Chapter 380 - 282: Encountering Pirates and Killing Them Directly

A massive ship lay across the sea lane in the distance, flanked by three smaller escort ships.

The fleet moved slowly, completely blocking the sea route.

The sea may seem vast, but verified safe passages were actually quite scarce.

Sailing randomly not only made it easy to stray off course and get lost, but also to encounter all sorts of unknown dangers.

After all, though the sea's surface might appear calm, it concealed countless risks like underwater whirlpools, hidden reefs, and more.

So, upon spotting the fleet that had suddenly appeared ahead, Graham had no choice but to lower the sails and reduce speed.

Wu Liangchen stood at the bow, his voice low. "What's the situation?"

Graham's expression turned grim. "It's not clear yet, but a normal merchant convoy wouldn't be moving this slowly."

"So?" Wu Liangchen asked, looking back.

"I'm worried they're pirate ships!"

Graham voiced his greatest fear.

Plying the trade routes on the vast ocean was never a simple or easy job. The danger wasn't just the all-consuming sea, but also other people.

Especially in recent years, with the rise of the Folangji's maritime trade, the number of pirates lying in wait to plunder the sea lanes had also grown day by day.

Moreover, to trade with merchant ships from the overseas secret realms on this voyage, Wu Liangchen had brought along a large quantity of precious medicinal herbs and pills.

This cargo, combined with the profits Graham and his men had made on this trip, amounted to an immense fortune.

Thus, Graham dared not be the slightest bit careless. He immediately ordered the ship to remain on high alert while reducing speed, preparing to handle any sudden developments.

Wu Liangchen, on the other hand, wasn't too nervous.

He stared at the slowly moving fleet in the distance, silently calculating his odds of victory if he were to make a move.

Their merchant ship naturally had cannons, but the fleet ahead likely did as well. A firefight would surely put them at a disadvantage.

Therefore, the only solution was to board the enemy ships and take them down one by one.

The difficulty of boarding another vessel in these deep waters was immense—but that was for ordinary people.

'With my current strength,' Wu Liangchen thought, 'it would just be a bit of a hassle, that's all.'

After mapping out a rough strategy, Wu Liangchen's mind gradually settled.

Just then, the fleet ahead suddenly stopped. Immediately after, the three escort ships guarding the large vessel turned with extreme speed and charged toward them.

Graham jolted and immediately yelled, "Enemy attack! To your posts!"

The men with Graham were all old sailors with years of experience. Even facing a sudden attack, they showed no panic, busying themselves in an orderly fashion.

The cannons were already loaded. Their muzzles swung rapidly, aimed at the three escort ships, and fired.

BOOM!

A deafening roar was followed by billowing gunpowder smoke. One of the escort ships took a direct hit. A large hole was torn in its hull, and seawater rushed in, causing it to list.

The power of the new cannons brought a moment of silence to the battlefield. But immediately after, the other two escort ships charged toward the merchant vessel like madmen. As they did, the cannons on their decks slowly swiveled, aiming straight for the merchant ship.

"Full speed ahead! Ram them!" Graham roared, trying to smash a path to survival with the ship's reinforced bow.

He knew these pirates' tactics all too well.

The cannons on their ships weren't very powerful. This was because they were after plunder; if they sank the ship, their efforts would be for naught.

So, their usual strategy was to get close, harass with small-caliber cannons, and then use rope ladders to board for close-quarters combat.

Therefore, he absolutely could not let those ships get near.

The sails were hoisted high. Simultaneously, in the lower hold, the crude, heavy steam engine—which had such a high failure rate that it was rarely used during normal voyages and only activated in critical moments—roared to life at full power.

Amidst a great roaring sound, the merchant ship became like a waking beast, charging toward the enemy.

The bows of these merchant ships were specially modified, reinforced with thick iron plates and fitted with sharp spikes, all for the purpose of smashing through any obstacle.

Yet, faced with such a fearsome charge, the two escort ships showed no hesitation and continued their frantic rush.

Not only that, but the massive ship up ahead was also slowly turning, clearly intending to cut off all routes of escape.

Graham's heart sank. He knew he wasn't dealing with ordinary pirates this time, but true desperados. A sense of despair began to creep in.

'Are we all going to die in these waters?'

'Although Wu Liangchen's strength is astonishing,' Graham thought, 'this isn't land. It's the mysterious and perilous depths of the ocean. Wu Liangchen probably won't die, but as for the rest of us... our chances are slim.'

At this critical moment, a piercing whistle suddenly cut through the air. Immediately after, several black shadows shot toward the distant escort ships and the massive vessel at incredible speed.

THWIP! THWIP! A few pirates standing lookout at the bow were pierced straight through. The immense force of the projectiles even pinned them to the deck.

The power of these arrows stunned the pirates on all the ships.

"It's a master archer!"

"Open fire! Kill him!"

Amidst the shouts, the roar of firearms erupted in unison.

Aboard the large ship, a burly, bearded man was observing the battlefield through a spyglass.