On the sea surface, the two fleets had already completely torn into each other.
Sauron finally witnessed the ferocity of the Rock Blade Pirates. To describe them as utterly fearless of death would be a gross understatement.
That savagery flowing in their blood was completely engraved in their genes.
The moment they heard the horn’s call, these people seemed to transform entirely, changing from Rock people into Rock Pirates.
Moreover, he now discovered the advantage of the Rock Pirates’ small ships. Moving on the sea surface, they were incomparably nimble, darting here and there. Under the control of these Rock Pirates, they moved like extensions of their own limbs, truly striking wherever they pointed.
And most terrifying of all, ordinary army soldiers charged wherever there were fewer enemies.
But the Rock Pirates completely charged wherever there were more enemies.
So it often happened that as soon as the Rock ships drew near, biting the enemy ships with steel teeth, several, or even just one or two Rock Pirates would madly climb and charge onto the enemy’s large ships.
Two or three people dared to charge against several dozen or a hundred.
This was truly not mere fearlessness of death, but rather rushing towards wherever death lay.
And according to Rock Pirate tradition, the first rule was to always pounce towards where the enemy was most numerous.
When death stood before them, they pounced upon it fiercely. Either they would bite death to death, or death would bite them to death.
Dying on the battlefield was regarded as supreme glory. After reincarnation, they would become even more powerful warriors.
Moreover, whether climbing warships or surging through waves, these people moved as if on flat ground.
So in a short time, the incomparably savage Rock Pirates had gained the absolute upper hand.
Of course, the Luanyang City fleet’s sailors also had enormous advantages, namely organisation, obedience, and crossbow fire.
Their sailors’ individual combat strength was not great, but even on ships, they formed battle arrays to engage, relying on collective strength to fight.
And the most lethal of all was their crossbows, which caused considerable damage to the Rock Pirates.
But seven thousand Rock Pirates against five thousand Luanyang City sailors was still a crushing victory.
In a short moment, the Luanyang City fleet’s formation was completely cut apart by the Queen’s Island fleet.
One Luanyang City sailor after another fell into the sea.
The Luanyang City fleet retreated step by step, one ship after another being captured.
…
“City Lord, flee quickly! Before we are completely surrounded, we will cover your retreat back to Luanyang City.” the naval commander roared loudly.
Tu Li Wen saw on the flagship that the ferocious Rock ships were like a wolf pack, tearing and biting, about to break through the defence line.
“Retreat…” Tu Li Wen gave the order.
Over a dozen ships guarded his flagship, using full speed to flee towards the northwest.
“Where did these Rock Pirates come from? Haven’t all the Rock Pirates gone to the Thunder Islands?” Luanyang City Lord Tu Li Wen roared.
“I don’t know.” the naval commander said.
It was now night, but the sea surface was a mass of fighting, flames shooting to the sky.
“Master, the enemy flagship is trying to escape.” a Rock female general said.
Yan Chuo’er looked towards Sauron and said, “Shall we pursue?”
Sauron said, “I am not skilled at battlefield command. Everything is for you to decide.”
Yan Chuo’er immediately ordered, “First, second, and third divisions, disengage from combat and pursue the enemy ships!”
Then, the Rock female general blew a special horn on the sea.
Quickly, the first, second, and third division fleets swiftly and orderly withdrew from combat, with Rock Pirates from behind immediately filling in.
In barely any time, these three divisions, totalling forty-five ships and three thousand Rock Pirates, completed their assembly and ferociously pursued City Lord Tu Li Wen’s fleeing flagship.
And the Queen’s Island fleet’s flagship also pursued relentlessly.
The remaining four thousand Rock Pirates, plus three thousand Rock people and over a hundred ships, continued fighting on the sea surface.
…
Although the Luanyang City fleet’s speed was already fast enough, it still could not match the Rock Pirates’ fleet.
These forty-five Rock Pirate small ships, nimble and swift, in barely an hour had completely caught up to City Lord Tu Li Wen’s fleeing fleet.
Moreover, the Rock Pirates were not in a hurry to fight, but dispersed, forming a semicircle, gradually surrounding and closing in!
In this process, the Rock Pirate fleet also moved like a well-trained wolf pack.
An hour later, forty-five Rock Pirate warships had completely surrounded the dozen or so fleeing warships of City Lord Tu Li Wen.
