Chapter 905
Dozens of Black Pearl's small ships sailed continuously southward along the coastline, drawing ever closer to the inescapable net cast by the Bloody Baron. A few hours later, a piercing bell rang out across the sea. A scout ship, exploring the path ahead of Black Pearl's fleet, had spotted a massive enemy armada.
"Enemies! Enemies ahead! The enemy fleet is countless! They're flying the flags of the Bloody Baron and the Russo family."
In that instant, a chill ran down Black Pearl's spine. She had thought herself lucky for successfully smuggling saltpeter three times before, but now she realized it had all been the Bloody Baron's scheme to annihilate them in one fell swoop. What should she do now? Her small vessels were not suited for combat; they were extremely vulnerable. Should they abandon their ships and make for land immediately? No. The Bloody Baron would surely have ambushes waiting on land as well. Since they had chosen to lie in wait here, they wouldn't let Black Pearl's navy escape onto the shore. At a time like this, protecting the people of the fleet was paramount. Black Pearl made a swift decision and commanded.
"Change course! Head north at full speed and enter the Amazon waters. Jettison all the saltpeter; travel light. Our ships are small, so we have the advantage in speed."
Following Black Pearl's order, all fifty ships changed their heading, turning against the current to sail north.
Sacks of saltpeter were tossed into the sea one after another. Having to briefly halt to change direction slowed the fleet's advance. Behind them, the Bloody Baron's massive armada gave chase with frantic speed.
"Faster, faster... Full speed north!"
Thanks to Black Pearl's decisive action, her fleet broke free from the Bloody Baron's encirclement at the last moment, using the advantage of their smaller ships to flee like an arrow. The Bloody Baron sneered.
"That black woman is as cunning as ever, escaping even a net as tight as this. Issue the order. All surrounding fleets are to converge and join the effort to encircle and annihilate Shen Lang's fleet."
Thus began a frantic chase across the endless expanse of the sea. Now that they had been discovered, Black Pearl no longer needed to hug the coastline. She immediately entered the deep sea and headed north at full speed. The combined fleet of the Bloody Baron and Dodge Russo pursuing them grew ever larger as fleets blockading the surrounding waters continuously rushed to join them. What was originally only thirty thousand men swelled to forty, then fifty, then sixty thousand. A grand total of seven hundred warships joined the ranks to encircle and annihilate Black Pearl's small fleet. The Bloody Baron's fleet stretched for a hundred leagues across the sea, looking like a colossal monster in hot pursuit. They were determined to catch Black Pearl's fleet before it could escape into Amazon waters, to completely annihilate them and take them captive. Black Pearl's fleet, composed of small ships, had a significant advantage in speed. After a few days, they would pull further and further away.
However, the Bloody Baron's armada also had fast ships. Like starving wolves tailing their prey, they maintained a distance of twenty leagues, never letting Black Pearl's fleet escape their sight.
Still, if everything went smoothly, they would be able to escape. Once they entered the Amazon waters, they would be safe. The Amazons were their master Shen Lang's staunchest allies. At times like this, they could only pray that the heavens would be on their side and not send a storm. Their small ships would not be able to withstand the baptism of a tempest.
But it seemed Black Pearl's luck had run out. Dark clouds began to appear in the northern sky, hanging lower and lower until they seemed to press down on their heads. Not only that, but the winds at sea grew stronger, and their direction became increasingly unfavorable. As the wind intensified, so did the waves. Black Pearl's fleet began to toss violently, becoming harder and harder to control.
Pitch-black clouds filled the sky, obscuring the sun. For a thousand leagues, the sea was shrouded in darkness. The sea wind howled, and massive waves surged. Black Pearl's pirates were all exceptional sailors, but there was nothing they could do against the forces of nature. Controlling their ships became increasingly difficult. The fierce wind was like a giant hand, madly yanking the small boats back and forth, tossing them about and toying with them at will. It wasn't just Black Pearl's small ships; even the Bloody Baron's large warships began to rock violently.
Dodge Russo was ecstatic.
"Their fleet is slowing down! They must be struggling to control their ships. Pursue them! Kill every last one of Shen Lang's navy!"
In the gale, Black Pearl's fleet of small ships struggled forward, buffeted by the wind and rain. Their speed had slowed to a crawl, and they seemed unable to control their vessels. The fleet of the Bloody Baron and Dodge Russo formed a great arc, charging ferociously to tear them apart. The Bloody Baron stood on the deck, feeling the ever-strengthening sea wind and gazing at the sky, now completely covered in black clouds. The last remnants of the Goulou Gang, Shen Lang's only fleet, were about to meet their end.
Over the past few days, the Bloody Baron had continuously gathered his forces. The number of ships rushing to pursue Black Pearl's fleet had grown to a staggering six hundred, with sixty thousand pirates assembled. Encircling an enemy at sea was far more difficult than on land; it required ten times the enemy's numbers. A battle with such a disparity in forces was hardly honorable, but it was the kind of fight pirates loved most. The scene of hundreds of wolves tearing apart a few dozen sheep was the most brutal and bloody of all.
