Chapter 78: Snake Rat Naval Battle (4)
Early on in the battle, the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps dispatched scouting birds.
While all attention on both sides was focused on the main battlefield, the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps had quietly released scouting tide snakes and scouting rats.
The tide snakes and rats squeezed into the pirate ships and provided the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps with even more information.
They paid the most attention to the Bath Tub.
The scouting tide snakes would have done fine, but the scouting rats looked unremarkable and easily infiltrated the ship’s top floor.
Afterwards, they journeyed down and progressively penetrated the hold.
The pirates were all busy fighting, and were very tense. Even if they glimpsed the scurrying rats, they were in no mood to pay them any heed.
If Mo Kong was in good condition, then perhaps he would have immediately noticed them. But he had been heavily locked up and by the time he noticed them, the scouting rat had already sent reliable information back to the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps.
After obtaining Rou Zang’s true situation, why would Zong Ge hesitate?
Without the slightest hesitation, he left and entered the gunnery position.
This time, the gold level cannon was hidden in his ship hold.
Zong Ge had been trained in weapons, and was experienced in many types.
Cannons were not an exception.
Although he wasn’t a master at it, compared to others, he was far better.
He transferred his battle qi into it and imbued it with all of his strength.
The cannon slowly ignited, the formation around it restraining its aura.
If the Bath Tub had been sailing, perhaps it might have had the chance to evade.
But the main battlefield had been scorched, and the Bath Tub was surrounded by an influx of Flower Wall Pirate ships, it was very crowded.
It was almost a stationary target.
With the addition of the scouting rat’s intelligence that indicated the target, Zong Ge decisively fired the cannon.
Gold level cannon, gold level artillery shell.
The shell pierced the Bath Tub and made its way into the hold, and with a terrible explosion, the Bath Tub was seriously damaged in an instant.
“Leaks, the hold is leaking!”
Pirates hurried over to see the enormous hole, all of them looking on foolishly.
“The ship is sinking!” They let out a despairing wail of anguish.
“Cough, cough!” Within the raging flames and black smoke, Hua Dun struggled to stand.
He spat out bloody suds, and his perplexed expression gradually faded.
“What just happened?”
“I’m still alive.”
“Damm it, that was the gold cannon!!”
“Mo Kong you…”
Not far from him, Hua Dun saw a corpse lying on the floor.
Mo Kong was mutilated, half of his body had been blown up, blood filled the floor, and he weas on his last gasps from his grave injuries.
“Undo my curse now!” Hua Dun was very anxious as he ran to Mo Kong’s side.
Mo Kong cracked open his remaining eye, and he laughed mischievously, “I’m dead, your curse will forever remain undone.”
“Wretched guy!” Speak now, how can I bring you back to life?”
Mo Kong coughed up blood, then slurred his words, “No use…my death is certain.”
“Anyways, it doesn’t matter.”
“I have already signed an agreement with a devil, my soul belongs to hell, there I shall be reborn.”
“I will become a true devil, have a higher bloodline, and have greater gifts!”
Hua Dun picked Mo Kong up by the neck, unable to restrain his anger, “Then what is to be done about the curse on us?”
“It…is not a curse.”
“It is a contract.”
“Hehe, after you die, your soul too will belong to hell.”
“This is the capital I used to rely on hell, even the boss, cough cough, is not an exception…”
Hua Dun’s eyes couldn’t help but stare at his hands and feet.
Mo Kong suddenly grabbed Hua Dun’s arm tenaciously, his voice suddenly became loud, “Remember!”
“Don’t die easily.”
“Souls can grow.”
“The stronger the soul, the greater chance one can become a powerful devil when they reach hell!”
“You have to protect Rou Zang well, he cannot die. His soul is far more precious than yours!”
“When he dies, you all die.”
“Hehe, he…”
“To protect him, I will give you all a final inheritance.”
After saying that, Mo Kong’s aura vanished.
Hua Dun’s eyes were still glaring, his eyes rigidly gazing at Mo Kong’s corpse.
This was his nightmare.
It always controlled his shadow.
But now, he was dead.
