Beginning with the Ubume Bird

Chapter 186: Chapter 23: Roaring Chaos on the Sea

“This…”

Lei San had not yet figured out how the objects had disappeared when the urgently whistling cannonballs came raining down in unison, flames swirling around the deck, the dazzling firelight and the sound of explosions piercing everyone’s ears. Just a moment ago, at least fifty cannonballs pelted down, ripping through the air with shrapnel and fire.

Explosive shells, throughout these South Seas’ pirates only the Treasure Ship King, the big boss, and the Five Flags Alliance had them, and even then, the inferior explosive shells they got from the Westerners didn’t have such a terrifying effect.

Gurgle gurgle~

In the pitch-black depths of the sea, large clusters of air bubbles rose from the profound darkness.

Of Lei San’s thirteen cargo ships, two were directly sunk, and the rest were on the verge of capsizing.

This fierce firepower stupefied Lei San, who was used to seeing great winds and waves,

“Mad, absolutely mad, to fire like this, this time we’re done for, whose idiot idea was this, wanting to perish together with us!”

While the fat man was flabbergasted, another volley of cannonballs came, not targeting Red Flag, not targeting Demon Thieves, but focusing solely on Lei San’s azure Celestial Horse Sail cargo ship, bombarding it mercilessly.

The violent shaking caused Lei San to fall with a splash onto the deck, his forehead grazed by a steel fragment, stars bursting before his eyes. He barely managed to roll over only to realize that at some point, a dead body had been hoisted up the mast.

The body was riddled like a sieve, the black suit and top hat soaked through with blood, the wet goatee beard dripping water. He appeared to be a Westerner.

Who is this, I haven’t taken this meat ticket?

Lei San was puzzled.

On board an East India Company ship.

Washington retracted his telescope, shrugged his shoulders, and casually tossed the telescope to Martin, feigning a couple of tears.

“I’m very sorry, old Martin. I’m a bit drunk, oh, I apologize for the harsh words I just said, about Lawrence’s daughter and all. I shouldn’t have spoken so irreverently of a warrier who fought valiantly against pirates and then sacrificed herself, it’s an insult to her memory. One should have compassion, oh I mean, who doesn’t have a beautiful daughter, and who would want to die at the hands of pirates, their daughter coveted by a businessman over twenty years her senior? No father would want that, you wouldn’t either, right? Hey, how old is your daughter again?”

Martin paid no mind to Washington’s incessant chatter. The burly old man’s face was iron blue.

“Fire the cannons! Fire, turn those stinking pirates and their nauseating, disorganized flags into ash!”

Dozens of Armstrong Guns aimed at the sea, their shells capable of reaching a maximum range of five hundred meters. The pirates on all three sides had just spotted the beast-like foreign ships on the sea, but not a single one could fire far enough, not even Li Yan’s Red Flag Gang.

“I must remind you, old Martin, we have only one ship, and if they choose to leave, we can’t possibly stop them all.”

Washington threw a dampener on things.

Martin’s eyes reddened with fury as he pointed at the azure Celestial Horse sails, “At least, none of these pirates will escape, not a single ship!”

No one noticed the several long-beaked black birds that had been perching on the mast, suddenly fly away from the large ship, diving towards the chaos of the massive fires.

…

The great spear punctured Ruan Anming’s chest, and the blood was quickly evaporated. Li Yan, holding the Tiger Head Great Spear, killed with a single strike.

Li Yan’s short sleeves turned to red ashes and flew away, yet his arms remained unharmed. His body was enveloped in a faint green light; occasional flames licked through the green glow onto Li Yan’s body without causing itch or pain.

Ever since the Gu Huo Bird obtained the first Nine Phoenix Enhancements, Li Yan had realized that things like lighters and cigarette butts couldn’t harm him at all if they touched his body. Of course, too big a fire wouldn’t do, like this time, if Lady Dan hadn’t been there, he would have been in serious trouble.

“I was careless…”

The raft was narrow, and with this move from Ruan Anming, there was nowhere Li Yan could have hidden as long as he was on the ship.

But before the flames drew near, had it not been for the greater strategy, Li Yan would have risked taking a couple of blows and pressed the attack to end Ruan Anming’s life sooner. With a little more caution, he wouldn’t have had to deal with this “Wind Drinking and Fire Bathing Spell.”

Long before the peak of the struggle between Xue Ba and Quanlang Dou, Li Yan, who had sent Sudu Birds out on patrol, had spotted the East India Company ship heading in his direction.

The proactive Li Yan immediately ordered his Gaoli ghosts to cut through the iron net to seize the contested treasures of the sea, fought over by the Demon Thieves and Yishi. At the same time, he instructed Cha Xiaodao to lead a group and infiltrate, to hang the dead body of the ghost Lawrence on Lei San’s ship amidst the chaos, leveraging one enemy to eliminate another.

He personally entered the fray, capturing the attention of people on both sides.

As he was thinking, Li Yan’s ears twitched.

The Devouring Blade spat flames, deflecting two solid iron shot that flew over; the sound of metal clanging lingered long after. Even with the solidity of the Tiger Head Great Spear, he still winced in pain.

“You damn fatso, trying to trick me?”

A trace of a cold smile appeared on Li Yan’s face, “Let’s see who tricks whom.”

A dark current surged on the water’s surface, which Li Yan gathered into the six coins. It was the Black Rider Ghost.

The sharks finally realized the Black Rider Ghost was not edible and let him float to the surface, where Li Yan recaptured him into the Copper Coin.

“Li Yan, it looks like you’ve run into some trouble.”

It was Lady Dan’s voice.

“Not too bad. I fooled the foreigners, got the stuff, and am making a clean getaway.”

“… I’m afraid it’s not that simple. I’ve sensed a lot of, um, remarkable things.”

“By the way, Lady Dan, I’ve always forgotten to ask — when you’re in the Copper Coin, do you know everything that happens around me clearly?”

Li Yan leapt off the burning raft, grabbed the rope pulled by the Red Flag pirates, and swung onto the broad ship of the Red Flag Gang.

“Occasionally…”

Lady Dan’s tone was playful.

“Occasionally?”

Pirates on the Demon Thief’s side watched in dismay as Li Yan swung out of the flames. They hurriedly aimed their bows and crossbows at him, only for a turquoise brilliance to block their shots. They couldn’t harm Li Yan at all.

“Yes, occasionally. Sometimes, what you say and do, I’m not entirely clear about.”

“And when are you more clear?”

“When your men in this world refer to you as someone who has a thing for married women.”

“… Those internet terms are not good. Don’t learn them.”

The Demon Thief gazed at the cyan light on Li Yan’s body and was stunned.

“Qing… Qingluan Skill?!”

“How does Tianbao have the Taiping Document?”

“I also saw him pull out a big spear, then easily make it disappear; that’s the Minor Universe Skill!”

“Quick, go back and tell the boss, the Red Flag Gang has stolen our Taiping Document!”@@novelbin@@

“There’s a mole!”

Li Yan stepped on the corner of the ship, agilely moving aboard; the sea water continuously receded behind him.

“Your travel companion has initiated a short-range conversation with you.”

“Accept.”

Cha Xiaodao and those Gaoli ghosts who got the treasure went to the sluice ship, which was closer and safer for them. However, Li Yan was delayed and ended up on the broad ship, still within the firing range of the East India Company’s mercenaries.