69novels Chapter 34 Birds Eating Sheep
Chapter 34 Birds Eating Sheep
"The cabin is taking on water!"
After hearing Benson's report, Henry took a deep breath.
Immediately, they set off to investigate.
Go down the stairs next to the captain's cabin to reach the ship's cabin.
A huge arrow, piercing through the side panel, resembled a long, probing python, bringing terror and intimidation to all who saw it.
The giant arrow pierced the hull with ease and became lodged in the dragon's sinew.
The skeleton developed a crack, but fortunately it did not break completely.
The large hole in the side panel is above the waterline of the Soaring, and the water that enters the ship is the spray caused by the undulating waves washing over the hull.
If the arrow had deviated a foot or two further down, or if it hadn't been blocked by the dragon tendon and had instead pierced the base directly...
Henry couldn't imagine it.
Although the damage to the hull will not affect the ship's navigation in the short term, leaving hidden dangers is definitely the act of the ignorant.
Henry ordered:
"Bensen, find four people to saw this arrow in half, being careful not to deepen the crack in the tendon. Then seal the hole with planks and nails."
This is emergency treatment, like temporarily bandaging a wound on someone who has been stabbed.
There isn't much water inside the cabin right now. As long as the hole is plugged and no new seawater gets in, it won't affect navigation for the time being...
At least not too many.
Henry put Benson in charge of the ship's repairs, while he himself had to return to the deck immediately to direct the navigation and counterattack.
Upon reaching the bridge, Henry saw that the shrimp on board had been terrified by the enormous arrow.
The burly Miko remained steadfast, gripping the helm firmly.
However, everyone else had their backs to the Black Goat, huddled behind the mast and fenders.
But Micoben was an exception; besides being called "the strongman," he also had another nickname: "the fool."
The morale of the army is low... Henry thought... I must regroup.
After another course adjustment, Henry shouted:
"Stand up! You've seen it. Those arrows can easily pierce through wooden planks, and no one can withstand a second hit. So there's nowhere for you to hide on this wooden boat."
"But what good will standing up do? They have those weapons, my God! They must be weapons of giants!"
At this point, someone responded, and others chimed in.
"It's probably a crossbow used by deep-sea giants... So, does that mean the sea god and the underwater palace really exist?"
"Boss, we shouldn't have started this war in the first place. Seagulls alone don't think they can fight goats, especially evil black goats. We have no chance of winning!"
"Give the order, boss. It's time to abandon this. We can still escape!"
"Enough!" Henry roared. "Escape? Is there still time? There's no such option."
Wilson said, "You have led us to escape from the pursuit of loyal dogs many times."
Why don't you mention now that Henry was squinting at Wilson, and that you repeatedly asked to go to war with the loyal dog?
But Henry knew that now was not the time to bring up old grievances.
"The loyal dog's ship isn't as fast as ours, but the Black Goat is also a pure sailing ship. We can't escape against the wind, and with the wind, we'll quickly be overtaken by its four large sails."
Henry explained patiently and rapidly.
"By completely exposing your back to the Black Goat, wouldn't you become an easy target for their giant arrows?"
"So what are you planning to do?" Wall asked.
"Fight back," Henry replied calmly. "Only by fighting back."
Once a cheetah has its sights set on a deer, no matter how fast it runs, it cannot escape being preyed upon.
However, if one confronts the hunter head-on and uses the hard antlers to fight back, one can find a glimmer of hope on the road to death.
Henry preached:
"There are no giants or gods on the Black Goat. They simply possess a powerful weapon, but that weapon must be wielded by humans. And as long as our opponent is human, our counterattack will inevitably be effective!"
During his six years at the library, Henry almost never left the library.
However, he did broaden his horizons during that period.
He truly experienced the extraordinary aspects of this world: witchcraft, magic, alchemy, martial arts, and profound mysteries...
These elements, which are found in songs and stories, actually exist in reality!
And Henry was fortunate enough to come into contact with some of the furs.
Therefore, Henry knew that even if there were the most magical and powerful forces, their wielders must be mortals!
As a human being, one will die if killed.
"It's true that the giant arrow could severely damage the Soaring, but the jellyfish have discovered that the weapon attacking us is positioned on the Black Goat's deck, which is also within our arrow range! As long as we kill the operator, the Black Goat cannot harm us!"
