Chapter 224: Ambush at Sea

“Everyone, start turning!” Under the lead of two Squad Leaders, two rows of sailors standing back-to-back swung the metal cranks in front of them with all their might.

After the “screech—screech—” sound of metal rubbing against metal, a Squad Leader picked up a tin can and used a flat brush to apply the grease inside to the bearings of the cranks.

After just a few turns, the screeching sound noticeably died down, and the wheel axle pulled by the crank turned much more smoothly. That Squad Leader resealed the tin can and rejoined the sweating crew.

What the Squad Leader had just applied to the rusted metal bearings was grease refined from the body of a whale, which could be considered the best lubricant in this world. Even in the world before the transmigration, because whale oil maintained its viscosity at high temperatures, it was always used as a lubricant for certain precision instruments. It was hard to find a substitute even in the 20th century.

Not long after, holes located one meter above the waterline on both sides of the hull began to drain water out tricklingly. At first, the flow was very small, but soon it became surging like a tide.

The expelled water was quite murky and carried a stench. Anyone with eyes could see it was filth from the bilge sewage channel. What the sailors had just turned was the chain pump on the ship.

This was a type of pump formed by stringing leather washers on a looped chain, which passed through a sealed pipe of appropriate size. The pulley driven by the crank would pull the looped chain, allowing the sewage originally in the bilge to be pumped up and then discharged through a drain pipe crossing the lower deck.

The decks inside the ship could not be completely sealed. Not only did the passageways constantly let seawater, rain, and sewage from washing the deck flow down, but sometimes water even seeped in between the wooden planks of the deck and the hull. If the water was not pumped out regularly, the lower hold would soon be flooded with sewage.

Of course, if the part below the warship’s waterline was breached by an enemy attack, these pumps would be a lifesaver at a critical moment. However, if seawater seeped in as fast as the pumping speed, the sailors would have to operate the pumps day and night to bail water until the carpenters patched the hole.

In the captain’s cabin directly above the stern, Captain Alexa Copsey was looking at a sea chart with his deputy. Even though it was a cramped and crowded sailing ship, the Captain possessed extremely spacious private quarters, with panels even separating the living cabin and the dining cabin.

“We have been waiting here for nearly a week! But we haven’t seen a single enemy we were waiting to ambush. Was the intelligence from the captives just nonsense, or did those fellows sniff something out and move to another location?” Purser George O’Brien said with some worry. As the second-in-command on the ship, he had the right to raise questions about the current battle plan.

“You don’t need to worry about the first point. That intelligence was verified by Divine Arts. Those Black Gloves in the shadows are real experts at this job; they wouldn’t dare claim credit from the Lord without a certain degree of confidence. As for the latter, finding a secret supply point at sea is not easy. As long as that desolate island in the distance is still there, those pirates have no reason to just give up. If we really end up with nothing, we can only blame our own bad luck.” Captain Alexa Copsey continued to write and draw on his sea chart without even raising his head.

The “True Silver Sword” was the new name of this former Carrack-type warship. Its displacement measured a full 600 tons. Under the control of skilled sailors, this baby could display a speed of up to 12 knots with a favorable wind and water. The thick and solid stern rudder made steering more agile, and the high freeboard and forecastle and aftcastle made boarding like attacking a city, especially the four torsion heavy crossbows, which were infamous instruments of war.

These four heavy crossbows were fixed on the forecastle and aftcastle of the warship. In previous offshore shooting training, these heavy crossbows launched giant arrows as thick as javelins or stone shots the size of grapefruits to hundreds of yards away. Although there were more powerful Ballistas, even the Teak spliced decks could not withstand the recoil of those big fellows. As for somewhat inferior Ballistas, quite a few were also equipped under the canvas.

In addition, for combat considerations, this ship had specially built forecastles and aftcastles, equipped with breastworks and loopholes convenient for fighting. The heavy cedar wooden walls plated with copper on the outside could also guarantee its own protective capability. Of course, with a construction cost of over ten thousand Gold Coins plus the modification costs after being captured by the Bolerum Territory, this was entirely a sea warfare machine built with money.

Unlike her sisters in The South, the sea conditions in the Northern Lands were more complex and severe under the capricious mood of the Deep Sea Queen. Therefore, this ship used the “Clinker” method unique to the North to overlap the hull planks, giving the surface a rough look. The South usually used the “Carvel” method where planks were joined flush, and the smooth surface looked relatively better—of course, some also said it reflected the superficiality and ostentation of those fellows.

As for why this warship, originally manufactured by the Southern Commercial Republics, used Northern manufacturing techniques, it was not for the sake of executing missions in the North, but because the hull planks overlapped with the “Clinker” method had greater strength and were more suitable for use on warships. The Commercial Republics, known for their pragmatism, were very flexible on this point. Moreover, judging just from the ship type, the Carrack type was not native to Northern shipbuilding.

