RNP Chapter 64 A Net of Heaven and Earth
Chapter 64 A Net of Heaven and Earth
It is said that cats have nine lives.
If that ship had been named One Scar instead of Nine Scars, perhaps it could have successfully broken through the encirclement along with the Black Goat.
After losing the Nine Scars, the fleet now consists of only four ships.
The other three ships are the Harpoon, the Sea Urchin, and the White Mist.
A few days ago, the octopus from the three ships came to the deck of the Black Goat and complained to Henry.
Their ship was almost out of food and fresh water, and they asked Henry to lead them back to land or lend them food.
Henry dealt with them with three boxes of peas and three barrels of beer, but the situation on the Black Goat was not much better.
Although the ship was stocked with plenty of food and drink, the number of lambs on the sheep's backs was equally large.
In less than half a month, the resources on the Black Goat will also run out.
The entire pirate crew was now at its wits' end.
Therefore, Henry must make a decision as soon as possible.
Since the breakout, Henry has continuously sent out small boats to gather intelligence on the Allied Fleet.
The coalition warships were constantly circling the sea, seemingly also searching for the Black Goat's location.
They have blockaded the coastline and are gradually tightening the encirclement; any move Henry makes will inevitably be detected by the warships.
Based on the clues gathered so far, the enemy has at least eighty ships.
This number is four times what Henry initially knew.
It wasn't until he was surrounded south of Elbow Point that Henry realized it was a trap set by the loyal dog.
This person deliberately used false information to lull Henry into a false sense of security, so that when Henry lowered his guard, he could deliver the most devastating blow.
Indeed, Henry had reached the edge of a precipice with no way to retreat.
If Henry had known that the Allied forces had so many ships, he would never have chosen to go to war.
All I can say is that the loyal dog was too cunning.
Despite possessing overwhelming strength, they still spared no effort in devising ingenious strategies, leaving the enemy no room to struggle.
Even if Henry had ten times the courage, he wouldn't dare to try to fight eighty warships with only four ships.
Despite his burning desire to return to the mainland and find Natalie, Henry had to put his obsession aside for the time being.
If landing on the coast of the kingdom was out of the question, then he was left with only one option.
China Eastern Airlines, returning to the Zhuoxin Islands.
While this option is much less risky than landing on the kingdom's coast, it certainly cannot be described as safe.
However, once they return to the Burning Heart Islands, there is still room for maneuver.
Benson, aboard the Eel, sought help from two other pirate leaders on Henry's orders.
If Henry can join them, they will have nearly thirty ships.
In this way, they might be able to put up a fight against a combined fleet of eighty ships.
The prerequisite is that Benson can convince Raymond and Riley.
Moreover, they did not encounter any patrol ships of the combined fleet on their way there, otherwise they would have been wiped out instantly.
Without a behemoth like the Black Goat to act as the spearhead, an ordinary fleet would find it difficult to break through the encirclement.
Even if the two armies were to join forces, Henry probably wouldn't dare to start a war rashly.
He had already suffered a loss once due to misjudging the strength of his troops, and he was absolutely unwilling to fall into the same trap twice.
Eighty ships?
If the loyal dog had shown Henry this number, then Henry felt that the actual number should be increased by at least half.
If the enemy fleet consists of 120 ships, then even if all the pirates on the Flameheart Sea were to unite, they would still not gain any advantage.
Therefore, returning to the Scorching Heart Islands for further consideration is undoubtedly the wisest decision under the current circumstances.
But what about Natalie if we do that?
Henry could only close his eyes.
Please bless Natalie. Henry prays to the Lord, the Sea God, and the stars, and I am willing to give up the Black Goat and even the entire pirate crew!
Henry stepped out of the captain's cabin and onto the brand-new deck.
On a rare sunny autumn day, many pirates leaned lazily against the masts and fenders, basking in the sun while discussing vulgar topics.
Shrimp only need to know how to plunder, but an octopus has many things to consider.
Henry walked up to the bridge, where Micoe was leaning against the shadow of the helm, dozing off without any warning.
Miko is a competent helmsman; unless the weather is too extreme, he will choose to rest by the wheel.
So that when the ship needs to be driven, he can immediately grasp the helm.
Henry didn't disturb Mico. Sufficient sleep is essential for a top helmsman, and Henry needed Mico to be in good condition.
