Honglou: This bastard is too persuasive.

Chapter 752 Attack
"Everyone, work harder! Don't let the fish get away!" Jia Changsheng stood at the bow to encourage morale. The soldiers shouted in unison, chanting slogans and trying their best to collect the net. Finally, the fishing net was slowly pulled out of the water, and the net was full of lively fish, shining silver. There were many kinds of fish, including plump Spanish mackerel, clever pomfret, and slender hairtail. The soldiers looked at the scene of this bumper harvest and cheers resounded across the sea.

However, this was just one of the fishing operations. During the voyage, they encountered various situations. Sometimes, the fish were very cunning and quickly dispersed after sensing the danger, leaving them with nothing; sometimes, when they were collecting the nets, they encountered strong undercurrents, which almost dragged the fishing nets and the soldiers into the sea. But Jia Changsheng and his men did not lose heart. Every failure became an opportunity for them to accumulate experience.

The warship continued to move forward and came to a bay on the way. It was calm here, surrounded by lush islands, like a paradise. Jia Changsheng decided to stop here for a while, on the one hand to let the soldiers rest and reorganize, on the other hand to continue fishing and replenishing supplies.

This time, they used a different way to fish. Some soldiers took a small boat and rowed to the deep bay, lowered their fishing rods and fished. They hung fresh bait on the hooks and waited quietly for the fish to bite. After a while, a soldier shouted excitedly: "It's hooked!" He pulled up the fishing rod with force, and a fat perch was pulled out of the water and struggled in the air. Other soldiers followed suit, and for a while, the boat was filled with laughter.

Meanwhile, on the big ship, another group of soldiers prepared bamboo baskets and harpoons. They watched the right moment, and when the school of fish approached the shallow waters near the shore, they quickly put the bamboo baskets into the water to try to trap the fish. The soldiers holding the harpoons stared at the water surface with sharp eyes, and once they found a big fish, they threw the harpoons fiercely. The harpoons pierced the fish accurately with a cold light, and the soldiers cheered as they pulled the captured big fish onto the boat.

During the few days they stayed in the bay, they caught a lot of fish. In addition to meeting their daily dietary needs, Jia Changsheng also arranged for the soldiers to pickle the excess fish for emergency use. During the pickling process, the soldiers washed the fish, sprinkled them with coarse salt, and stacked them in large vats. These pickled fish could not only be preserved for a long time, but also became a unique delicacy during their voyage.

As the fishing operation continued, Jia Changsheng and his men had a deeper understanding of this sea area. They drew detailed sea charts and marked the places where fish schools often appeared, providing valuable references for subsequent fishing and navigation. The warships moved forward and fished on this vast ocean, exploring unknown areas while constantly accumulating capital for survival and development, and steadily moving towards the distant goal.

In a shabby and messy pirate camp, the wind blew with a salty smell. The pirate leader Black Shark sat on a chair made of rough wooden boards, playing with a dagger in his hand, with greed and ferocity in his eyes. He just learned a piece of news from his men: a fleet was moving slowly in the nearby waters, seemed to be frequently fishing, and looked full of supplies.

"Are you sure the information is reliable?" Black Shark stared at the minion who came to report, his eyes as sharp as an eagle.

The little henchman was so frightened that he trembled all over. He nodded quickly and said, "Boss, it's absolutely true! We brothers saw it with our own eyes. There were quite a lot of boats in the fleet, and they looked very well-stocked. They kept moving and stopping, and they were always fishing. They must have had a good harvest."

Black Shark raised his mouth slightly, revealing a ferocious smile, and said, "Humph, we can't let go of the fat meat that comes to our door. Recently, the brothers haven't made any big deals, so we have to do a good job this time. Tell me, how many ships are there in the fleet? Do you think the defense is tight?"

The little minion scratched his head, thought for a moment and said, "Boss, there are about twenty ships. As for the defense, it doesn't look very strict, but they have a lot of people, and they all look very energetic, as if they are well-trained. But our brothers are not bad either. If we fight, we may not lose."

At this time, the one-eyed military strategist at the side turned his one eye and leaned close to Black Shark's ear and said, "Boss, although they look promising, we can't underestimate them. It would be a pity if we alert them and let them escape. We have to think of a comprehensive way to take them down without anyone noticing."

Black Shark frowned and said, "What ideas do you have? Tell me about them."

