freenovelworld Chapter 60 Battle of the South China Sea
Chapter 60 Battle of the South China Sea
The Black Goat was a recognized sea monster.
However, any wave can easily lift it up and then let it go.
The waves rose and fell incessantly, and the Black Goat swayed with them.
The crow's nest at the top of the mainmast was even more turbulent.
It's spacious and sturdy here, with a great view that extends to the distant sea.
The pirate flag overhead flapped wildly in the raging wind, yet Henry found a rare moment of peace there.
Standing here, he is no longer an octopus, but merely a jellyfish.
Without too many worries, there will naturally be less sorrow.
He heard climbing sounds; someone must be coming for him.
But it must not be an urgent matter, otherwise the megaphone should have made a sound first.
Henry glanced at him and saw it was Victor.
"It's windy, Mr. Henry," Victor said.
Henry nodded. "It's a bit cold too."
"I've always felt that the wind is a contradictory thing; sometimes it makes you tremble, and sometimes it brings sweltering heat."
Victor stood beside Henry, extending his hand over the railing to feel the swift sea breeze above the crow's nest.
"Especially the autumn wind, which brings a golden harvest when it blows over the wheat, but causes withering and decay when it sweeps through the forest."
Henry was born and raised at sea; he had never seen a wheat harvest or fallen leaves.
Therefore, he could not resonate with Viktor's words and thus chose to remain silent.
"Sir, we think you're like the wind."
Henry turned his head upon hearing this, puzzled, and asked:
"Am I like the wind?"
"Yes, just like the wind, it's contradictory."
Victor turned to Henry and nodded sincerely.
"You can fight enemy ships without fear, yet sometimes you are indecisive; you can be bold, meticulous, and ingenious in devising ingenious plans, yet sometimes you make very basic mistakes; you can always set clear goals, but sir, we have seen confusion in your eyes more than once."
Henry could not deny this; he could only reply:
"People are contradictory, Victor, and you are no exception. You still refuse to join the Black Goat, but you often give me wise advice, and you are more dedicated than my shrimp."
"That's because we willingly kneel at your feet, sir."
Viktor lowered his head and said,
"We have our own skills and are willing to earn a living through hard work. If we hadn't made some mistakes when we were young, we wouldn't be in the Burning Heart Islands making a living. To be honest, we look down on pirates, but you, sir, we firmly believe that you will become a great man."
Henry didn't know how Victor had come to this conclusion; perhaps it was just flattery, but Henry decided to be honest:
"Despite what you say, I'm sorry, Viktor, I still can't let you go for the time being. You've lived in the kingdom for most of your life and have a great deal of knowledge about land. I may need to carry out operations on land later, and at that time, I may need your advice."
"Is it about what you've been investigating lately?"
"That's right."
Henry nodded, then pointed north.
"Ha, what I said came true! The ship I sent out has returned!"
A two-masted light sailboat is rapidly approaching from a distance.
The two men went down to the deck and waited a moment before the Harpoon and Black Goat boarded each other, and a sailor swung onto the goat's back.
The sailor walked straight up to Henry, bowed, and said, "Sir!"
"You're back too late, Benson," Henry said.
"The Harpoon is far inferior to the Soaring, but the key issue is that it has encountered some trouble," Benson replied.
"Good job," Henry patted Benson on the shoulder, then asked eagerly, "How's the investigation I asked you to do going?"
"We have gathered some relevant intelligence."
As he spoke, Benson took out three pieces of paper and handed them to Henry.
Henry took them and read them carefully; they were three arrest warrants.
The first sign reads: A girl with orange-yellow hair stole from a chamber of commerce's vault.
The second wanted notice came from Kew Gardens, where two regular soldiers were murdered by two travelers, one of whom was a short man with orange-yellow hair.
What concerned Henry most was the third arrest warrant, which prominently featured the name "Natalie Lines".
Although Henry had guessed it long ago, it wasn't until now that he was certain that Natalie and Lady Aurée were indeed nobles!
Henry didn't care about Natalie's identity; he only cared about her safety.
If these three arrest warrants refer to the same person, then Natalie is certainly in danger.
Theft is one thing, but he's also involved in a murder case!
Moreover, the second arrest warrant indicates that Natalie appears to be accompanied by an adult man.