Another giant arrow flew over everyone's heads and landed on the water on the other side of the Soaring Ship.
Henry made an emergency adjustment: "Right steer, thirty."
"Thirty degrees to the right!"
Then came the final mobilization:
"Take up your weapons, you bastards! We can't escape, and surrendering means certain death. We've killed many of them; they won't spare any of us. Fighting back is our only chance of survival!"
After the presentation, the deck fell silent.
Finally, Wall, who was sitting at the base of the foremast, jumped up:
"Damn it, we're already out of options, might as well fight to the death! Every one more we take is a victory!"
Others followed suit, standing up and gripping their bow handles tightly, shouting "Damn!"
The mobilization seemed to be working, so Henry could no longer give them time to think, lest the fighting spirit they had so painstakingly ignited be quickly extinguished by hesitation and indecision.
He loudly ordered:
"Nock the arrow! Draw the bow! Release!"
Seagulls unleashed another volley.
Henry had previously considered conserving arrows and energy, but now he couldn't care less about that...
"Nock the arrow! Draw the bow! Release!"
"Nock the arrow! Draw the bow! Release!"
Only by firing continuously and using firepower to suppress the enemy can we seize a fleeting opportunity to turn the tide in the face of defeat.
One of the pirates on board died after falling into the water, while Benson and four other pirates were making repairs in the cabin.
Henry himself had to focus on command and had no time to participate in the shooting.
Therefore, the number of arrows that can be fired in a volley has suddenly decreased to twelve.
However, the counterattack was still effective, and the Black Goat's frequency of launching giant arrows dropped significantly.
Henry understood that the battle had evolved from a one-sided free-for-all by the Seagulls into a protracted war in which both sides were wearing down each other's ammunition, stamina, and willpower.
Furthermore, the Soaring is at a greater disadvantage.
The Black Goat had plenty of crew, but the seagulls couldn't withstand many arrows.
Henry's precise command could reduce the chances of being hit, but it was impossible to completely avoid it.
Before the battle began, Henry had no idea that the situation would develop like this.
He had the trump card of the Stargazer's enchanted magic, but he didn't expect the Black Goat to have a trump card as well.
Ultimately, this time Henry was somewhat arrogant and careless.
But what exactly is the enemy's mysterious weapon? Six years ago, the Black Goat didn't even have such a thing.
Just then, Benson returned to the deck:
"Boss, the hole in the side panel has been mostly patched up."
"Very good, have those four join the volley fire immediately."
This increases the number of arrows in a single volley to sixteen, thus increasing the chances of hitting the enemy.
After Benson carried out his orders, he went to Henry's side:
"Boss, things seem to be going badly?"
Henry glanced at Benson and answered during a lull in the commands:
"But defeat is not inevitable."
Henry realized that this answer was somewhat self-deceptive.
"Boss, what's your strategy?"
Henry did not.
But saying it out loud would undoubtedly shake the morale of the troops.
He could only make excuses:
"Formulating a strategy requires effective and clear intelligence. If I could know what weapons the enemy has, I might be able to turn the tide of the battle instantly. Unfortunately, Jellyfish still hasn't given me an answer."
"I think I have some clue about this..."
Henry looked at Benson in surprise.
Could this deputy bring him some unexpected surprises?
"Say it!"
"The coastal nobles of the Kingdom of Giant Scripture all have their own warships, but the Duchy of the Holy Envoy doesn't even have nobles. Moreover, the canals dug by the duchy are essential routes for trade between the East and the West. Therefore, most pirates choose to operate on the other side of the Flameheart Sea."
At this point, Benson took a breath, and his tone became mysterious.
"Pirates have been roaming freely near the duchy for years. However, I have heard that the duchy, which does not have a strong navy, has recently found a way to deal with pirates. When I saw the Black Goat lurking in the west of the Flameheart Sea, I believed that the rumor was probably true."
"What method?" Henry asked hastily.
"A huge ballista platform was suddenly built in the fortress near the port of the principality, which can launch a counterattack against the pirates before they get close, and can even sink the pirate ships directly."
If the two arrows that hit the Soaring Glide had been in slightly more difficult positions, the Seagull would have sunk to the bottom of the sea by now.
Henry's eyes widened:
"You mean...?"
"Yes," Henry nodded, "the pirates of the Black Goat captured those crossbows and brought them aboard!"