Henry stood at the stern, looking in three directions.
The Harpoon, the Sea Urchin, and the White Mist are currently anchored in the distance.
He deliberately had the ships moored separately to reduce the chances of them being discovered by the Allied forces.
The current distance is just enough for the jellyfish on each ship to communicate using flag signals from the crow's nest.
"master."
Suddenly, a voice called out.
Henry didn't turn around; he knew who was speaking to him.
On the entire ship, there was only one person who would call him that.
"We have taken inventory of the supplies on the ship as you instructed."
"How is the situation?"
"The food and drinks, under strict planning and control, should last for about twenty days, provided that you stop feeding them to other octopuses."
"It's wartime now, Victor. We need to fight for every resource, so I can't easily abandon them."
"But that means you won't have much time left."
Indeed, Henry was just as anxious.
Victor asked, "Sir, what are your plans for leading everyone?"
"I plan to return to the Heart of Flame, Victor."
As Henry spoke, he let out a deep sigh.
"A wise decision, sir. In that case, there's no time to lose! We're a long way from the Scorching Heart Islands. When do you plan to set off?"
"We'll set off once all the small boats have returned."
"Regarding this, sir, I have a concern that I've been wanting to tell you."
Henry frowned upon hearing this.
Victor was forcibly taken aboard by Henry, and his only goal was to return safely to the Burning Heart Islands.
This man was thoughtful and meticulous, so Henry was willing to listen patiently to his ideas.
Victor's concerns likely threatened the Black Goat's return, so Henry had to be cautious.
"explain."
"Now, all four warships in the fleet are sending out small boats to gather intelligence on the Allied forces, as you requested. If they gather any intelligence, the octopus on board will come to report to you in person."
Henry nodded: "That's what I instructed."
"Our hiding place is quite remote, and it takes a lot of time for the small boat to travel back and forth. We usually set off in the morning and don't get back to the boat until nightfall."
"This is a forced move," Henry explained, "We absolutely cannot be discovered!"
Victor frowned:
"I completely understand, sir, but you don't know this. Observing the departure and return of those small boats every day is one of the few pleasures I can find on deck... However, last night, until I went to sleep, I didn't see any of the White Mist's small boats return, and this morning, that ship didn't send out any more small boats."
Only then did Henry understand what Victor meant:
"You mean, there's a small boat that's been out of contact for a whole day?"
"Very likely," Victor nodded.
"Why didn't the octopus from the White Mist ship report to me?"
"You only need to ask them to tell you the important information they have gathered."
Henry was speechless for a long time before finally speaking again:
"Is he an idiot? He's so inflexible!"
Victor shrugged and said, "We've been making a living in the Burning Heart Isles for years, and as far as I know, there are very few wise men among pirates."
Henry wasn't in the mood for teasing; his mind was racing.
There was no place for pirates on land, so they dared not easily break off contact.
Therefore, there are only two possibilities: either the ship has encountered a shipwreck or it has been captured by the combined fleet.
If it's the former, that's fine, but if it's the latter...
The odds are even, but Henry, with no way out, dares not gamble right now.
He immediately ordered, "Victor, have Jellyfish notify the other three ships to move closer to the Black Goat."
After Viktor nodded, he immediately took action.
A moment later, Victor returned to Henry's side:
"Sir, it's done."
Henry nodded: "We must set off immediately."
"Hmm? Aren't we waiting for those small boats and crew?"
"I can't wait."
Henry's expression showed no hesitation whatsoever.
"The combined fleet's location may already be known, and the enemy is likely on their way. Compared to total annihilation, the loss of a few small boats and shrimps is negligible!"
After saying this, Henry woke up Micoe.
After the three longships approached, Henry gave the order to set sail.
The four ships formed a diamond formation and headed east.
The Black Goat was positioned at the very front of the formation, breaking through the water for the team.
The White Mist and the Sea Urchin followed closely behind, while the slowest ship, the Harpoon, was at the very back of the line.
Henry went to the bow of the ship and looked ahead.
The sea was desolate and vast, curving into a slight arc at its end.
Only by zooming in can you see the waves crashing and splashing.
Looking down, the black goat obscured a large area of the sea, making the water appear dark and deep.
Then Henry noticed the black ram sculpture at the bow and guessed that such an exquisite design must have been the work of a master craftsman.
