latelenovela Chapter 299 The End of the Naval Battle
Chapter 299 The End of the Naval Battle
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The sudden attack caught the climbing pirates completely off guard. Hanging from hundreds of ropes, the men were like sitting ducks, perfect targets for the Caron cannon. The pirates were suddenly caught in a dilemma: continue upwards and they'd be shot; stay in the middle and they'd be hit by cannon fire. Going up meant death, not going up meant death too.
The shrapnel bombardment continued, and amidst the screams of agony, the pirates' last shred of hope vanished. They chose to loosen their ropes and jump into the sea, where at least they were temporarily safe from danger.
Although the range of the shotgun barrage covered the waterline area and theoretically would not affect the ship's sides and deck, for safety reasons, and seeing that the pirates' offensive was about to collapse, the defending sailors were ordered to temporarily cease firing and take cover behind the ship's sides.
Seeing that defeat was inevitable, Zheng Zhibao was overcome with grief. He shouted and used both hands and feet to climb to the edge of the ship's side in a few quick movements. He had only one thought in his mind: even if he died in battle, he would take Liu Ye, the instigator, down with him.
Perhaps it was fate that was giving Zheng Zhibao a chance. A dense hail of shrapnel rained down on him, but not a single bullet hit him. In addition, the pirates who were climbing in front of him chose to jump into the sea, and the firing from the ship's side stopped. In a desperate move, he actually managed to reach the edge of the ship's side.
Zheng Zhibao was overjoyed. He pushed off with both hands and flipped onto the ship's side. Under the astonished gazes of everyone on the deck, he drew his tiger-headed saber, swiftly locked onto Liu Ye, who was surrounded by the crowd ten paces away, leaped up, raised the saber above his head, and shouted, "Liu thief, prepare to die!"
With a crisp gunshot, a flower of blood bloomed on Zheng Zhibao's forehead. Due to the immense stopping force, his body tumbled backward in the air, slamming heavily against the edge of the boat before falling into the sea.
Liu Ye blew away the smoke from the muzzle of his gun and said disdainfully, "No matter how high your martial arts skills are, one shot will take you down."
The others then came to their senses, and Gao Jie shouted, "Hurry up and hold your positions! Don't let anyone else climb up!"
Everyone stood fearfully at the ship's side, guns drawn, continuing to fire. The thought of the general being attacked before their eyes was far more terrifying than any stray bullet that might bounce onto the deck; no one could bear the responsibility.
The battle was drawing to a close. Zheng Zhibao had been killed in action, and the morale of the pirates had plummeted. Under the double attack of fire from the bow and the rear, the seemingly mighty boarding offensive completely collapsed, leaving only a dense mass of heads in the sea—the surviving defeated men awaiting their fate.
Liu Ye, brimming with confidence, gave the order: "The enemy has exhausted all their tricks; now is our time to counterattack. All warships, surround and annihilate Zheng Zhilong's remaining fleet. The army, prepare for a landing operation. We must wipe them out completely!"
The main fleet, which had been maintaining a "battle line" formation to meet the enemy, turned its bows, drawing an arc, and sailed westward in a straight line. The massive transport fleet behind it also raised its sails and followed the warships.
On the three-masted gunboat waiting at the estuary, Zheng Zhilong lowered his binoculars, clutched his chest, and felt a sharp pain in his heart. These were the elite of the Zheng family, battle-hardened warriors, a full four or five thousand men, and they had perished under the gunfire.
Zheng Zhiwan, Zheng Cai, and the others standing nearby were terrified and urged, "Brother, things are beyond saving. Let's retreat to Zhongzuo Garrison. No matter how arrogant the Qiongzhou Camp is, they wouldn't dare to openly attack the garrison city..."
Zheng Zhilong's handsome face was now contorted with rage. He gritted his teeth and said, "If we just retreat like this, won't we become like stray dogs? How will I, Zheng Zhilong, ever hold my head high in the martial world again? Won't the Fujian waters become the domain of the Qiongzhou Camp? I'm not willing to accept this!"
Zheng Zhiwan thought to herself, "My elder brother has gone mad. A true man can bend and stretch. The Zheng family has also experienced its share of setbacks. Back then, when we insisted on accepting the offer of amnesty, our sworn brothers, the 'Eighteen Zhis,' turned against each other. Under the attacks of Zhong Bin, Li Kuiqi, and others, we were left with only a few hundred men and a dozen or so boats. But in the end, we still managed to survive. Why can't he let go of his family now that he has become so successful?"
Just as they were about to continue their earnest persuasion, the Qiongzhou fleet sailed in from afar, seemingly intending to press their advantage and wipe out the Zheng family in one fell swoop.
Now everyone was in an uproar. The gunboats and troop transports had been destroyed, leaving only three flagship-level three-masted gunboats and dozens of small Fujian ships. In terms of firepower and manpower, they were no match for the defeated fleet. Facing the Qiongzhou Camp fleet, which was riding high on its victory and full of momentum, how could they possibly fight back?
Everyone hurriedly advised, "Brother, let's retreat! A true man can bend and stretch; taking a step back opens up a whole new world!"
"Big Dragon Head, retreat to the fortress and rely on its defenses. No matter how powerful their gunboats are, they can't do anything to us..."
"Big Boss, a wise man doesn't fight a losing battle!"
……
Amidst the cacophony, Zheng Zhilong paid no heed, his bloodshot eyes fixed on the approaching Qiongzhou fleet, wishing he could personally blast it to pieces with his cannons.
Smaller ships are easier to maneuver, and the smallest of them, the Wuxiang-class patrol ships, were at the forefront, while the Wuyi-class and Yongle-class warships lagged behind.
After approaching the Zheng family's fleet, 16 Wuxiang-class patrol ships spread out in a fan shape and opened fire on the small Fujian ships surrounding the three-masted gunboats.
"Boom boom boom!" Thirty-pound solid shot flew towards these Fujian ships, and immediately cries of agony filled the air. These small Fujian ships were only used to carry some supplies and auxiliary personnel in battle, and could be set on fire when necessary. They were not the main force in the battle. In terms of tonnage and sturdiness, they were neither as large as the large Qingtou gunboats nor as large as the medium-sized Fujian ships used for transporting troops. A few shots were enough to smash the ships to pieces, leaving them with no power to fight back.
Under the fierce artillery fire, these Fujian ships were either smashed and sunk, or they simply fled the battlefield, showing no awareness of being cannon fodder for their commanders.
The three three-masted gunboats were then directly subjected to the artillery fire. The Wuxiang-class patrol ships surrounded the three ships and opened fire at full capacity, raining down shells as if they were free.
However, these three large gunboats, comparable in tonnage to the Wuyi-class, were modified by Zheng Zhilong at great expense from large Fujian-style ships. Their sturdiness was no less than that of the warships of the Qiongzhou Camp. Even after being surrounded by more than a dozen patrol boats and riddled with shell craters, they showed no signs of sinking. The ships also carried several Hongyi cannons, which seized opportunities to retaliate. Several cannonballs even hit their targets, capsizing the open gun emplacements on the deck of the Wuxiang-class ships, killing the gunners instantly.
The younger brother was no match for his opponent, but the elder brothers arrived just in time. The massive figures of the Wuyi-class and Yongle-class ships appeared to the east, slowly approaching. The Guangdong and Shandong ships took the lead, arriving at the forefront, ready to deliver a fatal blow to Zheng Zhilong.