Chapter 572: Naval Guerrilla Battle
Boom!
Bang!
The spinning cannonball slammed hard into one side of the Wokou warship.
The wooden planks splintered violently and caved inward.
Faint screams from the Wokou pirates came from within, quickly silenced.
Matthew did not rush to board the warship. He directed Li to dismantle the cannon ports one by one.
At the same time, he calmly reminded the gathered adventurer captains:
"Never underestimate any opponent. Wokou pirates are inherently cruel and inhuman."
"Destroying their counterattack is only the first step to victory. They often fight to the death inside their warships, leveraging their familiarity to mount fierce defensive resistance."
"And that's not even the most dangerous part. Once they realize the battle is lost and the ship will be taken, they will not hesitate to go down with it."
In just a few sentences, the adventurer captains realized the ferocity and dreadfulness of the Wokou.
But not a single one backed down.
Anyone who could become a captain here was no simple character.
They had fought through all kinds of battles in Bay Territory.
They had slain trolls, orcs, drow, dragons, and many other dangerous foes.
Why would they fear Wokou pirates?
They waited silently—for the Lord to provide a solution.
That was Bay Territory's signature.
No matter how dangerous the task, Bay Territory would always offer at least two solutions and provide assistance.
New adventurers were usually disinterested in such help, thinking they could handle things on their own.
They often paid a heavy price!
The captains, however, eagerly awaited it, knowing a major maneuver was coming.
Matthew pointed into the air, projecting a magical image of the Wokou pirate ship.
The structure and various compartments of the ship appeared in vivid detail.
"They often store explosives in the bottom hold—enough to blow a fatal hole through the ship's base."
"If they sense defeat, they'll ignite it to perish together with their enemies."
"Stopping this threat isn't hard: strike first."
"Attack the bottom hold before they can ignite anything!"
As he spoke, Matthew displayed the bottom hold and plucked it from the image, highlighting the danger zone.
The adventurers looked puzzled. The idea was good—but how to do it?
As confusion spread, a commotion broke out on the Wokou warship.
They could faintly hear the panicked cries of Wokou pirates.
At that moment, Matthew decisively issued the attack command:
"Charge! Take them out!"
The previously slow-moving magic warship's sails suddenly swelled with wind, propelling it forward with immense force.
Before the Wokou could react, Ship 3 had already reached them.
From the deck, they could see broken corpses through the shattered hull.
Thick smoke filled the air, reinforcing the battlefield atmosphere.
Violent noise echoed from below—fierce fighting had broken out inside the hold.
Everyone quickly realized Matthew's plan.
The magic warship smoothly aligned alongside the Wokou vessel.
Matthew signaled the attack—prepared soldiers pulled their triggers.
Twenty to thirty heavy crossbow bolts launched in a whoosh.
They tore through the ship's side with astonishing force.
The ropes attached to the bolts formed a makeshift boarding path.
Ready adventurers climbed the ropes quickly.
Li didn't hesitate either. She grabbed a thick rope, swung her body, and climbed swiftly.
At the same time, she controlled the water below, sending up a splashing curtain of water.
The goal was to block the enemy's sight and provide some cover.
After climbing about twenty to thirty meters, she reached the deck of the Wokou warship.
Elite adventurers were already engaged, suppressing the Wokou charging from the hold.
Amid the deafening shouts, Li remembered Matthew's teachings, stayed alert, and didn't rush in.
She quickly scanned the deck to assess the situation.
Only about 30 Wokou pirates were resisting stubbornly at the hold's entrance.
The 20+ elite adventurers already held the upper hand.
But suspicious glances peeked from the upper cabin.
Li cautiously raised her shield and didn't move closer.
Matthew had taught her—if danger is sensed, don't approach alone. Preserve strength.
That's how to contribute more in future battles.
Heeding advice is survival.
Li stayed still at the ship's edge, waiting for more soldiers to board.
Just then, a volley of crossbow bolts flew over.
Sensing danger, Li jumped off the side without hesitation.
The bolts missed, whizzing overhead. Her heart pounded.
She had narrowly escaped death.
But Li's mental strength was solid. After a deep breath, she climbed up again.
This time, more Bay Territory soldiers were boarding.
First over the rail were the strong shieldbearers.
They slammed heavy steel shields onto the rail, forming a solid formation to advance under fire.
Li followed suit, hiding behind the shieldbearers.
She took her crossbow, aimed toward the source of danger, and fired blindly.
Whoosh!
Crack!
"Argh...!"
After a series of sounds...
"Nice..."
"Well done!"
"Keep going!"
"Let's go!"
Li heard her comrades cheer.