The sheep's shoulder and back muscles are beautifully sculpted, its face conveys anger, and its horns are exquisitely crafted, but...
However, there is a gap in the upper right corner.
That gap was shot out by the loyal dog with an arrow.
Henry still feels lingering fear when he recalls the events of that day; the loyal dog was a formidable adversary.
The despair lies in the fact that in this naval battle, he needs to guard against far more than just his loyal dogs!
It wasn't until Victor came up behind Henry that Henry snapped out of his daze.
"Sir, has China Eastern Airlines' route been carefully considered?"
Henry shook his head: "The situation was urgent, it was a spur-of-the-moment decision."
"That might not be appropriate."
Victor frowned and reminded him,
"You should know that we are south of the elbow angle, heading west to break through. Therefore, the enemy will definitely set up roadblocks and ambushes on the east side. This journey is likely to be extremely dangerous!"
"Danger has been lurking around us for a while now, Viktor,"
Henry lowered his eyes and gently shook his head.
"But goats are truly tenacious creatures that thrive on cliffs!"
"Recklessness is absolutely unacceptable!"
"That's true, then we must prepare for war."
As he spoke, Henry looked solemnly at Victor.
"What is the current state of the ship's weaponry?"
"There are plenty of weapons, but no armor."
"Pirates are not good at cumbersome combat, their armor is useless, and what about their arrows?"
"Each person will receive approximately eighty arrows."
That's about eight thousand arrows in total, Henry calculated. It wasn't a lot. Back when the Flying Sail only had twenty-three people, Henry had already stockpiled more than five thousand arrows.
Viktor continued his report:
"And the giant crossbow only has fifty-four rounds left."
"Well……"
Henry couldn't help but murmur aloud.
This is the worst news.
Although the giant crossbow is a super weapon that strikes fear into the hearts of any ship, sinking an enemy ship with a single shot is extremely difficult.
Assuming the enemy captain or helmsman is experienced, it would take at least five shots to render the enemy warship combat ineffective.
In this way, these giant arrows could only exchange for eleven of the enemy's ships.
However, the combined fleet was so large that only closing the gap of a dozen or so ships was far from enough to reverse the decline.
Therefore, the deterrent effect of the giant crossbow far outweighs its combat value. Henry must carefully consider the timing of its use so that it can have an unexpected effect at crucial moments.
But even in the most difficult circumstances, carrying the entire burden on one's own shoulders is a fundamental quality of an octopus.
He said to Viktor:
"Well then, Victor, let's give the giant crossbow a maintenance check, so it won't break down at a crucial moment."
Victor bowed deeply and immediately carried out the order.
The sky grew increasingly overcast, and turning around, one could see the orange-yellow sunset, half of which had already sunk below the horizon.
He thought of Natalie's long, orange-yellow hair. How wonderful it would be if, upon turning around, he saw Natalie...
Suddenly, he realized that something seemed off about the scene before him.
He hurried to the stern and squinted at it.
"Oh my god..."
He saw a shadow seemingly drawn out within the brightly colored sun.
He hurriedly ordered, "Let the jellyfish check if anything is following us!"
A moment later, he heard the report:
"Boss, it's a fleet of longships!"
That's definitely a warship! Henry concluded immediately.
Since the enemy was chasing from behind rather than blocking from the front, it means that Henry's initial judgment was correct!
The reason why the small boats sent out by the White Mist went missing was because they were captured by the combined fleet, and the pirate group's hiding place had been exposed!
If Henry hadn't decisively ordered the ship to sail, but instead stayed put and waited for the smaller boats to return, the pirate crew's lifeline would probably be in the enemy's hands by now!
Henry observed the wind direction—southwest.
Damn it! And the wind direction is even worse!
The speed advantage of the sailboat could not be utilized.
In these wind conditions, they will be overtaken sooner or later by those rowing warships!
"Victor, find out the number of enemy ships, including the jellyfish-themed ones, and have him tell the other three ships to prepare for battle!"
Viktor nodded and proceeded, and upon returning, immediately reported back:
"Sir, I've found out."
"How many?"
Around twenty-five.
Henry took a deep breath.
Twenty-five ships were by no means the main force of the Allied forces.
This suggests that this might just be a vanguard fleet.
Alternatively, the remaining ships could be dispatched to other sea areas so that...
A brilliant military tactic!