The Bloody Baron hated facing an enemy of equal strength; he preferred a one-sided slaughter. The more spectacular the performance, the more pleased Lord Adolf would be, and the Bloody Baron was willing to spare no effort to please him. It was just like how he had once been desperate to use his good looks to please Dybas. Of course, he had failed because Dybas had acted as if she hadn't noticed his subtle advances. Now, to curry favor with Adolf, the Bloody Baron was putting even more effort into slaughtering the enemy.
"My pirates, my wolf pack, let the small feast begin. Peel the skins off Shen Lang's pitiful little fleet and devour them."
But just then.
*Clang, clang, clang, clang.*
A piercing, sharp, and frantic bell rang out across the sea. It was the alarm for an enemy ambush. The kind of alarm that signaled the appearance of the most dangerous foe. Moreover, the alarm was coming from the rear of the Bloody Baron's pirate fleet. The Bloody Baron was greatly startled. What kind of enemy could there be at a time like this? This ten-thousand-league stretch of sea was his domain; the very existence of an enemy was impossible. Had the enemy burst forth from the depths of the sea or flown down from the sky?
Dodge Russo said.
"Someone must have made a mistake and is ringing the bell. Let's continue the pursuit. We must deliver results to Ambassador Adolf quickly. He gave a very clear order: he wants to see Shen Lang's fleet annihilated before the end of this month."
*Clang, clang, clang, clang.*
But the ambush alarm from the rear continued to ring incessantly, growing sharper and more urgent. Braving the fierce wind, a warrior quickly climbed a mast tens of meters high to look back. But no enemy was in sight. The Bloody Baron's fleet was so vast, stretching endlessly, that the warrior's view was filled only with his own warships.
*Clang, clang, clang, clang.*
The bell, like a summons from death itself, rang out frantically. At this point, it could no longer be a false alarm. The rear fleet must have spotted an enemy. The Bloody Baron felt his heart suddenly tremble as a possibility crossed his mind.
*'Could... could it be that Shen Lang has returned with the Goulou Gang's fleet? No, impossible. That's absolutely impossible! Ambassador Adolf said that if Shen Lang went to the ruins of the Lost Kingdom this time, he would surely die, that he wouldn't be able to return. Adolf couldn't kill Shen Lang directly, so he made him walk into his own death to have him killed indirectly. It's absolutely impossible. Shen Lang wouldn't be able to win the Goulou Gang's loyalty, and bringing them back is even more impossible.'*
While lost in thought, the Bloody Baron dove into the sea and swam frantically toward the ships at the rear.
***
A full thirty minutes later, the Bloody Baron's hopes were shattered, and his greatest fear came to pass. From atop a mast, he saw one flag of the Goulou Gang, then two, then three. One after another, menacing great ships entered his vision, their numbers growing to dozens, then hundreds. The Goulou Gang's fleet had arrived. It was an endless expanse, covering the sea in a black mass. Burning wreckage floated on the sea—the remains of the sunken scout ships. The very ships that had sounded the alarm just moments ago.
The nightmare of the seas, the most powerful fleet in the Western world, had returned.
The Bloody Baron's hair stood on end, and he felt his entire body turn ice-cold. He took a deep breath and regained his composure.
*'So what if it's the Goulou Gang's fleet? You've been trapped in the ruins of the Lost Kingdom for over a decade. Hasn't your combat strength withered away by now? Besides, your warships are old and dilapidated, while mine are new and strong. The Easterners have a good saying: 'The new wave pushes the old,' meaning the new replaces the old. The era of the Goulou Gang's fleet is over. Now, I, the Bloody Baron, am the hegemon of these seas.'*
The Bloody Baron soon spotted Shen Lang standing on the flagship of the Goulou Gang.
*'It really is him. That pretty boy has returned. Why isn't he dead? Why isn't he dead yet?'*
If he had known things would come to this, he would have made his move and killed him earlier. But back then, he hadn't harbored such great enmity toward Shen Lang.
Closing his eyes for a moment and recalling the rise and fall of the Monroe family, enmity surged within him once more. The Bloody Baron shouted at the top of his lungs.
"The enemy is barely half our number! Furthermore, their warships are damaged, and their crews are nothing but the old, the weak, and the wounded! We will surely be victorious in this war!"
He wasn't wrong. At that moment, the Goulou Gang's fleet looked pathetic. Not only the masts and warships but also the pirates on board were all in shabby condition. Many were even wounded—some had their heads bandaged, others their arms or legs. Bloodstains were everywhere. They looked no different from a defeated army. The Bloody Baron roared like thunder.
"This battle is the will of the heavens! The gods have ordained it all! A new king must rise by treading upon the corpse of the old to truly ascend. After this battle, our fleet's fame will shake the world, and we will become the hegemons of the Seiren Sea! For the glory of the hegemon, for the glory of pirates, prepare for battle!"