The one-eyed military advisor chuckled and said, "Boss, we can first send a few small boats, pretending to be ordinary fishermen, to get close to them and find out their true strength. We can see how many people they have, what kind of weapons and equipment they have, and how many treasures are on their boats. Once we have a clear understanding, we can lead a large group of troops to attack them and catch them off guard."

Black Shark patted his thigh and praised: "Good idea! Let's do it this way. Pick a few smart brothers, have them pretend to be fishermen, and set out early tomorrow morning. Remember, don't show your true colors. If you are discovered, our plan will be ruined."

The one-eyed military advisor nodded and said, "Don't worry, Boss. Are you still worried about me doing the job? I promise to find out the news clearly."

Black Shark looked at the other pirate leaders and said, "You guys, let the brothers prepare well these few days, sharpen your knives, clean your guns, and be ready for orders at any time. As soon as the news comes back, we will take action. If you do a good job this time, the brothers will all be rewarded handsomely!"

The pirate leaders responded one after another: "Yes, boss!" with excitement and greed flashing in their eyes.

One of the pirate leaders with a face full of flesh asked: "Boss, what should we do if they resist fiercely? Should we use ruthless force?"

Black Shark sneered and said, "Humph, if you dare to resist, I will beat you to death! Let them know that in this sea area, I, Black Shark, have the final say. If you dare to block our way to wealth, no one will leave alive."

Another tall and thin pirate leader said with some concern: "Boss, if there is some big force behind this fleet, will we get into trouble if we do this?"

Black Shark glared at him and said, "What are you afraid of! In this vast ocean, who would know it was us who did it? As long as we act quickly and rob them and run away, even if they have forces behind them, they won't be able to find us. Besides, we have been in this sea for so many years, so why should we be afraid of them?"

The tall and thin pirate leader shrank his neck and said, "Yes, Boss, I just said it casually."

Black Shark stood up, glanced at everyone, and said loudly: "Brothers, this is a rare opportunity. As long as we grab this batch of treasures, we can live a good life. Cheer up and don't make any mistakes!"

The pirates shouted in unison: "Yes, Boss!" The voices echoed in the pirate camp, full of the desire for treasure and the excitement of the upcoming robbery. At this time, Jia Changsheng's fleet, unaware of the impending danger, was still moving forward slowly as planned while carrying out fishing activities. A crisis was quietly approaching.

The night was as dark as ink, weighing heavily on the sea. Jia Changsheng's fleet was quietly anchored in a bay. After a day of fishing and sailing, most of the crew members were exhausted and fell asleep. Only a few crew members who were responsible for night watch were yawning on the deck and patrolling intermittently.

Suddenly, a young sailor named Xiao Wang opened his eyes wide, and he seemed to see several dark shadows moving quickly in the distance. At first, he thought he was dazzled, but when he looked closely, he saw that they were clearly several small boats, quietly approaching the fleet under the cover of night.

"Oh no, something's happening!" Xiao Wang was startled and ran to the cabin without thinking about anything else. As he ran, he shouted loudly: "Everyone, get up quickly, it seems like pirates are coming!"

The shout was particularly harsh in the silent night, instantly breaking the tranquility of the fleet. Jia Changsheng was resting in the cabin, and when he heard the shout, he jumped up from the bed. He quickly put on his clothes, picked up his sword, and rushed out of the cabin.

"What's going on?" Jia Changsheng asked with a serious look on his face, grabbing Xiao Wang. "General, I saw several small boats coming towards us. They don't look like ordinary ships. They are probably pirates!" Xiao Wang said breathlessly.

Jia Changsheng frowned and immediately made a decision: "Notify all ships to prepare for battle!"

The messenger quickly passed the order down, and at once, the bells in the fleet rang loudly. The sleeping crew members woke up one after another, and without having time to think about it, they quickly picked up their weapons and took their positions according to the formation they had trained on weekdays.

Zhou Yu also hurried to Jia Changsheng and said, "My lord, it seems that we have been targeted by pirates. But don't worry, the brothers are well-trained and will definitely be able to repel these pirates."

Jia Changsheng nodded and said, "Gongjin, you go and command the fleet to defend, don't panic. I will organize a team of elite soldiers to prepare to fight the pirates who boarded the ship."

Zhou Yu took the order and went. He climbed to a high place and shouted loudly: "All ships, listen to the order, keep the formation, archers, prepare, wait for the enemy to get close before shooting! Swordsmen and shieldmen protect the side of the ship to prevent pirates from boarding!"