Who is that person? Why are they together? Will he hurt Natalie? What if he knew Natalie was a girl...?
The more Henry thought about it, the more anxious he became.
Unaware of his own actions, he began pacing back and forth on the deck.
"Boss?" Benson noticed Henry's unease and called out.
Henry snapped out of his daze upon hearing this, realizing he had been somewhat out of line, and took a deep breath.
Then he forced a smile: "Oh, it's nothing, well done, Benson, this intelligence is very important."
"What are your plans after this?"
How to do it?
Natalie is in a very dangerous situation now, and he must find her as soon as possible!
Henry understood, of course, that the chances of finding Natalie on his own were extremely slim.
Therefore, he had to mobilize as many subordinates as possible to assist him.
Henry said, "Get ashore immediately, then track down these arrest warrants."
Benson asked, puzzled:
"Boss, I've found it strange ever since you asked me to send people to inquire about 'the boy or girl with orange-yellow hair,' and now you're even trying to track down these wanted posters. Boss, will finding that person really help your goals?"
Goal? Henry suddenly remembered, right, he thought I was going to become king of the seas.
Henry himself was quite surprised that everything he had done along the way had displayed a regal air.
As a result, Benson came to believe in the promises Henry had made.
Now, Henry himself doesn't know how to end this mess, so he can only keep baking the pancake.
So Henry cleared his throat and said:
"That's right, finding that wanted criminal is an indispensable part of my plan."
"I see," Benson nodded. "But, boss, I still have to suggest you postpone this for a while."
"Hmm? Why?"
“Winter is coming soon, and we need to go back to the Burning Heart Isles to escape the cold,” Benson replied. “But more importantly, the situation near the Kingdom’s coastline is very bad right now.”
"What happened?"
"A large number of warships have been amassed over there," Benson replied, "almost blocking the entire coastline. Under these circumstances, landing will probably not be easy."
Henry persisted, "How did the Harpoon ship land?"
"We found a sea cliff, dodged countless treacherous reefs, and then waded and climbed ashore," Benson shrugged. "But this method is clearly not suitable for the massive Black Goat."
Upon hearing this, Henry realized that something was amiss:
"Warships do not gather without a reason."
"That's right, boss. I heard that their purpose in gathering is to deal with a pirate."
Henry asked, "Who?"
"Son of Joachim"
Henry took a deep breath upon hearing this, and at the same time, he roughly understood the current situation.
His fleet returned to the southern coast of the kingdom in May and proceeded in three separate groups.
However, the other two groups provoked the royal fleet and the fleet of Bone Marrow Port, respectively.
They were beaten so badly they could not fight back and could only flee in all directions, having no choice but to ask Henry for help.
By the time Henry arrived to provide support, it was already July.
The Black Goat truly lived up to its reputation as a naval overlord; when it joined the battle, the situation instantly reversed, with the offensive and defensive sides switching hands.
Moreover, the Black Goat also has a giant crossbow that is still in normal working order.
In response to Henry's counterattack, the pirate fleet sank four enemy ships, but managed to let one escape.
Henry anticipated that the nobles would not let the matter rest; however, the masts of the Sea Urchin and the Nine Scars were broken, rendering them unable to sail.
Therefore, they were unable to evacuate the battlefield in time.
Henry anticipated that the nobles would not give up easily, so he stayed by the two ships, collecting materials to repair them while robbing merchant ships to replenish his supplies.
Two months passed, but the nobles remained silent, which puzzled Henry.
It turns out that they were just making slow progress and were still gathering their forces.
Henry immediately pressed, "How many ships have they assembled now?"
"There should be twenty," Benson replied.
Twenty items, that's a considerable number.
However, Henry's fleet also consisted of six ships, led by the Black Goat, and they might not be without the ability to fight.
Just as Henry was thinking this, Benson spoke up:
"Boss, I know what you're thinking, and I've witnessed your naval command abilities. But like you said last year, there's no benefit to winning this battle. Now that the Sea Urchin and Nine Scars are basically repaired, avoiding battle is undoubtedly the best decision at the moment."
Henry had no doubt about this.
If Benson only brings back this piece of information, Henry will surely accept the advice without hesitation.
However, Benson also brought back three arrest warrants.
Natalie may be in danger, and Henry absolutely cannot turn a blind eye to it.