Later, in the Bolerum Territory, the biggest modification it received was simply replacing the old rudder oars with a stern rudder plate. Then, in the lower hold, watertight compartments were partitioned using oak to enhance its resistance to sinking.

The young man in the watchtower was observing the surrounding sea surface with a telescope in his hand. He sat in the lookout barrel on the main mast, carefully using the tool in his hand. He knew the price of this thing; it might be worth several years of his salary.

Suddenly, he discovered a black spot faintly appearing on the horizon. As the distance closed, he noticed a flag flying on the mast belonging to the Decabuja Merchant Guild. That was right; this was the pirate ship in the intelligence, the possible secret lead they had been searching so hard for.

The youth quickly shouted the message down. Soon, it was relayed by the crew below to the captain’s cabin.

“Raise the flags! Prepare for battle!” Alexa Copsey excitedly gave the order, and his command was immediately faithfully executed. A black pirate flag was raised on the main mast to disguise their identity, while the signal flag for “Prepare for Battle” was raised on the foremast.

“Port side!”

“Port side, five points!”

“Whole ship attention, hard to port! Get to work, warriors!”

After the command was completed, the warship filled its sails and continued to head straight for its prey before its eyes.

“This ship looks just as crappy as ever; the pirates’ maintenance really isn’t great. The next part should be simple.” Alexa Copsey said to his deputy.

In his telescope, the condition of this ship was a bit miserable, with damage to the sails in multiple places—it seemed to have encountered a storm. Of course, this was a common situation among pirates; it had obviously just completed a big deal not long ago and was now heading to some secret stronghold for resupply and rest.

Facing the sudden enemy, it seemed to be attempting to turn left into the wind. It clearly knew it couldn’t escape even with the wind, but its turning speed was very slow and laborious.

“It looks like its canvas isn’t catching the wind well; turning suddenly is quite difficult when there’s insufficient power.” Purser George O’Brien rarely showed a smile.

After accelerating through the turn, the “True Silver Sword” continued to cut towards the bow of the large sailing ship. When the distance closed to an estimated 100 chains, the front officer Bernie Hamilton ordered: “All units prepare for battle, Ballistas ready to fire!”

The Ballistas on the open platform of the warship’s forecastle were already prepared, just waiting for someone to give the order.

“Fire!” With this command, four flames immediately flew towards the enemy ship. However, not only did all these Crossbow Bolts miss the target, but they were also scattered all over the place. Everyone on the bridge couldn’t help but shake their heads.

“It seems training alone is far from enough! Let’s try getting a bit closer!” Alexa Copsey issued the next command. At this moment, they could only engage in close-range shooting; after all, technical issues couldn’t be resolved immediately.

“Distance 20 chains, all ships fire!”

This time the accuracy was much better, and the large sailing ship was instantly shrouded in water columns. The enemy’s broadside was also hit by a few Crossbow Bolts. However, due to the slow turning and the long distance, even if the enemy ship had some long-range weapons, they could not fire, putting them in a situation where they were being beaten without being able to fight back.

“Attention, do not fire at the waterline! Aim at their sails and masts!” Alexa Copsey noticed that the trajectory of some projectiles was very low and hurriedly added. Sinking the enemy with these ordinary Ballistas was unrealistic, not to mention that the warship and the captives themselves were wealth.

The “True Silver Sword” continued sailing south, crossing the enemy’s bow. Water columns rose near the enemy from time to time, but the hits were hard to see clearly. Even through the telescope, the captains just muttered, “Lit up the left sail, that was a good hit.”

Not long after, the enemy’s already shabby sails became history.

“Good luck, this ship is crippled. It’ll be much easier from here on.” Captain Alexa Copsey rarely revealed a smile.

Purser George O’Brien, however, complained: “But towing it back to port after capturing it will probably be very troublesome!”

“Just tow it with ropes; slower is fine! Besides, we have spare sails!” In Captain Alexa Copsey’s words, the enemy was already a piece of fat meat in his mouth.

After cutting across the bow, the warship turned right, and the two ships sailed in opposite directions, continuing to fire. The broadsides faced each other, and the enemy’s Ballistas also began to counterattack. However, due to the range difference, this resistance seemed quite feeble!

“Continue firing! Marines prepare!” Alexa Copsey continued to issue orders to the signalman beside him.

Facing the arrows constantly flying over from the other side, Alexa Copsey stood his ground. At this distance, even if those pirates’ arrows reached right in front of him, they were too soft to pose any threat.

However, the pirates’ counterattack fully illustrated that they did not intend to surrender honestly. More importantly, the enemy not only had the determination to resist but also seemed to have some ability to resist.

“Continue approaching, stay safe.”

At this moment, a few more Crossbow Bolts appeared from the bow, which was the result of the pirates firing a salvo from the stern. Immediately afterwards, a loud “bang” came from the rear, and a giant Crossbow Bolt stuck into the wooden planks of the stern. The texture of this Northern Teak was extraordinary; even a large axe would find it hard to chop. After special treatment, it was as hard as steel. Ordinary Ballistas couldn’t penetrate it at all. However, Alexa Copsey knew very well that if this thing passed through the deck, killing a few sailors would be no problem.