At this time, the pirate boat was getting closer and closer. With the weak moonlight, you can see that the boat is full of ferocious pirates, holding sharp blades, with greed and ferocity in their eyes.

"Shoot!" Zhou Yu gave the order, and countless sharp arrows rained down on the pirates' boats. In the darkness, there were screams, and several pirates were shot and fell into the water. But the pirates did not retreat, they sped up and rushed towards the fleet.

"Get ready to engage the enemy!" Jia Changsheng shouted, and the elite soldiers around him gripped their weapons tightly, ready for battle.

Soon, the pirates' boats approached the fleet. The pirates threw out grappling hooks, hooked onto the side of the ship, and climbed up along the ropes. Jia Changsheng shouted loudly, swung his sword, cut off several grappling hooks, and several pirates fell into the sea.

"Kill!" Jia Changsheng led the way and engaged in close combat with the pirates who boarded the ship. His swordsmanship was sharp, and each strike carried great power. In an instant, several pirates fell under his sword.

Seeing the general so brave, the soldiers' morale was boosted and they all fought bravely. For a while, the sound of shouting and weapons clashing resounded across the sea.

On another ship, Gan Ning was leading a group of sailors to fight against pirates. Gan Ning was holding an iron chain and wielding it freely among the enemy. Wherever the iron chain went, the pirates hid.

"Brothers, don't be afraid of these pirates, drive them all into the sea!" Gan Ning shouted loudly while fighting.

However, the pirates were numerous and fearless, and more and more pirates kept boarding the ship. The situation became increasingly tense.

Jia Changsheng realized that this was not a solution and he had to come up with a plan to repel the pirates. He looked around and suddenly saw the oil drums on the ship, and an idea came to his mind.

"Hurry, bring the oil barrel over and light it!" Jia Changsheng shouted.

The soldiers quickly moved the oil barrels to the side of the ship, lit them, and pushed them into the sea. The oil barrels fell into the sea, and the fire spread quickly, surrounding the pirates' boat. Seeing this, the pirates panicked.

"No, hurry up!" the pirate leader Black Shark shouted. But it was too late. The fire was raging, and many pirates were trapped in the sea of ​​fire, making miserable cries.

While the pirates were in a panic, Jia Changsheng ordered a counterattack: "Brothers, charge! Eliminate the remaining pirates!"

The soldiers rushed towards the pirates like a tiger descending from a mountain, and after a fierce fight, they finally drove back all the pirates who had boarded the ship. Seeing that the situation was not good, the pirates rowed their boats and fled the scene.

Jia Changsheng breathed a sigh of relief as he watched the pirates go away. He turned around and looked at the tired but proud soldiers, and said loudly: "Brothers, good job! Thanks to your heroic fighting, we repelled the pirates. But we can't let our guard down and must strengthen patrols to prevent the pirates from attacking again."

The soldiers shouted in unison: "Yes!" The sound echoed in the night sky, full of the joy of victory and firm belief.

After repelling the pirates, Jia Changsheng knew that this place was no longer safe. In order to prevent the pirates from coming back, he immediately summoned Zhou Yu, Gan Ning, Xu Shu and other trusted men to the cabin of the flagship to discuss countermeasures. The candlelight in the cabin flickered, and everyone's faces looked particularly solemn in the light and shadow.

Jia Changsheng was the first to break the silence. He frowned and said in a serious tone, "Although we were lucky enough to repel the pirates today, they will definitely not give up. This place has been targeted by them. We must come up with a countermeasure as soon as possible, otherwise there will be endless troubles."

Zhou Yu nodded slightly, his eyes calm and steady, and said: "My lord, you are right. The pirates are familiar with this sea area and their actions are secretive. If they attack again, I am afraid we will be unable to defend ourselves. I think we should leave this place as soon as possible and find another safe place to dock."

Gan Ning slammed the table and shouted, "Why should we be afraid of them? If there are one, I will kill one. If there are two, I will kill a pair. I don't believe that with so many of us, we are still afraid of these pirates!"

Jia Changsheng looked at Gan Ning, smiled slightly, and said, "Xingba, I know you are brave and fearless, but we can't act rashly. The pirates are in the dark, and we are in the light. They may launch a surprise attack at any time, and it is hard to defend against them. Besides, we have an important mission to accomplish, and we can't delay our journey by entanglement with the pirates."

(End of this chapter)