Chapter 170 – 70 Gambling Table_2
Such a splendid example of battle is seldom seen even in military school textbooks. And the man who commanded this battle is now leading his fleet toward The Glorious. Does he intend to give the Vineta Fleet a chance?
As the Revenge Fleet was anxiously weighing anchor to set sail, the Tannilian Fleet to the northwest had already closed to within a kilometer of the Vineta Fleet, and at this time, the anchor of The Glorious had not yet been raised from the water. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ NoveI~Fire.net
The silhouettes of the Tannilian vessels were becoming increasingly clear, five imposing ships at the center, with smaller ones flanking them. Unlike the brightly lit Vineta Fleet, Drake’s ships did not have even a hint of light, and the twenty or so shadowy warships advanced in a crescent formation toward the Vineta Revenge Fleet.
Cage counted the Tannilian warships: “I count twenty-one. Five big ones, probably the ones we lost at Haidong Port, and the rest look like armed merchant ships.”
“We have more than forty ships, they only have twenty, if we can’t win this, the navy might as well disband,” Andre said disdainfully.
“It’s not that simple,” Cage shook his head. “The galleons are ashore for repairs, and the troop transports are useless now. It’s not forty against twenty, but ten against twenty-one. Our warships are of better quality, but the wind and environment are against us. If we can get alongside, we might stand a chance…”
Winters cut Cage off and pointed to the enemy’s ships, asking, “Why aren’t they lighting their lanterns?”
“To maintain concealment,” Cage answered.
“But obviously we have already spotted them!”
“This…” Cage was also puzzled; he looked at the approaching enemy fleet, and his expression suddenly changed: “No, no! Is there something in front of the big ships?”
Yells from Admiral Nalesho also came from the bow: “No time to weigh anchor now, cut the anchor cables! Signal all ships to cut their anchor cables! Let your men climb the masts and set all the sails!”
Winters also saw what the dark shadows in front of the Tannilian warships were:
They were small boats and skiffs, numerous small boats and skiffs.
From a distance, the shadows of these small boats overlapped with those of the big ships, and only as they drew closer could their true forms be seen.
The central large ships of the Tannilian fleet suddenly furled their sails, but the ships on both wings continued on, six on each side undeterred.
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“Sound the alarm gun to inform the port! Have the caravel sailing ships go over…” Admiral Nalesho’s tone was rushed, lacking his usual calm and steadiness.
On the sea surface to the northwest, a spark first appeared, followed by a blaze of light across the sea. These small boats, filled with pitch, firewood, and straw, and temporarily fitted with masts and sails, all caught fire at once; the pitch-dark sea turned blood-red from the flames, like hell itself.
The two wings of the Tannilian Fleet, the suddenly emerged six large ships, also burst into flames. The six blazing ships, laden with raging fire, along with the smaller arson vessels, formed a wall of fire on the ocean. Pushed by the strong winds and waves, they drifted toward the Vineta Fleet relentlessly and unmercifully.
The Tannilian warships lowered their topsails and followed the sea fire wall leisurely.
“The Tannilians are bloody [sailor’s curse] mad! [Curse] using their big ships as fire ships!” Cage cursed furiously, “The most precious thing at sea is the ship! The ship…”
The Glorious fired the alarm gun three times in succession, with the ships paying no attention to their sequence of movements and directions anymore.
There was no time to raise anchor; the anchor cables were cut directly. The sailors climbed the masts hurriedly, releasing all the sails, wishing to even tie their handkerchiefs to the yardarms.
The fire wall advanced menacingly; the three fast sailing ships stationed on the fleet’s outer edges didn’t avoid it. Instead, they set up red flags and moved aggressively towards it.
They headed for the wall’s right flank, with the sailors enduring the scorching heatwaves as they cast grappling hooks, originally meant for boarding operations, at the three large fire ships on the right flank.
After the grappling hooks latched onto the fire ships’ hulls, the three caravel sailing ships immediately adjusted their sails, trying to direct the fire ships toward the northern open sea to buy time for the fleet. The hooks, burning hot from the flames, made the ropes smoke and then burn. The sailors doused the ropes with seawater and cast more grappling hooks.
The Tannilians would not simply watch these few small ships disrupt their plan, and the bow guns of the Tannilian warships immediately opened fire on the small vessels.
Wood chips flew aboard the caravel sailing ships, and cannonballs gouged bloodied furrows through them. Nevertheless, the valiant Vineta sailors gritted their teeth and stubbornly dragged the three large fire ships off course.
Admiral Nalesho gripped the ship’s rail tightly, looking out to sea, his hands a network of bulging veins.
The three large fire ships on the right were being dragged away, but the other three on the left and the smaller boats in the center were still heading straight for the Vineta Fleet. The escort ships had exhausted all their strength, yet the massive and sluggish fleet remained within the fire ships’ path, with the distance shrinking to less than a hundred meters.
The Day of Judgment for the Vineta Revenge Fleet had arrived, and it was inevitable.
On the bow deck of the Tannilian Fleet’s central warship, Captain Frank Drake looked out at the distant and formidable Glorious.
He gazed at the bow of The Glorious, knowing that Nalesho had to be there.
“Mr. Nalesho, I’ve shown my hand; now it’s your turn,” Drake murmured to himself.