Hearing Hai Gang’s righteous and forceful reply, Princess Zhi Yan nodded and said, “Very well. Then after you have destroyed Sauron, how will you resist the Rock Demon?”
Hai Gang sneered coldly. “Your Highness the Princess, the Rock Demon and I share a deep father-in-law and son-in-law bond. Without conflict, where would there be resistance?”
Princess Zhi Yan said, “Lord Hai Gang, I heard that after your Hai clan separated from the Rock clan, it took over one hundred years to build the foundation you have today?”
Hai Gang said, “Yes. However, my family’s history of blood and tears need not trouble Your Highness to recount. You need not waste your breath either. Sauron’s fate today is entirely the consequence of his acting against the way of heaven.”
Then, Hai Gang could not help but say, “Your Highness the Princess, do you still remember the words I once said to Sauron?”
Zhi Yan said, “You said that sooner or later, Sauron would die because of that personality of his.”
“Correct.” Hai Gang said, “I did not expect those words to come true so soon. People always grow through constant compromise, often retreating two steps to advance three. Someone like Sauron who charges about recklessly, completely looking down upon all under heaven, would sooner or later be torn to pieces. I did not expect this day to arrive so quickly.”
Princess Zhi Yan said, “Then Lord Hai Gang has come to deliver the finishing blow?”
“No.” Hai Gang said, “I am responding to Prince Zhi Li’s call, coming to punish Sauron and carry out heaven’s way on his behalf.”
Princess Zhi Yan said, “The division of power in this world has been stable and solidified for many years now, so it has been a long time since a true hero has risen. Lord Hai Gang, do you know that previously, in mine and Sauron’s understanding, we felt that two great men had risen in these past decades? One was the lord of Rouan City, Ashi Mo, and the other is you, Hai Gang.”
A look of satisfaction appeared in Hai Gang’s eyes. “The past is past. There is no need to speak more of bygone times. Moreover, Princess Zhi Yan truly need not waste your breath further. Even if you cast aside your princess’s dignity to flatter me, or do even more explicit things to please me, it is useless. Do not think you can change my position to support Sauron. I have come to destroy Sauron. This will not change. I only wish to say one thing to you and Sauron. If you had known this day would come, why act as you did? It is too late to embrace Buddha’s feet in your hour of need.”
Princess Zhi Yan shook her head. “No, I have not finished speaking. When Sauron truly met Ashi Mo and Lord Hai Gang, he was greatly disappointed. Ashi Mo’s rebellion against the Yelan Duchy that day was entirely forced. With the help of the Nu Lang Kingdom, he occupied the entire Rouan Province, then his expansion completely stagnated. His ambition unsatisfied, he no longer had the patience to wait for opportunity to arise, instead becoming obsessed with the illusory path to longevity. So this person had breadth of mind, wisdom, and means, but lacked patience alone. He was a hero for most of his life, yet in the end was fooled by a sorcerer.”
Hai Gang’s face twitched. “Then I would like to hear Sauron’s evaluation of me.”
Princess Zhi Yan said, “Before meeting Lord Hai Gang, Sauron held you in respect. But after meeting you, he reached a conclusion. Although Yingzhou Island was completely taken under your hand, virtually all the great battles, all the struggles were completed by your father. He paved every road for you, then suddenly died on the battlefield. The peach of Yingzhou Island was planted through the hard toil of your father and grandfather. You merely reached out and plucked it.”
These words directly struck the deepest part of Hai Gang’s heart, and also his most painful spot.
Outsiders did not know, all believing Yingzhou Island Province was won by Hai Gang himself. Only he himself knew clearly in his heart that everything was prepared by his grandfather and father, ultimately allowing him to reap the fruits of victory.
Princess Zhi Yan said, “Sauron said you have been a house-guarding dog for too long, so you are skilled at calculation, haggling over every ounce. No matter what matter, your first thought is to gain advantage. He said you have vision, means, and wisdom, but your breadth of mind is far too narrow.”
Hai Gang sneered coldly. “Lord Sauron’s life will soon end, yet he still has the mind to comment on me?”
Princess Zhi Yan said, “His words were not meant as criticism. House-guarding dog is not a derogatory term either. After all, your family spent three generations of expansion to build the foundation you have now. Steadying the gate and guarding the homestead is not a bad thing.”
