Chapter 146: Silent Comrades

Chapter 146

The Wo Country Pirates launched a surprise attack, but halfway through, they encountered a formidable enemy interception, which dealt a heavy blow to their morale.

Morale is a fickle thing; it rises with a surge and wanes with decline. In this battle, as one side gains strength, the other side weakens.

The Wo Country Pirates' momentum declined, while the Da Xia soldiers became fierce like tigers descending from the mountains and dragons plunging into the sea.

Once they reached the Wo Country Pirates' large ships, the pirates were reduced to being pressed down on the ground and rubbed against.

Many of the naval soldiers were locals from Fuzhou, each with brothers, relatives, and friends. They had witnessed the Wo Country Pirates landing year after year, plundering their homeland, and massacring their wives, children, parents, and siblings. The hatred in their hearts ran deeper than the sea beneath their feet.

Finally, they had a legitimate opportunity for revenge, to confront the enemy head-on.

Brandishing their weapons, they threw themselves at the Wo Country Pirates as if they didn't value their own lives.

When their swords bent, they seized the pirates' swords. When those broke, they used their fists, legs, and even teeth, using anything they could get their hands on to smash the enemy.

They didn't retreat or dodge even when injured. As long as they could still move, they were determined to take the enemy down with them, even if it meant fighting to the death.

The vast expanse of the sea echoed with shouts of killing, curses, and the pitiful cries of the Wo Country Pirates.

People were falling into the sea from the ships at every moment.

Dolphins that had been waiting in the water immediately swam up. Whenever they spotted someone wearing black leather armor, whether they were already dead or still alive, they lifted them up and brought them back to the small boats of Da Xia.

If they encountered individuals wearing various clothes and with black hairs under their noses, well, sorry, either they slapped them to death with their tails or grabbed hold of them and dragged them underwater until they drowned.

The dolphins' actions left the Da Xia soldiers on the small boats dumbfounded.

One soldier stammered, "I never thought that even the sea pigs would fight against the Wo Country Pirates. Could it be that they also have a grudge against them?"

Another soldier, after stabbing a fallen pirate with a spear, wiped the seawater splashed on his face and said, "Seems like it! The sea pigs are clever! The pirates probably caused them a lot of trouble by not sparing anything!"

The battle continued, and the soldiers on some medium-sized ships besieged the Wo Country Pirates' large ships. Despite a prolonged attack, they became desperate and resorted to using a powerful weapon.

They loaded "fire melons" onto catapults and hurled them towards the pirates' treasure ships, causing explosions that killed or injured many in an instant.

Afterward, they went all out, throwing "fire melons," oil barrels, and arrows dipped in oil and set on fire at the pirates' treasure ship.

Deafening explosions resounded one after another. Several large ships tilted and caught fire. The flames, fueled by the wind, spread rapidly, turning the entire ships into a sea of fire.

Countless Wo Country Pirates screamed in agony. Even if they weren't killed by the explosions, they were engulfed in flames.

To save their lives, they jumped into the sea, attempting to extinguish the flames on their bodies with seawater. However, death awaited them in the water as well.

The dolphins swarmed in, each one holding onto a pirate and dragging them underwater. Before long, the sea surface was filled with floating corpses.

The scent of blood attracted a dozen or so sharks, which surrounded the pirates' bodies, starting a true feast in the sea.

A general swung his sword, severing a pirate's head. He looked at the pirate treasure ship engulfed in a sea of fire, wiped the blood splattered on his face, and felt an immense satisfaction.

After experiencing pleasure, he felt regret and furrowed his brow, cursing loudly, "You bunch of spendthrifts! You've burned my precious ship. You really don't know how to live!"

The brutal battle continued, and many coastal fishermen heard the news and hurriedly came in their own small boats to help, either salvaging and transporting the wounded or directly participating in the fight against the enemy.

By dawn, over half of the fifty-one treasure ships had either been captured or destroyed, leaving less than twenty ships under the control of the Wo Country Pirates.