Her heart lifted—her shot had hit.
She reloaded smoothly and fired again by instinct.
Another hidden enemy fell.
The shieldbearers looked delighted.
Who wouldn't like a skilled crossbowwoman?
Ambient moisture and her extraordinary intuition made Li incredibly accurate—one shot, one kill.
Her deadly ranged support terrified the Wokou hiding in the upper cabin.
They dared not approach the windows or firing slots, allowing Bay Territory troops to push forward.
They fired blindly outside, hearing only the sound of bolts hitting metal.
Wooden shutters burst open—rows of shining shields pressed forward.
Every soldier raised a crossbow and fired at the exposed Wokou.
After a brief clash, the fight ended.
Li caught her breath, calmly surveying the Wokou corpses. As she recalled the smooth assault, awe filled her mind:
"They were stronger than me, but died without a fight."
"All because I had better comrades, better formations, better equipment..."
She understood—while individual strength helped, teamwork mattered more.
And this was exactly what Matthew wanted her to learn.
With her talent, Li would soon surpass her peers.
Without this early realization, such young prodigies could fall into blind pride in their power.
And at that point, correcting them would be costly—if even possible.
That's why Matthew always started even the most gifted from the basics and group tactics.
Early foundation—for better growth!
After clearing the enemies on the deck and in the cabin, the soldiers formed into assault formations and began charging into the hold.
They didn't engage room by room against stubborn Wokou pirates but went straight to the bottom deck to rendezvous with the team below.
Li glanced at the faint glow on the helmet above her, sweeping her vigilant gaze through the surrounding corridors, fully alert for any enemy signs.
The adventurer captains following behind began coordinating to clean up the remaining Wokou pirates.
With excellent perception, they easily located hidden enemies and eliminated them through coordinated attacks.
Despite the Wokou being relatively weak, they did not relax their guard, instead remembering every combat situation and ambush method used.
This was Bay Territory's demonstration—how to seize a Wokou pirate warship.
It wouldn't be long before they had to do it themselves.
Along the way, the short-statured Wokou pirates launched ambushes from all kinds of dark corners.
Their weaponry amazed the soldiers and adventurers alike.
Poisoned darts, toxic smoke traps, highly irritating gases, and razor-sharp long blades filled their arsenal.
These weapons caused only scattered injuries.
Bay Territory's antidotes and Vitality Potions quickly healed them.
Once they struck back, even the hidden areas were flooded with powerful enchanted crossbow bolts.
Even heavy armor couldn't stop the enchanted bolts, let alone wooden partitions.
The last resisting Wokou were purged, and incoming soldiers secured the area.
Only then were follow-up assault squads dispatched to provide deeper support.
The entire process was rapid and seamless.
It showcased the Bay Territory navy's outstanding discipline and combat readiness, even after conversion from ground forces.
The adventurer captains attacking alongside them thought they must undergo proper military training before entering real battle.
Li pulled the trigger, eliminating a Wokou pirate hidden in the shadows.
She crouched behind her teammate, expertly reloading her crossbow.
Seeing the piles of corpses, she noticed a group of modified warriors guarding the bottom hold, sensing their powerful aura, curiosity bloomed in her heart.
How did they get under the Wokou ship? How did they appear directly in the hold?
Judging from the corpses on the floor—
This five-person squad had killed over 50 Wokou pirates without suffering a single casualty.
Li's mind filled with even more questions.
She looked at the half-flooded hold, sealed shut with a large piece of magical metal, preventing further water seepage, and blinked in surprise.
Was it really over already?
"Follow-up assault squads, conduct second sweep."
"Check if any teammates are wounded..."
"Cleanse the corpses and seal them away."
"Quickly tally the spoils, then clean the battlefield. In 20 minutes, inspectors and repair crews will fix the damage to the ship..."
"Everyone else, return to the deck and prepare for the next assault."
"..."
Various orders echoed throughout the captured Wokou pirate ship.
Li had just returned to Ship 3 and barely rested when the newly captured pirate vessel was already seaworthy.
She mentally reviewed the battle to identify her shortcomings.
Ship 3 quickly sailed forward.
In about 15 minutes, they caught up with the other magic warships.
The second Wokou pirate ship had also stopped.
This time, Bay Territory's raiding team took less than 10 minutes to seize the ship.
Li pushed in even faster, reaching the bottom hold—but found it empty.
She realized how the modified warriors carried out their assault.
By storing all explosives in dimensional storage, they removed the explosion threat.
Of course, she knew that was only part of the equation.
How had the modified warriors entered?
How did they take down enemies so quickly?
With these questions in mind, Li concluded her first Wokou pirate hunt.