Hearing these cutting yet utterly accurate evaluations from Sauron, Hai Gang appeared extremely angry, saying coldly, “Let Lord Sauron mind his own affairs before meddling in others’ business.”
“I have not finished speaking.” Zhi Yan said, “Over an hour ago, Sauron had me ride a griffin beast at the fastest speed to find you. He said if Hai Gang came to loot while the fire burned, kick a man when he is down, and incidentally curry favour with Zhi Li, then this person would not even have vision left. He would be a thoroughgoing opportunist, unable even to eat hot shit in time. So you would not even be able to be this house-guarding dog anymore. The Hai clan’s century-old foundation would basically be destined to be destroyed in your hands.”
The moment these words came out, Hai Gang flew into a rage, his body alternating between hot and cold, his face turning pale and white, unable to speak.
“I have said my piece. Conduct yourself well. Farewell!” Princess Zhi Yan said.
Then, Zhi Yan rode her griffin, turned about and flew south to depart.
And at this moment, Hai Gang’s boundless fury erupted. He shouted towards Zhi Yan in the air, “Go back and tell Sauron to wait for death! I will join with the Rock Demon to tear him to pieces! And Princess Zhi Yan, you had best pray not to fall into the Rock Demon’s hands, or else you will be unable to live or die.”
Zhi Yan said nothing, riding her griffin into the distance.
Hai Gang roared in fury, “Fleet turn about, head directly south, full speed ahead.”
Hai Wuyan said, “Not going to seize Chaos Rock Salt Field in advance? Not taking the long way round to cut off Sauron’s retreat?”
“No, no, full speed ahead, go destroy Sauron, kill his fleet completely clean.” Hai Gang roared.
Originally, he merely wanted to loot while the fire burned. He did not want to expend great effort in battle, only wishing to seize more benefits.
According to plan, he was prepared to first seize Chaos Rock Salt Field, then take a roundabout route to Sauron’s rear to pick up scraps, delivering the final kick to a drowning dog.
Although he knew that whether Chaos Rock Salt Field or Demon Mirror Secret Island, even if he sent troops to occupy them, he could not swallow them alone. Afterwards he would still need to divide the spoils with Zhi Li and the Rock Demon.
Moreover, with little effort expended in attacking Sauron, he was destined to receive a smaller share. But even a small share was a huge benefit.
However, the words Sauron had Zhi Yan relay had undoubtedly enraged him.
What house-guarding dog? He was not even worthy of being a house-guarding dog anymore. The Hai clan’s foundation would be destroyed in his hands.
If Sauron’s words were merely unpleasant, that would be one thing. The key was that Sauron’s words cut to the bone, even directly striking the deepest part of his heart.
Hai Gang was extremely intelligent, able to see through everything, knowing his own limitations.
But character determines fate. Knowing is one thing, doing is another.
Provoked into shameful rage by Sauron’s words, Hai Gang suddenly tore off all pretence, fiercely ordering full speed ahead to annihilate Sauron.
Originally it was kicking a drowning dog, striking a fallen one.
But now this drowning mad dog Sauron was still stubborn, still trying to bite him. Then Hai Gang did not mind arriving one step early, before he had fallen into the water, breaking his four limbs and spine, then kicking him into the water to drown alive. It would also serve to vent his foul anger.
…
On the Tianshui City sea battlefield!
The Rock Demon paid an incomparably enormous price, almost forcibly enduring heart-bleeding pain, to complete the formation change of his entire fleet on the battlefield.
The fifty thousand central fleet held position, serving as bait to attract Sauron. The other fifty thousand rock pirate fleet split into left and right wings, flanking Sauron’s fleet from both sides.
This was an open conspiracy, using enormous bait to create a trap.
The Rock Demon was remarkable. When he saw the tragic consequences of continuing to fight like this, he acted decisively, like a strong man severing his own wrist, sacrificing his central army to create new opportunities for battle.
In his view, if Sauron was sufficiently wise to overcome his own greed, then the Rock Demon’s open conspiracy would be useless.
As long as Sauron’s fleet resolutely retreated south after the Rock Demon’s formation change began, always maintaining a certain distance from the Rock Demon, then in this naval battle, the Rock Demon would not have too many chances of victory.