"No, Benson, we must go to war."
"But our combat strength is at a disadvantage," Benson said, frowning.
Henry countered, "Do the local ships fly the same flag?"
"No, there are at least seven or eight different ship ensigns."
"Then they're a combined fleet," Henry chuckled. "Since they can unite, Benson, we're not the only pirates around!"
"Boss, do you want to cooperate with other pirates?"
"Yes!"
Have you chosen your target?
Henry paced back and forth on the deck a few times, then suddenly stopped and stroked his thick beard:
"It's too difficult for ordinary pirates to gather together, and one or two ships don't help much in the battle. We need a strong partner, someone who can lead multiple ships!"
Benson suddenly realized, "You mean Riley and Raymond?"
"Exactly!" Henry nodded with a smile.
“But they won’t help you for no reason,” Benson said. “Besides, the bet from last time left a grudge between you.”
"Pirates won't help you out of friendship, but if there's profit to be made, they'll flock to you."
Benson frowned and retorted, "Boss, I don't see any benefit in this battle. The enemy ships are all warships; we won't be able to seize anything valuable."
Henry, however, placed his hand on Benson's shoulder:
"Don't just focus on what you can see in front of you; learn to observe and see what kind of scene lies behind the shadows."
"Beyond the shadows?"
"You just said that the assembled ships belong to multiple companies. If this were just a retaliatory action by a single noble, it would obviously be impossible to find so many helpers. I guess this counterattack must be led by the royal family and has mobilized most of the coastal nobles."
"But doesn't this further prove that we are at great risk if war breaks out?" Benson asked, puzzled.
"That's true, but what if we win? If the enemy's ships are lost in the naval battle, what will they rely on to defend their ports? The Kingdom of Judian is not the Duchy of the Holy Envoy; their ports don't have giant crossbows. At that time, our fleet will be able to drive straight in and clear the way!"
Upon hearing this, Benson's eyes widened in surprise:
"Boss, is this what you meant by 'behind the shadows'...?"
"That's right."
Henry nodded.
"Since the giant crossbow was invented, life hasn't been easy for pirates in the Flameheart Sea, and I imagine Riley and Raymond have faced similar challenges. This naval battle is undoubtedly an opportunity for them. If they help me defeat the King's combined fleet, then the kingdom's ports will be theirs to plunder. Their fleets can finally return laden with spoils after a long absence!"
Benson finally laughed:
"I understand, boss! This offer is indeed tempting; I think Raymond and Riley will definitely be interested!"
"Yes," Benson nodded, "without delay, I'll go write to those two 'pirate leaders' immediately!"
"Then send the Eel to deliver the message," Benson suggested, "it's the fastest of all the goat calves..."
……
Fifteen days later, bells rang out all over the ship.
"Clang!"
"Clang!"
"Clang!"
"Clang!"
The fourth tone indicates that enemy ships are attacking, and all crew members are ordered to prepare for combat.
Henry was also jolted awake by the sudden alarm and jumped up from his seat, rushing out of the captain's cabin in a panic.
He went up to the bridge and immediately saw a row of warships appearing from the north, heading towards them in perfect unison.
Henry shouted, "Benson, what's going on?"
"You sent him to deliver the message and negotiate, sir."
Henry turned his head, and it was Victor who spoke to him.
"Then you stay with me, Victor," Henry said.
Victor declined, saying, "I'm just an ordinary shipwright, not a pirate, and certainly not your first mate."
"I need someone to point out my mistakes and offer advice," Henry said. "This is war, Victor. If I lose, you die too. And most pirates are dim-witted. I don't trust anyone else. You have to help me."
Henry heard Victor's displeased sigh, but Victor still gave in:
"What do you want us to do?"
"To express opinions and answer questions."
With that, Henry gave the order:
"Hard to port!"
Miko responded:
"Full turn left!"
The kingdom's warships are adept at ramming attacks, so exposing their sides to enemy ships would be a very unwise move.
By the time the Black Goat charged toward the enemy fleet with its horns blazing, the distance between the two sides had closed considerably.
At this moment, Henry finally realized that the ship leading the local fleet was one he knew all too well.
It was a beige three-masted rowing ship with a dog-head statue on the bow.
Henry's eyes immediately filled with resentment.
you again!
Loyal dog!
You're really persistent!