Before dying, he had told him the truth of the curse, it was an immense inconvenience!
“Find Rou Zang.”
“He is inside the hold somewhere!”
“The gold level artillery shell explosion didn’t kill him?!”
The city guard commander, Night Devil Hunting Commander, and the other four silver fighters came in through the hole.
Startled, Hua Dun came to.
Enemies had invaded, and in his moment of desperation, he unconsciously chose to believe Mo Kong.
“The boss isn’t dead yet!”
“If he dies, I will die too.”
“But I am still alive…”
“Boss!” Hua Dun urged his battle qi as he ran headlong into the raging flames and thick smoke.
The alliance’s four silvers had found Rou Zang first.
Rou Zang’s entire body was pitch-black, flames had scorched it.
His huge body was very conspicuous.
His eyes were shut tight, yet pain and anger mingled in his face.
“He isn’t dead?”
The four sensed Rou Zang’s life aura, causing them to be alarmed and furious.
“Then die!”
The four brandished their weapons, aimed them at his vitals, then ruthlessly swung.
“No!” Hua Dun rushed and bawled them to stop, but it was already too late.
But just as the weapons cut down, Rou Zang suddenly opened his eyes.
Battle skill - Meat Ocean Sweeping Wave!
Rou Zang vibrated, and a fervent spherical impact wave, with him as its center, surged out in all directions.
The four silvers were launched into the air, followed by Hua Dun soon after.
The gold level battle skill had extraordinary might, and even expanded the bombardment hole by a lot.
In the ruins, Rou Zang slowly strolled to the hole.
Surging seawater flowed past his ankles and into the hold.
The water level quickly rose to his knees.
Rou Zang didn’t care about this, he was malevolently staring at Zong Ge’s warship.
The gold level cannon’s firing had damaged the ship’s hull considerably.
“Since you sent your greeting, I’ll kill you first!” Rou Zang growled, and with fury and hate wreathed about him, he rushed out of the Bath Tub and made a beeline for Zong Ge’s warship.
“It’s Rou Zang!”
“Captain Rou Zang is freed!!”
Much of the alliance was frightened, while even more pirates cried out in joy.
Battle skill – Corporeal Raft!
Gold battle qi wrapped around Roun Zang, and although it was only a superficial layer, it was constantly circulating.
Rou Zang stepped into the water, but it didn’t reach above his ankles, instead it seemed like he was walking across a marsh as he charged.
“Open fire now!” Tan Qiu looked ashen, the worst situation had happened, Rou Zang not only freed himself, but he also had the ability to fight too!
In hole in his ship, Zong Ge stroked the gold level cannon, imbuing it with the luster of silver battle qi, preparing it to be fired.
The gold level cannon’s mouth flashed once more, like the hope shining in Tan Qiu’s and the others’ hearts.
No one wished to deal with a gold level cultivator themselves.
Rou Zang accelerated, he was already half way there.
Suddenly, he grinned malevolently, and sped up again.
Tan Qiu and the others watched on hopefully, however, they only saw the cannon gradually getting brighter, but not enough for it to be fired.
Rou Zang suddenly jumped up, and landed on the ship.
“We’re done for!” Tan Qiu’s face withered.
The priest deeply sighed, “It seemed the gold level cannon need a lot of battle qi, Shi Qi has insufficient battle qi. He is in grave danger!”
The merchant alliance magician’s eyes narrowed even more, she couldn’t bear to see the tragedy unfolding.
It was difficult for silver levels to deal with gold levels. What’s more, Zong Ge had just fired the cannon, and depleted much of his battle qi reserves, he wasn’t in good condition.
“I shall blow you to bits!” Rou Zang’s plump and enormous body cast a deep shadow below.
He raised his palm high, then aimed it to slam it down on Zong Ge’s head.
Zong Ge put up his defenses.
A moment later, his head was severely struck by Rou Zang!
“Eh?!” Rou Zang’s sinister expression stiffened as his palm quickly passed through Zong Ge.
This was not Zong Ge, rather it was an alchemy projection.
“How did this deceive my senses?” Rou Zang found the projection device.
It was obviously quite ordinary!