As it turned out, Sauron truly could not overcome his greed, remaining in place to bombard frantically, trying to swallow this tempting poisoned bait of the Rock Demon’s central army.
After enduring over half an hour of beating, the Rock Demon’s two wing fleets finally completed their formation change and began flanking Sauron from left and right.
So, was it truly as the Rock Demon thought, that Sauron could not overcome his own greed?
It truly was, at least half!
When the Rock Demon’s fleet began changing formation, Sauron faced a choice. Should he begin full speed south to maintain distance from the Rock Demon’s fleet, not giving him opportunity to flank?
Or should he seize this precious opportunity, bombarding the Rock Demon’s central army frantically? Because during the formation change, the Rock Demon’s central army was almost stationary, the easiest moment to inflict casualties.
And at that time, the entire fleet was also waiting for Sauron’s orders. Full speed south, or continue remaining in place to bombard?
Full speed south, always maintaining a certain distance from the Rock Demon’s fleet. Fighting like this would be very safe, and barring accidents, could achieve final victory, but with limited results.
Because once losses reached a certain degree, the Rock Demon would certainly retreat. Ship losses would not be small, but personnel losses would not be great.
After all, solid shot and chain shot had limited lethality against personnel targets on warships.
While remaining in place for frontal bombardment might inflict tremendous damage on the Rock Demon’s fleet, achieving maximum victory.
But once surrounded by the Rock Demon’s fleet, there might be tremendous danger, even danger of annihilation.
In the end, the spirit of adventure won out. Sauron made the decision to remain in place, bombarding the Rock Demon’s central army.
It was not entirely because Sauron was greedy, wishing to take the opportunity to inflict greater casualties on the Rock Demon’s central army.
Rather, it was because Sauron wanted a result. When the fleet closed to within five hundred metres, how should they fight? What results would chain shot produce?
And closing even further to within two to three hundred metres, what results would canister shot and grape shot produce?
If he did not fight, he would never know the results.
He knew this was very unwise, taking tremendous risk, but he still did it.
Many people were right. There had always been an impulsive devil in Sauron’s heart. Many times, what drove him to do something was emotional impulse, not reason.
So many people, including Hai Gang, said that sooner or later Sauron would die because of this personality of his.
Perhaps so, but Sauron absolutely did not wish for today to be that day!
…
The Rock Demon discovered that when his two wing fleets completed their formation change and began flanking left and right, Sauron’s fleet instead began withdrawing and retreating!
Immediately, he laughed loudly, “Escaping now is too late! You swallowed my poisoned bait and still want to run, dream on!”
If Sauron wanted to escape, it truly was too late!
The two wing fleets detached from the central army were all small rock pirate ships. Small vessels, fast speed, plus unburdened by damaged warships of the central army. Once pursuing and flanking at full speed, Sauron simply could not escape.
However…
Soon, the Rock Demon discovered Sauron was not trying to escape, but rather retreating south while changing formation!
Originally, Sauron’s fleet only needed to face enemies to the front. Now they had to face enemies to the front, left, and right!
So his fleet needed to change formation, dispersing firepower to three directions. The fleet needed to change from a horizontal line into an inverted concave shape.
Moreover, changing formation while in motion.
The Rock Demon was truly going mad, mad with joy!
Sauron this fool, had water entered his brain? His artillery, originally concentrated in one direction, had indeed been extremely fierce. Added to the Rock Demon’s fleet being overly concentrated, the lethality was very great. In just over three hours, over two hundred warships had been damaged.
But now, Sauron’s limited firepower was actually being dispersed to three directions. And the Rock Demon’s fleet was completely dispersed, density less than one third of before.
Thus, the hit rate of Sauron fleet’s artillery would be miserably pitiful!
What results could there be like this?
The Rock Demon laughed inwardly. Sauron was nothing more than this after all. First he was blinded by profit and stepped into the trap. Later discovering something was wrong, he made foolish moves one after another.
Originally after the Rock Demon fleet completed its formation change, Sauron’s situation was already not good.
And now, the Rock Demon felt Sauron’s defeat was sealed! Because he was courting death, actively losing his most advantageous weapon: distance!
The Rock Demon could imagine, with Sauron fleet’s not very high hit rate, plus needing over half a quarter hour to complete one attack. Once his fleet closed in, Sauron’s fleet would be completely dead.
