novelhk Chapter 61 Battle of the South China Sea
Chapter 61 Battle of the South China Sea
Henry assumed that the loyal dog would be satisfied and leave once it had eaten the bird meat.
But unexpectedly, after many twists and turns, they found themselves standing at opposite ends of the game.
Golden sunlight pierced through the clouds, illuminating the sea area where the enemy warships were located with a dazzling brilliance.
An olive-colored light was reflected from the bow of the dog-headed ship and into Henry's eyes.
He remembered his brief encounter with the loyal dog, whose armor was olive-colored.
He immediately guessed that the loyal dog was standing at the bow of the ship.
Henry also strode towards the bow of the ship.
The Battle of Yangniao took place in this area.
Perhaps the wreckage of the Soaring Spaceship lies beneath their feet right now.
Since the loyal dog wasn't satisfied...
Since the feud is not over yet...
Since he's come knocking again...
Let's settle this once and for all, loyal dog... Henry wants to... completely settle the score between us!
Victor reported to Henry the intelligence from Raven's Nest: the enemy fleet consisted of twenty-one ships.
Meanwhile, Henry's crew had been sent on a mission to negotiate, leaving only five warships in the pirate group.
Besides the Black Goat, the remaining four ships are the Harpoon, the Sea Urchin, the Nine Scars, and the White Mist.
Henry observed the enemy fleet, which was lined up in a single file.
Once the two fleets make contact, the ships on both sides will converge, surrounding the pirate group.
This would put the pirates in a very unfavorable situation.
Therefore, Henry had to prevent this kind of battle from taking place.
Looking at the overall strength on paper alone, it is undoubtedly a case of the enemy being stronger and us being weaker.
However, they possess the formidable Black Goat, which will be the biggest variable in this naval battle.
If Henry wants to increase his chances of winning, he will have to rely more on the Black Goat's advantages.
So he immediately gave the order:
"Tell the jellyfish to notify the other ships to form a V-formation!"
Victor immediately ran to deliver the message, and soon after, the ship formation changed.
The Harpoon and Sea Urchin, located to the left and right of the Black Goat, slowed down until they were a hull length behind before accelerating again.
The Nine Scars and White Mist, located on the outer edge, were even further behind by a hull length.
The pirate ship's five vessels, like a sharp spearhead, crisscrossed the sea.
At this point, the distance between the two fleets shortened further, and Henry was able to see clearly the trails of water left on the sea surface by the other ships as they sailed.
Victor suddenly said, "Sir, look, there seems to be a person standing at the bow of that dog-headed boat."
“That’s a loyal dog,” Henry said, “Hubert Peyton, the loyal dog.”
The loyal dog's figure became clearer and clearer. He stood at the bow of the sailboat, head held high, looking up at the huge Black Goat.
The Black Goat is a monster, yet you can't find the slightest fear or hesitation in him.
Despite the depth of Henry's resentment, he had to admit that the loyal dog was a true man.
At that moment, Henry saw the loyal dog suddenly raise its arm and stand sideways.
That's the posture for shooting an arrow!
In Henry's mind, this was not just a battle between pirates and warships, but also the ultimate showdown between him and his loyal dog.
If this applies to loyal dogs as well, then their actions are undoubtedly a provocation and a declaration of war.
Henry, not to be outdone, shouted:
"Bring me a bow and arrows!"
As soon as the order was given, a shrimp immediately handed over a bow and arrows.
Henry also nocked an arrow and drew his bow fully.
The two stood facing each other across the turbulent sea, at opposite bows of the ship.
The snarling, vicious dog was already itching for blood, while the angry-eyed ram raised its horns and hoof.
As if inspired, the two shot their arrows almost simultaneously.
They were still quite far apart, and even if Henry had a magic bow, he might not be able to hit the other.
Moreover, the weapon in the loyal dog's hand is most likely just an ordinary weapon, and he is located in a low-lying area.
However, the next moment...
A vibrating arrow flew rapidly through the air, struck the top right corner of the goat sculpture, and bounced to Henry's face.
He saw his face clearly reflected on the smooth surface of the metal arrow.
The arrow spun and flew before falling into the sea.
Henry was astonished; he simply couldn't fathom what kind of power the loyal dog's bow possessed to shoot an arrow with such a trajectory...
No, Henry squinted. It might not be a problem with the bow...
Since Henry possesses the extraordinary skill of enchanting magic, how can he judge that the loyal dog does not have a power comparable to it?
Henry realized that the loyal dog was not only a leader and commander, but also a formidable warrior himself.
This made him feel a little hot, and a smile appeared on his lips without him even realizing it.
Although Henry was not a warlike man, he was still a man.
How could he not be excited and eager to compete fairly against an opponent of this caliber?
Henry looked at the loyal dog, who remained standing in the same spot.
The battle in the South China Sea has officially begun with that arrow!
To better command the battle, Henry left the bow and returned to the bridge.
As he walked, he gave orders to Victor:
"Push the giant crossbow to the stern, load the giant arrow, and prepare to fire."
Viktor nodded: "When to launch?"
"After the charge."