Luanyang City Lord Tu Li Wen stood at the ship’s bow and said, “May I ask which island lord of the Rock Islands this is? I have no enmity with your island, and even have considerable business dealings. Why must you exterminate us?”
At this moment, nearly four hours had passed since the naval battle began, and the sky had already brightened.
And the other naval battle had already ended. Apart from these dozen or so fleeing ships, the remaining Luanyang City fleet had been completely annihilated.
Sauron walked to the ship’s bow, appearing within Tu Li Wen and Tu Lingchen’s field of vision.
Instantly, Tu Lingchen’s face changed in terror, and he exclaimed in shock, “Sauron, you… weren’t you already dead? Weren’t you already killed by Yan Mo?”
Sauron said, “I was thrown into the abyss by Yan Mo, but that does not mean I am dead.”
Tu Lingchen ground his teeth. Even this hadn’t killed him. Sauron’s life was truly extraordinarily hard.
Sauron said, “Tu Ling heir, I never expected that with this net cast, I would also catch you, a fish. What a pleasant surprise. By the way, what happened to your hand?”
Tu Lingchen looked at the surrounding sea surface. Over a dozen Luanyang City ships were completely surrounded.
Not only that, but the Queen’s Island fleet that had finished fighting there was also gradually arriving.
This battle, they had already completely lost, with no room to turn the tables.
He was truly unwilling. Sauron was clearly dead, yet had returned alive.
They had led five thousand sailors to search for the magic mirror secret island, originally already infinitely close to success, yet had run into Sauron’s Queen’s Island fleet.
Could this Sauron truly be heaven’s illegitimate son?
However, this was merely an accidental defeat. He still happened to hold a trump card in his hand.
“Sauron, take a good look. Who is this?” Tu Lingchen sneered.
Then, several female warriors pushed out an unconscious woman, her entire body bound. It was Yan Nai’er.
Seeing this, Sauron’s heart was instantly struck with terror.
Nai’er, how could she be here? Why was she unconscious?
Tu Lingchen placed his sword across Nai’er’s neck and said, “With a single slash of my sword, Yan Nai’er will perish.”
As he said this, Tu Lingchen’s emotions were incomparably complex, and incomparably hateful.
A year ago, he would never have believed he would come to this point, placing a sword across the neck of the woman he loved.
Jealousy was like a venomous snake. Once conceived in the heart, it would continuously devour the light within.
Tu Lingchen said, “Not only is there Yan Nai’er, but also a whole ship of hostages.”
Then, Sauron saw behind Tu Li Wen’s flagship, there was also a cargo ship with several dozen sailors, plus Ye Jingyu.
When Tu Li Wen fled, he had not forgotten to bring these captives.
At this moment, several hundred crossbows were all aimed at Ye Jingyu and the several dozen sailors.
If on land, there would still be room to escape. But on the sea, surrounded like this, it would be difficult to escape with their lives.
Sauron closed his eyes, allowing his mind to settle.
Nai’er must not come to harm. He owed her far, far too much. She must not come to harm.
Opening his eyes once more, Sauron had regained his calm.
“Where is City Lord Tu Li Wen?” Sauron asked.
Tu Li Wen performed a salute towards Sauron.
Sauron said, “Release my fiancee, as well as my supply ship and everyone aboard it. In exchange, I will let everyone on this flagship go.”
Tu Lingchen said, “No, what you must release is not merely one flagship, but all ships of Luanyang City, all sailors. And Yan Nai’er must remain as a hostage, protecting us until we reach Luanyang City, after which we will release her.”
Sauron ignored Tu Lingchen, only looking at Tu Li Wen and saying, “Count Tu Li Wen, we are both century-old nobles of the kingdom. We should very well understand the weight of captives on both sides. You should know that in this exchange, your side gains enormous advantage.”
There were several hundred people on Tu Li Wen’s flagship, while he held only several dozen captives from Tianshui City in his hands.
Tu Li Wen held only one important hostage, Yan Nai’er, plus one Ye Jingyu.
While he, a city lord, plus an heir of the Tu Ling family, was surrounded.
The weight of both sides was obvious.
Sauron continued, “I love my fiancee, so I am willing to pay a greater price for her. Even I cannot bear to haggle over her. You either agree to this condition, or die!”
Count Tu Li Wen nodded and said, “Very well, I agree!”