“Distance 1 chain, load Grape Pots! All ships fire!” Alexa Copsey roared. “Crossbows, free fire!”

A large number of clay pots filled with stones began to wreak havoc on the pirate ship’s deck. Stone Shot swept across the top deck like a rainstorm. In the telescope, wood chips flew from the large sailing ship’s aft castle and upper deck, and occasionally a few corpses could be seen falling from the high stern castle into the sea.

The “True Silver Sword” slowed down and swept past the left side of the sailing ship, firing continuously along the way. The pirate ship was beaten with no power to fight back; its few Ballistas stopped firing one after another and then drifted dead on the water.

“Cease fire! Secure with cables and hooks, Marines prepare!” As Alexa Copsey issued the new command, grappling hooks flew out to further close the distance between the two ships.

“Prepare to board!” Just as Alexa Copsey was about to order the ships to close, a buzzing sound suddenly came from the deck of the opposing ship. Dozens of sharp arrows shot straight towards the bow, and immediately several of our sailors fell into the sea.

“Stubborn to the end, this doesn’t look like pirates at all!” Alexa Copsey spat viciously. “These bastards, seems they plan to resist to the death?”

Saying this, he ordered: “All throwing weapons, free fire! Marines, move.”

After another rain of projectiles, that pirate ship completely lay paralyzed on the sea surface, and the enemy’s long-range strike capability had to temporarily cease. The first wave of 30 Marines were all well-trained experts. They wore lightweight Paper Armor, with Scimitars and hand axes suited for naval warfare at their waists. As these Marines swung across on the cables, the sounds of slaughter rang out again.

The gap in strength between the two sides was displayed vividly. At this moment, the tragic state on the pirate ship’s deck was revealed to everyone’s eyes. The deck was scattered with various oak fragments: broken Ballistas, collapsed yards and spars, rigging, lifeboats, and spars.

Everything that had existed on the main deck had been swept by projectiles, beaten into flakes and strips. Blood covered the floor, scattered with incomplete corpses, a scene of a bloody and blurred Hell.

But the other side still persisted; perhaps they thought this was the only way to survive! Immediately afterwards, a dozen small glass balls suddenly flew from the opposing ship, smashing onto the main deck one after another, erupting with dazzling light. At the same time, the Marines skillfully closed their eyes, as if they had practiced this coordination a thousand times.

After a round of flash ball throwing, the second batch of Marines also landed on the main deck, roaring as they charged towards their selected targets.

“I… I surrender!” The first loser who couldn’t take the pressure dropped his weapon and curled up on the deck like a quail, begging for mercy. And soon, everyone else acted like quails just like him.

Looking at these trembling plague chickens, to be honest, this situation often made many adult males feel joy from the depths of their Souls. This feeling of holding the power of life and death was like strong liquor drunk in winter, thoroughly numbing one’s Soul and mind.

This feeling that the enemy’s fate now depended entirely on one’s own whims was like that of a Noble sitting on a high platform, using an extended thumb to arbitrarily decide the life and death of slaves.

“Bah, a bunch of spineless wimps, you were pretty ruthless just now! Now you all look like plague chickens…” Marine Captain Ib Randles cursed these scum while sheathing his long sword.

Seeing no intention to continue the attack, the losers breathed a sigh of relief.

“Hand over everything on you! If any bastard dares to hide anything, I will follow your pirate rules, chop off his legs and hang him on the stern to play ‘surfing’ with those greedy sharks. Do you understand, you bunch of ball-less trash?” Ib Randles cracked his knuckles, sweeping his disdainful gaze over these “submitters” as he spoke. “Of course, if any of you don’t want to hand it over, you just have to win against the Scimitar in my hand…”

This was not just about collecting Loot, but more importantly, confiscating their hidden tools of resistance. Of course, psychologically suppressing the enemy’s potential resistance emotions was also necessary.

They remained silent, contributing the wealth in their pockets like a group of timid hamsters. No one resisted, and no one objected. Immediately, wooden barrels filled with various miscellaneous items appeared on the deck.

The third wave of Marines immediately surged over via the ship ladders set up on the forecastle and aftcastle. According to the plan, they first controlled the aft castle to stand guard, and then controlled the deck and various hatches in batches. They searched each cabin one by one to prevent any fish from slipping through the net.

Subsequent sailors climbed to the top of the aft castle, quickly cleared the debris above, and lowered the stern sail. They secured the cables thrown from their own ship to connect the two ships more tightly.

After controlling the entire top platform, the Marines began to expand into the ship’s cabins below. According to the information at hand, usually in this type of sailing ship, the upper level of the stern cabin contained the quarters for senior crew like the First Mate and Helmsman. Below that, near the stern, was the Captain’s quarters. If there were distinguished passengers on board, they would also be housed in this area. At the same time, the ultimate target of this operation might very well be inside there.