The Black Goat currently only has one giant crossbow, and it must improve its accuracy in order to create an effective deterrent and disrupt the enemy fleet's formation and tactics.
Then Henry shouted:
"Everyone, take your bows and arrows and line up on both sides of the ship!"
Upon hearing Henry's order, the pirates all began to carry it out.
After receiving their bows and arrows from the armory, they lined up on either side of the Black Goat.
Henry raised his axe and roared:
"The Black Goat once struck fear into the hearts of sailors in every port of the kingdom, but after Joachim's death, it left these waters. Now, however, the blood of Gihano flows back into the Black Goat's veins, reminding the kingdom's bastards of the fear of being dominated by pirates!"
After listening to this presentation, the fans cheered loudly:
"Long live the Black Goat!"
"Long live Gihano!"
"Long live plunder!"
……
The pirates roared in unison, their voices deafening, and morale soared on the deck.
It seemed to have even affected the Harpoon and Sea Urchin ships on either side; Henry could vaguely hear shouts from those two ships.
Finally, the two fleets were close enough together.
Henry gave the order: "Nock the arrow, draw the bow."
However, it has yet to be launched.
Victor asked, "Sir, aren't we going to fire a volley?"
"It's not the best time yet," Henry replied calmly.
Victor suddenly pointed to the increasingly close passageway ahead:
"Sir, their ships are equipped with rams, they're going to ram us! Even the Black Goat couldn't escape unscathed from a full-speed ramming! You should immediately order a course change."
Henry had no doubt about the professional judgment of this excellent shipwright.
However, Henry replied:
"No! Go straight ahead at full speed!"
The Black Goat will suffer losses, that's true.
However, the enemy ships will also suffer heavy damage.
The Black Goat had an absolute size advantage, and no other ship could gain an advantage over it in a collision.
The goat might get a cut and bleed, but what about the yellow dog on the other side?
At the very least, there would be sprains, fractures, or even the entire ship would fall apart and sink!
Judging from the enemy's formation, the loyal dog-headed ship is undoubtedly the enemy's lead ship.
If minor damage to the ship could lead to the fall of the enemy leader, it would undoubtedly be a worthwhile deal for Henry.
Therefore, Henry would love for his loyal dog to choose to run into him.
But the loyal dog was a formidable opponent that Henry could not afford to overlook; he couldn't possibly be oblivious to the current situation.
Sure enough, just as the two ships were about to meet, the dog-headed ship made an emergency turn and narrowly missed the black goat.
Henry went to the gunwale and peered down.
The dog-headed boat, trailing a long line of waves, passed beneath the Black Goat.
Below the side panel, there is a row of square windows from which long, thick wooden oars extend and glide rhythmically.
It looks just like a yellow dog lying on the water's surface, using its four little paws to paddle across the water.
Henry immediately spotted a fully armed man standing on the bridge at the stern.
The man's armor was olive-colored, and he had his hands behind his back, looking up at Henry.
That's a loyal dog.
Henry will never forget that stern, unsmiling face.
Their eyes met, just like their farewell glance at Bone Marrow Harbor last year.
Henry never imagined that they would one day look each other in the eye.
This was undoubtedly a tragic fate for Henry.
Since they are sworn enemies, only by trying to kill each other without leaving any room for negotiation can they show each other respect!
The loyal dog remained serious, but Henry gave a sly smile.
He then decisively gave the order:
"put!"
Immediately, dozens of arrows were fired from the Black Goat's fenders.
A dense rain of arrows fell on the deck of the enemy ship, instantly claiming the lives of many sailors.
However, the biggest difference between noble marines and pirates was the disparity in equipment.
Marines typically wore full armor and even carried shields, while pirates often wore only a thin piece of cloth.
Of course, pirates lived on ships for a long time, so they didn't bother with armor.
The marines' armor deflected many arrows, and they also raised their shields, quickly stopping the casualties from escalating.
They immediately organized a counterattack, but their target was not the Black Goat, but other pirate ships.
Henry instantly understood the enemy's tactics: they wanted to isolate the Black Goat.
Without the support of other ships, the Black Goat would struggle to cope with the enemy's naval tactics.
Seeing this, Henry immediately made adjustments:
"Have the jellyfish notify the other octopuses not to engage the enemy ships, to consolidate their formation, and to move closer to the Black Goat!"
Upon hearing this, Victor immediately went to carry it out.
Seeing that the pirate fleet's formation was about to break down, the four goat calves immediately refocused on their target and moved closer to the Black Goat after the order was given.
Enemy ships caught in the gaps between the fleets had no choice but to speed up and leave in the face of this trend.
The enemy ships on both flanks also surrounded them, but the ships directly in front of the Black Goat had to make way for it.
Relying on the Black Goat's natural advantages, the pirate fleet successfully broke through the enemy's formation.
In the instant the stern turned toward the enemy fleet, Henry gave the order:
"Aim the giant crossbow at the enemy ship and fire immediately!"
Upon receiving the order, the four crossbowmen immediately sprang into action, beginning to fine-tune the angle and lever of the crossbow platform.
As the mechanism was activated, a giant arrow shot towards the enemy ship.
Then Henry heard cheers:
"Boss! It hit!"
