock, the civilian ships previously moored had been quickly moved to a secluded location in the inland river. In their place, six reinforced warships equipped with crossbows, commanded by Boss Zheng, did not sail out to meet the enemy. Instead, they formed a mobile defense line at the harbor entrance, relying on the cover of shore-based artillery batteries.
Shore-based defense was paramount. Three brick and stone forts, hastily constructed over the past few months, arranged in a triangular pattern, stood like the fangs of a giant beast, straddling the bay's throat. Each fort was equipped with heavy crossbows, repeatedly refined by the craftsmen under Qiongying's guidance. Their range and power far surpassed those of ordinary bows. Their "projectiles" consisted not only of massive iron-tipped arrows but also explosive canisters filled with gunpowder and caltrops—the closest thing to artillery they currently possessed.
Furthermore, hidden stakes and arresting cables were laid underwater, pits were dug on the mudflats, and chevaux de frise were deployed. Behind the defensive walls, archers, swordsmen, and spearmen were arrayed in layers, ready for battle. The entire town had become a hedgehog armed to the teeth.
The enemy fleet had clearly not anticipated such a formidable defense, and their speed noticeably slowed as they entered the range of the crossbows. On the falcon ship, a sinister-looking middle-aged man in imitation officer armor (who appeared to be the leader of this operation) was carefully observing the shore's defenses through a telescope, his expression growing increasingly grim.
"Shoot! Test attack!" The sinister leader waved his hand and gave the order.
Dozens of rockets launched from the enemy ships and arced down towards the dock area. However, most of them were blocked by the defensive walls and the specially laid wet mud and sand barriers, failing to cause any effective damage.
"Hmph, a mere trifle!" Zhu Wu sneered from the gun platform. Calculating the wind speed and distance, he suddenly waved his flag, "Battery No. 1, target the enemy's lead ship. Fire the explosive cannons!"
"Bang!" With a dull loud noise, the capstan of the heavy crossbow was suddenly released, and a clay pot was thrown high up with sparks, drawing a parabola and falling accurately on the deck of the Sea Gull ship!
"boom!"
The pottery jar exploded violently, flames erupted, and the pre-placed caltrops flew everywhere! Although the explosion was far less powerful than later artillery, it still caused terrible casualties among the wooden warship and the dense crowd! The deck was suddenly filled with ghostly howls and wolves, more than a dozen people were killed or injured, and the sail ropes were also set on fire!
The sinister leader was tackled by his personal guards, narrowly escaping death. When he got up, he was covered in dust, shocked and angry. He hadn't expected the enemy's long-range weapons to be so sharp!
"All ships, disperse! Attack with all your might! Anyone who reaches the shore will be rewarded with a hundred taels of silver!" He roared in frustration, trying to use human wave tactics and huge rewards to break through the defense line.
The other four enemy ships began to disperse, braving the occasional arrows and crossbows from the shore as they desperately rushed towards the shore. The battle instantly became fierce.
Arrows flew through the air like locusts. Paddles slammed down on approaching enemy ships, sending wood chips flying. The harbor fleet commanded by Boss Zheng also launched an attack at the right moment, using their agility to engage the enemy ships and prevent them from easily reaching the shore.
Zhang Qing's eyes were like those of a hawk, closely watching the battle. He didn't resort to flying rocks lightly, instead searching for an opportunity to strike a fatal blow. When an enemy ship, disregarding casualties, forced its way past the barrier and nearly hit the dock, Zhang Qing took action!
The three specially made weighted flying stones in his hands were like three deadly black lightning bolts, tearing through the noisy battlefield!
“Puff! Puff! Puff!”
The first one smashed the head of the sailor at the helm, the second one pierced the throat of the small leader who was directing the boarding, and the third one accurately hit the main rope of the sail!
The enemy ship lost control in an instant, its sails dropped, and its hull turned sideways, right within the firing range of the No. 2 battery.
"Number two battery, fire in unison!" Zhu Wu seized the opportunity and gave the order sternly.
Several massive iron-tipped crossbow bolts and two explosive canisters simultaneously struck their targets! The wooden ship couldn't withstand such a blow. Its hull was ripped apart, flames shot up into the sky, and it quickly capsized, sending the enemies aboard falling into the sea like dumplings.
The first ship was damaged, and another was instantly sunk, dealing a crushing blow to the enemy's morale. The enemies on the remaining three ships were terrified, and their offensive momentum came to an abrupt halt. The sinister leader, looking at the fortified defenses on the shore and the burning wreckage in the sea, paled. He knew that the situation was hopeless; if the battle continued, his entire army would be annihilated.
"Retreat! Retreat quickly!" he shouted at the top of his lungs, no longer caring about the bounty or the mission.
The three surviving enemy ships turned around in a panic, trailing black smoke and fleeing out to sea. They came with great momentum and left like dogs that had lost their homes.
Deafening cheers erupted from the docks and behind the defensive walls! They had won! With meticulously prepared defenses and united courage, they had repelled an enemy many times their size!
Zhang Qing slowly loosened his clenched fist, only to discover that his palms had been scratched with blood from his nails. He looked towards the command post behind him, and his eyes met with Qiongying's, who was also looking back. They both saw the relief and determination in each other's eyes.
This battle not only saved their homeland, but also demonstrated their prestige and confidence! It made everyone understand that as long as they united as one, relied on wisdom and courage, they could gain a foothold in this overseas land and fear no enemy!
The sea breeze still carries the smell of gunpowder and blood, but the sun has penetrated the clouds and shines on this land that has been baptized by war and seems increasingly indestructible.
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