Assuming this is all true, then everything makes sense.
The ports near the Principality of the Holy Envoy are no longer able to support easy plundering by pirates; on the contrary, they are at risk of being sunk.
The Black Goat, having captured the ballista, was no longer afraid of the kingdom's warships and thus came here...
So far, they are now engaged in a naval battle with the Flying Eagle south of Elbow Point, and using that powerful weapon to throw Henry into a panic!
Henry pondered for a moment, and when he looked up again, he came to a conclusion:
"The world of pirates has changed!"
In the past, long-range shooting could not determine the outcome of naval battles; only the sword-fighting and hand-to-hand combat at boarding gates could secure victory.
However, the advent of ballistae allowed ships to sink enemy vessels from a distance, rendering this tactic obsolete!
The battle between the Soaring and the Black Goat is no longer simply a contest between the weak and the strong.
Similarly, it is a contest between the pedantic and backward and the pioneers of the times!
Henry suddenly realized that the Seagull's defeat had worsened.
But now there is no turning back, and the flock of birds has no choice but to fight to the bitter end.
Moreover, Henry did not feel that he had no chance of winning.
The seagull's opponent is the goat, but Henry's opponent is still man!
His tactics may be outdated and gradually being phased out, but that doesn't mean they are ineffective.
Since the pirates on the Black Goat had to operate the crossbows amidst a hail of arrows, casualties were inevitable.
As long as the Flying Eagle can successfully reduce the enemy's combat power and find an opportunity to board, the flock of birds may well be able to devour the sheep!
Another giant arrow landed near the Soaring, and Henry planned to adjust the course immediately.
"Left……"
"boom!"
Just as Henry was about to speak, a loud bang followed.
At the same time, there was also a strong tremor.
This tremor was much stronger than the previous two.
Henry was bounced up from the floor and then crashed heavily to the ground.
Seemingly dazed from the fall, Henry experienced tinnitus. After a long while, he propped himself up with one hand and rubbed his ear with the other.
Henry then noticed that there was a large hole in the floor not far from him on the dashboard.
Looking down through the hole, he saw that the soft mattress in the captain's cabin, where he usually slept, had been completely pierced by the giant arrow!
If Henry were resting right now, the whole room would probably be splattered with red paint.
Even the most oblivious person should know what happened by now.
The Soaring was hit by the third giant arrow.
But Henry was puzzled, his brow furrowed.
Henry clearly remembered seeing another arrow sink into the water just before he was hit by that giant arrow.
Why was the time between the two crossbow bolts so short?
The pirates were thrown into chaos again, when Wilson suddenly shouted:
"Boss, Jellyfish said they pushed a second one of those things onto the stern of the Black Goat!"
Oh my god...
Henry was suddenly overcome with despair...
The Black Goat had more than one of those weapons that would strike fear into the hearts of pirates!
Henry got up, staggered a few steps, then leaned on the armrest and held his forehead.
He felt a sharp pain in his head and realized he couldn't continue like this.
If the octopus panics, the pirate ship will only be able to be sunk!
Henry forced himself to cheer up, and then encouraged the crowd in an impassioned tone:
"We can't withstand many more arrows. We must pull ourselves together and immediately suppress them with arrows so they can't use their weapons in order to survive."
Shoot an arrow! Shoot an arrow!
Henry could only think of this method: to keep shooting arrows.
Henry maneuvered the ship with greater finesse, making its course even more unpredictable.
In his mind, however, he was constantly thinking about how to break the deadlock.
Perhaps immediately boarding the ship would be a good strategy.
But how many victories did Henry's prepared bow and arrow achieve by then?
If you can get twenty heads, you'll definitely be considered to have achieved unparalleled success.
Even if there are only one hundred people on the Black Goat, there are still eighty pirates left.
The remaining members of the Aoxiang are only twenty-two in total.
The number of soldiers was four times that of the enemy, and the fighting spirit of Henry's men had long been worn down by those few giant arrows.
No matter how I think about it, there's no way to win...
"boom!"
Another loud bang and tremor interrupted Henry's thoughts.
Soaring was hit again!
Damn!
The simultaneous firing of two giant crossbows increases the hit rate by more than double!
Even though Henry's command was flawless and almost perfect, it was still difficult to avoid being hit!
If things continue like this, Henry's only fate will be to perish at sea with the seagulls.