Henry was not surprised by this.
Even from a great distance, Henry's Flying Sail was almost rendered helpless by these giant crossbow bolts.
It is evident that the precision of this amazing weapon reached an extremely high level.
At this moment, the distance between the enemy and our ships could be described as extremely close, and Henry had already ordered the crossbowmen to be ready.
It would be surprising for Henry if the shot missed.
At this moment, the fleet, like a duck with its wings folded, passed through the waterway overgrown with aquatic plants.
In this way, Henry's fleet completely broke through the enemy's tactics.
Henry did not hesitate and issued three orders in quick succession.
The soldiers on deck were firing freely.
The giant crossbow continued to strike the enemy ships.
The order was given to the other four ships to spread out and prepare for a counterattack.
Once the order was given, the fleet, like a precise machine, immediately began to operate accurately.
The enemy fleet, having failed to encircle the enemy, found its ships blocking each other's routes, resulting in a chaotic formation.
Furthermore, the powerful deterrent effect of the giant crossbows made the enemy ships even more hesitant and timid in their navigation.
The enemy ship made such a basic mistake as colliding with a friendly vessel.
The pirates on deck couldn't help but laugh at the sight.
The more ships a fleet has, the stronger it is undoubtedly.
However, if the command is not accurate and effective, it will only become a burden to each other.
Pirates are often disorganized, which is why, before Joachim's time, pirates mostly operated alone.
Henry commanded the geese to spread their wings and then glide across the sea in a semi-circular trajectory, turning the bows of the ships back towards the enemy fleet.
However, Henry then noticed that the enemy ships' formation seemed to have recovered considerably.
If the loyal dog is indeed the commander-in-chief of that fleet, then Henry has no reason to doubt the fleet's ability to adjust.
To Henry's surprise, none of the enemy ships turned around; instead, they all rowed out to sea.
Clearly, this was the result of someone directing it.
Henry frowned, sensing that something was amiss.
Exposing the stern to pirates, were they trying to escape?
In their first encounter, the Kingdom's allied forces indeed suffered considerable losses; one of their warships even lost its ability to sail and became stranded in the center of the battlefield.
However, Henry simply couldn't believe that such a defeat would completely demoralize the enemy.
Moreover, the enemy mainly used rowboats, which were not at a speed advantage.
If they flee to the open ocean, they will be caught by Henry sooner or later. They should at least try to return to their own port, right?
Henry concluded that the loyal dog was definitely plotting something!
Judging from this, it seems they intend to lure Henry over there.
But the direction the loyal dogs were heading was the place where Henry had set off from, and they couldn't possibly have laid an ambush in that area beforehand.
What is that loyal dog plotting...?
At this moment, Victor happily congratulated Henry:
"My lord, what brilliant command! The kingdom's fleet was forced to flee; they were utterly powerless to retaliate!"
Upon hearing this, Henry suddenly realized a problem and immediately asked Victor:
"In your opinion, what is the strength of that fleet?"
Seemingly startled by Henry's tense expression, Victor took half a step back:
"It's...it's alright!"
That's right! Henry immediately concluded that something was wrong!
If this fleet was indeed a coalition of nobles from various regions, assembled by the kingdom to fight against Henry, then it is far too small in both size and combat power.
A navy built with the resources of the entire nation, yet this is all it has? If word gets out, it will surely become a laughing stock.
A loyal dog always has a hidden trick up its sleeve!
Henry said, "Tell the jellyfish not to just keep an eye on the fleet ahead, but also to keep an eye on other directions."
Not long after, Victor informed Henry:
"Master, something terrible has happened! Jellyfish says that a fleet of ships appears on both the east and west sides."
How many ships are there?
"The jellyfish says there are more than fifty!"
Damn it! Henry slammed his fist on the railing in a rage, almost falling for the loyal dog's trick!
If Henry were to focus solely on pursuing the fleeing decoy ahead, he would neglect the fleets stealthily approaching from both flanks.
Once surrounded, due to the overwhelming disparity in strength between the enemy and themselves, all five of their ships would inevitably be lost at sea!
Fortunately, Henry discovered it in time, and there was still a chance to save it.
We must escape before the encirclement is complete!
Henry looked up and observed the wind direction—a westerly wind.
He immediately gave the order: "Hard to starboard!"
Miko replied, "Full starboard!"
"Victor, have the jellyfish inform the other octopuses that they are being attacked from both flanks by enemy ships and should break out to the west."
Victor raised questions:
"With a tailwind, no ship can catch the Black Goat, sir, they'll fall behind!"
"Change to a long, serpentine formation, and have them follow the wake of the Black Goat!"
Henry himself wasn't sure if he could break through.
The enemy's fighting strength far exceeded Henry's expectations.
So you've been misleading me all along... Henry thought through gritted teeth... How insidious, loyal dog!
With no other options left, Henry had no choice but to break out.
But how much price to pay for this is entirely up to fate.
Moreover, even if they successfully break through, the fleet will inevitably face a very dangerous situation.
Miscalculation!
It was a failure!
Henry can only draw one conclusion from this defeat.
Hubert Peyton, the loyal dog, is far more terrifying than you imagine!