The most formidable deputy under Bampen Turtle Saburo had his head cut off by a general from Da Xia, and even he himself suffered minor injuries.

Seeing that they were no match, they had no choice but to order a retreat.

In addition, unexpectedly, they fished out the largest drowning dog on a floating log: Bampen Turtle Saburo.

This beast was just injured and passed out from being hit by the water, not dead.

While Jiang Yuqing bandaged his wounds, he also placed a prohibition in his mind to prevent him from committing suicide upon waking up and finding himself captured.

This is a big fish. Bring it back and raise it. It will definitely be useful when formally confronting Wo Country in the future.

At the scene, there was a moment of silence, and then someone shouted, "We've won! The Wo pirates are extinct!"

As soon as the words fell, the entire sea surface became a jubilant ocean. "We've won!"

The generals were lifted up by their subordinates, thrown high into the air, caught, and thrown up again to be caught.

Some soldiers threw their helmets into the air, while others hugged and cheered with their comrades.

Some soldiers laughed so much that they cried.

One of the men, whose shoulder was still bleeding, fell to his knees on the blood-stained deck and cried out.

"Father, mother, little sister, and the villagers of Huangyu Village, Luo Yuzai has avenged you! Your spirits in the heavens can finally rest!"

A comrade wiped away his tears and patted his brother's shoulder to offer comfort.

As fellow wanderers at the end of the earth, he too had joined the military after the Wo pirates killed his wife, children, and elderly mother, all to avenge his loved ones.

After the soldiers finished cheering, they silently began cleaning up the battlefield. If they came across any surviving Wo pirates, they would strike them down with a single blow and let them feed the sharks.

After cleaning up the battlefield, when the dolphins saw that there was no longer a need for their assistance, they flicked their tails and collectively leaped out of the water. After a few jumps, they swam into the deep sea.

Seeing this scene, the soldiers all turned in the direction the dolphins were leaving and saluted.

Saluting these silent comrades.

In this battle, about 56,000 enemies were annihilated, and the Wo pirate leader, Bampen Turtle Saburo, was captured alive. They seized 37 large pirate ships and destroyed or sunk 14 (including the one taken out by the whale). They also seized nearly a hundred small boats.

The soldiers of the Da Xia Navy sacrificed nearly 8,000 men and had over 14,000 injured.

Although they were all wearing leather armor and protective gear, the Wo Country Pirates were a group of hardened outlaws who had spilled blood on countless occasions. Their combat prowess was not to be underestimated.

After this battle, the Wo Country Pirates were severely weakened and would not have the strength to raid Da Xia for at least the rest of this year.

As for the remaining scum in their lair, they would be dealt with once the precious ships of the Da Xia Navy were ready. They would launch a direct attack on their home island, completely sending them to sleep with the fishes.

Anyone who dares to offend Da Xia shall be punished, no matter how far away they are!

The army regrouped and returned to defend the city of Fuzhou. After a brief stay in the city to rest and recuperate, they would each return to their respective camps.

When the fleet docked, almost all the residents of Fuzhou came to the harbor. The docks were bustling with people, the sound of gongs and drums filled the air, and firecrackers exploded in unison, all to welcome the triumphant heroes.

Li Wanchang, the Governor of Fuzhou, personally went to the harbor to welcome them and specially hosted a banquet to entertain the generals, including Jiang Yuqing, who was also invited.

However, there were still many wounded soldiers on the large ships in need of medical treatment, and she was overwhelmed with tasks and had to politely decline.

Li Wanchang took the opportunity to have a brief conversation with her and said, "Your father and I were classmates in the imperial examination. When we went to the capital for the exams, we stayed at the same inn. It has been many years, I wonder how the Duke is doing?"

Jiang Yuqing smiled and replied, "My father is doing very well. Thank you for your concern. My elder brother is now serving as a county magistrate under your governance. I hope you will take good care of him."

Li Wanchang said, "It's my duty!"