Sauron said, “You immediately release my fiancee and the other hostages. I will let this flagship of yours leave.”
Yan Chuo’er said softly from the side, “Sauron, we Rock Pirates value a promise as worth a thousand gold. If you agree to release them, you truly must release them, or you will lose the hearts of the Rock Pirates.”
“Yes, Aunt.” Sauron said.
Count Tu Li Wen thought for a moment, then nodded and said, “Very well.”
Then, he gave the order, “Release them!”
Tu Lingchen’s face changed, and he spoke out to stop him, saying, “City Lord Tu Li Wen, this Sauron is incomparably cunning and cannot be trusted. We must bring Yan Nai’er back to Luanyang City to be safe.”
Tu Li Wen said coldly, “This is my flagship. What I say goes.”
Then, Count Tu Li Wen released the unconscious Yan Nai’er, handing her over to Ye Jingyu on the Sauron supply ship.
Sauron raised his hand and said, “Make way!”
Instantly, the Queen’s Island fleet’s encirclement opened a gap, allowing Tu Li Wen’s flagship to leave.
After Tu Li Wen’s flagship had left several hundred metres, he shouted loudly, “City Lord Sauron, these ships of mine are temporarily yours. Do not harm the Luanyang City sailors on the ships, and do not let them participate in the great decisive battle in over twenty days.”
“Very well.” Sauron said.
Tu Li Wen said to the captured Luanyang City sailors, “Wait for me. In one month, I will come to take you home.”
“Yes!” all the Luanyang City sailors roared loudly.
Yan Chuo’er (the Queen) watched Tu Li Wen’s retreating figure and said to Sauron, “This is a remarkable man.”
Sauron nodded. This City Lord Tu Li Wen was actually somewhat similar to Count Sauron, rigid and unyielding, adhering to certain noble codes.
But originally, he who had been neither close nor distant from Bian Capital, could now not avoid being drawn into the succession struggle between Bian Yan and Bian Li.
City Lord Tu Li Wen’s flagship continued north, sailing tens of thousands of metres away until completely out of sight.
The over one thousand surrounded Luanyang City sailors laid down all their weapons, crouching on the ships to surrender.
Thus, apart from his flagship, City Lord Tu Li Wen’s five thousand sailors disguised as pirates were nearly completely annihilated.
Tu Lingchen had been watching Sauron’s Queen’s Island fleet the entire time, feeling waves of throbbing pain from his severed arm, his face twitching.
“Twenty-five days, at most twenty-five days. Tens of thousands of sailors, over a hundred thousand troops, will certainly exterminate the Sauron family to the last person, leaving not a single person, blade of grass, or tree in Tianshui City!”
City Lord Tu Li Wen’s eyes also slightly contracted.
Sauron had ultimately not died. The true victory or defeat would ultimately be revealed in the great decisive battle in over twenty days.
…
Sauron carried Nai’er back to the Queen’s Island fleet’s flagship, undoing her clothes to discover bloodstains, but her wounds had completely vanished.
It was still that terrifying and evil energy, instantly restoring all her injuries, but indeed at the cost of overdrafting her life.
Sauron held her hand, his heart twisting in agony.
“Demon Star, Nai’er’s evil energy within her body can immunise against any poison, can it not? Why has she still not awakened?” Sauron asked.
The Demon Star said, “Master, she is not poisoned. What City Lord Tu Li Wen gave her to drink was poppy wine, to make her sleep deeply and relieve the pain of her wounds.”
So that was it!
Thus, Sauron kept holding her hand, sitting by the bedside.
And the Queen’s Island fleet continued sailing towards Tianshui City.
Nai’er slept in a daze until the next day before finally opening her beautiful eyes and awakening.
Upon seeing Sauron, her eyes first reddened, then large teardrops slid down.
Sauron extended his tongue, lightly licking away her falling tears.
“Sweet…” Then, he said frivolously.
Nai’er let out a sob, her jade arms wrapping around Sauron’s neck, her soft red lips directly kissing him.
The moment she kissed Sauron, she thrust out her pink tongue to entwine with his, incomparably passionate, incomparably infatuated.
Nai’er had never been so proactive before!
They kissed until nearly breathless, then Nai’er grabbed Sauron’s hand and thrust it inside her clothes, saying in a trembling, fiery voice, “Husband, take me, take me!”