Not only was Zong Ge a projection, but the gold level cannon was also one too.
“Fake? This…is a trap!!” Rou Zang realized things weren’t good, and wanted to withdraw, but it was already too late.
Boom!!
Moments later, the entire ship exploded.
The entire ship was blown to smithereens in an instant.
Countless splinters flew out in all directions.
The searing light caused those that saw it to squint.
A mushroom cloud rose from the ocean surface.
In a flash, the terrible heat vaporized the seawater into a large cloud of white steam.
Soon after, the explosion created a gigantic wave that spread from it. The seawater it composed of slowly began to slope upwards.
The sluggish wave looked like a bulge as it cleansed the main battlefield, swayed the entangled ships. And affected the results of many close quarter fights.
“That was no less than ten boxes of dumbbell explosives, its might is astonishing when concentrated!” The dragonman youngster exclaimed in admiration on the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps’ flagship,
The mysteriously vanishing Zong Ge was already standing by his side.
This trap had been schemed with the utmost care, and was specially made for Rou Zang.
The main plotter was Cang Xu.
The primary explosive used was the exploding dumbbells.
The survivors had seized 12 boxes from Mystifying Monster Island, and most of them had been used for this.
The exploding dumbbells were commonly known as shakers, it was a type of grenade that was quickly thrown after shaking them.
Due to the space lock (base), the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps didn’t have the resources to refine another alchemy bombs.
To detonate these exploding dumbbells, the tower spirit had personally drafted an alchemy formation for that purpose.
“Did that kill Rou Zang?” The dragonman youngster was uncertain.
Zong Ge replied, “If it were me, it would be certain death. However, this is Rou Zang, it is unconfirmed.”
After all, even if Rou Zang hadn’t been shot by the gold level artillery shell, he was definitely still within its blast zone.
But he not only got free, but he also could still fight!
Currently, the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps had only five ships left, they were quickly drawing close to the main battlefield.
If Rou Zang was dead, they would reinforce the alliance and destroy the remaining pirates.
If Rou Zang wasn’t dead, then…they needed to converge with the alliance forces.
This had also been suggested by Cang Xu.
In the center of the explosion, white steam suddenly dispersed.
Rou Zang was burnt black, but still standing.
“Rats!”
“I will tear you all to pieces!!”
Rou Zang’s roar suppressed the entire battlefield, both enemy and allies were silent.
Zong Ge’s eyes contracted, “Sure enough, he isn’t dead.”
“That explosion still wasn’t enough to kill him?” The merchant alliance magician was speechless.
“That monster simply won’t die!” Xu Ma let out a cold breath.
He hid on Stone Forest Island and gazed at the battlefield in the distance, witnessing all that had transpired.
Upon seeing Rou Zang’s extreme hate for the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps, and once more charging, Xu Ma couldn’t help but be gripped by worry.
“Captain Rou Zang!”
“Amazing, with the boss, our victory is certain!”
When the pirate saw Rou Zang was like a martial god, their morale skyrocketed.
The alliance forces were wavering.
Especially when Tan Qiu saw the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps was drawing Rou Zang towards his flagship. His face was ashen and wished that he could shout, “Don’t come here!”
But he didn’t shout that.
He had always advocated for the establishment of this alliance.
He was Snake Rat Island’s feudal lord, and politics demanded that he couldn’t shout that/
On the contrary, the priest wasn’t shackled by this. He immediately rushed over to the magic communication device and quickly reproached, “Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps, lure Rou Zang away, don’t let him draw near the main battlefield.”
“As long as you stall him, we can win!”
“After the victory, we shall compensate your damages fivefold!”
The dragonman youngster turned a deaf ear.
Zong Ge sneered, and didn’t speak.
Cang Xu replied back, "Don’t be afraid, we will defeat that insignificant Rou Zang together. Allies, we have come to support you!”
“What kind of support is this?! I…” The priest nearly exploded into obscene sears.
The Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps obviously didn’t think they could fight Rou Zang alone, and the priest had to endure their refusal.
The big picture was more important.
He immediately issued the order, and dispatched the four silver fighters to return to provide urgent assistance.