Once ship boarding battle commenced, the rock pirates were invincible under heaven.
Sauron retreated south while changing formation, so his speed was especially slow.
The Rock Demon’s fleet, split into three directions, rapidly flanked closer and closer, nearer and nearer.
In the Rock Demon’s eyes, Sauron was courting death. But was Sauron truly courting death?
No! In Sauron’s heart, he was stimulated by the previous results!
He had not expected that although his navy was a nascent new navy, it was also a revolutionary navy, a navy with obvious generational difference.
Even if new, even if inexperienced, facing navies of the old era, it possessed incomparable lethality.
From ship boarding battle to dense artillery warships, this was almost equivalent to instantly evolving Earth naval warfare from before Christ to the seventeenth century, with no intermediate transition.
This advancement far exceeded that from sail warships to steam warships. It also exceeded that from wooden armour to ironclad warships.
Before battle Sauron was incomparably anxious and pessimistic, even preparing for defeat.
But once battle truly began, the results far exceeded his imagination.
Thus the confidence-exploding Sauron prepared to directly confront the Rock Demon head on.
He would use his twenty-five thousand navy to hard clash against the Rock Demon’s remaining eighty thousand navy.
Moreover, under circumstances of being surrounded on three sides!
Solid shot had been fired. The ship killer chain shot had also been fired.
There remained the final super weapon, the hellish killing god within two to three hundred metres that had not yet been used.
That was grape shot and canister shot!
The two types of ammunition were similar in principle, but grape shot contained fewer projectiles, larger in volume, about the size of tennis balls.
While one canister shot contained several hundred projectiles.
If speaking of Earth seventeenth and eighteenth century warships, without doubt grape shot’s power was greater, because at that time crews mostly hid inside ships, protected by thick hull planks.
But before him, the Rock Demon’s fleet had the vast majority of pirates on deck.
So, canister shot’s power should be much greater.
Several hundred cannons, simultaneously firing several hundred canister shots, over one hundred thousand projectiles, smashing out like a torrential rain.
The lethality within two hundred metres, Sauron completely dared not imagine!
…
“Switch to canister shot, switch to canister shot!”
Sauron’s fleet changed formation while having most cannons switch to canister shot.
Because the formation change made the fleet’s speed very slow, the Rock Demon’s three-sided fleet encirclement was drawing ever closer.
Sauron’s fleet seemed unaware of their fate of being surrounded, still meticulously and with difficulty changing formation.
After nearly half an hour, Sauron fleet’s formation change was complete!
But at this time, the Rock Demon’s three-sided encircling fleet was already very close.
The frontal fleet’s distance had already reached two hundred metres. The two side fleets were also merely three hundred metres away!
Both sides could already see the crews on each other’s ships!
Originally, at this distance the Rock Demon’s fleet should use heavy crossbows to shoot. But the Rock Demon gave up, feeling it was meaningless.
Close in at full speed, then directly have tens of thousands of pirates jump ship for boarding battle, annihilating Sauron’s fleet in one fell swoop. This would be much more satisfying!
The Rock Demon’s fleet drew closer and closer, completely surrounding Sauron’s fleet!
The expressions on the faces of tens of thousands of rock pirates and pirates grew increasingly savage, increasingly bloodthirsty.
“Argh… argh…”
The rock pirates began maiming themselves again, using daggers to slice their faces, making blood flow freely.
Using their tongues to lick sharp blades, making their entire mouths bloodied.
Tens of thousands of rock pirates emitted beast-like roars, savage and terrifying, appearing to make one’s blood run cold.
If this truly developed into boarding battle, then Sauron would truly be doomed.
His twenty-five thousand naval troops absolutely could not be a match for the Rock Demon’s eighty to ninety thousand men, let alone a group of beast-like rock pirates.
The distance drew closer and closer!
The Rock Demon grinned savagely, “Sauron, you are finished!”
And Sauron looked back at the Rock Demon, saying coldly, “Rock Demon, you are finished!”
Then, he fiercely ordered!
“Fire, fire, fire!”
“Boom boom boom boom…”
Several hundred cannons, all firing!
Countless canister shot projectiles, plus some grape shot, smashed out like hellish torrential rain!