Chapter 20: The Isolated Village's Struggle

The attack by the Japanese pirates was successfully repelled, yet Li Chuan felt little joy in the victory. Sitting in a makeshift camp at the village entrance, he watched the weary villagers clear the battlefield, his heart heavy with concern.

“This cannot be a lasting solution,” Lana said, sitting beside him and handing him a bowl of clear water. “The pirates will only grow in number. Next time, it won't be just a vanguard—they will bring their full force.”

Li Chuan nodded, his gaze steady. “Relying solely on the strength of our fishing village is indeed insufficient to hold this place. The pirate problem isn’t just ours—it’s a disaster for the entire coastline. I plan to contact the surrounding villages and unite them against the pirates.”

“The other villages might not agree,” Lana said with worry. “The threat of the pirates has made many retreat, some may have even surrendered long ago.”

“That’s why we must show them hope.” Li Chuan stood, gripping his long knife, eyes blazing with determination. “I want them to know the pirates are not invincible.”

Early the next morning, Li Chuan gathered several young villagers, bringing along armor and weapons seized from the pirates, preparing to visit neighboring villages. Lana insisted on accompanying him, despite the risk her presence might attract unwanted attention.

“If trouble arises, I’m here to help keep things in order,” Lana smiled.

After brief preparations, they set off toward the nearest village. Along the winding mountain path, the further they went, the more they sensed the desolation and decay surrounding them.

When the first village appeared, it was almost unrecognizable—dilapidated houses and withered fields told the story of the land’s decline. At the village entrance, several burly men brandished weapons, watching Li Chuan’s group warily.

“Who are you?” the leader barked.

Li Chuan stopped, planting a captured pirate spear into the ground. His voice was firm: “I am Li Chuan from Xilan Fishing Village. We just repelled a pirate vanguard. I’ve come to unite with you against the pirates.”

“Repelled the pirates?” The leader sneered dismissively. “Just a few of you? You’re probably their lackeys!”

The villagers murmured among themselves, clearly skeptical of Li Chuan’s words.

Seeing this, Li Chuan beckoned two companions to display the captured pirate armor and weapons before everyone. The trophies, bearing the pirates’ mark, immediately caught the villagers’ attention.

“These were taken from the pirates with our own hands,” Li Chuan said gravely. “Last night, their vanguard attacked our village. We did not back down; we faced them head-on and drove them off!”

The villagers examined the spoils, the whispers gradually fading. Some young faces began to show surprise and admiration.

The leader’s expression remained dark, but his tone softened slightly: “Even if you really drove off a pirate squad, we have no decent weapons here. How can we fight the pirates?”

“That’s why I came to find you.” Li Chuan stepped forward resolutely. “I can teach you how to use the simplest tools to set defenses, how to use traps to weaken the pirates. If we unite and defend every village, they won’t dare to rampage unchecked!”

The leader hesitated, still uncertain. Lana then stepped forward and said, “You may think the pirates are invincible, but they are not. I am Lana of the South Seas Trading Company. I have witnessed the downfall of pirates firsthand. Li Chuan truly has the ability to lead you to victory.”

Lana’s presence stirred the villagers’ interest. A few elder men whispered among themselves. After a moment, a weathered old man stood and said, “When I was young, I too saw heroes fighting pirates. Since this young man has the courage to come to us, let’s give it a try! It’s better than waiting to die.”

The villagers slowly nodded, and the leader finally agreed, “Alright! We’ll try, but you must give us hope.”

Li Chuan smiled faintly. “You won’t regret this decision.”

***

Having won over the first village, Li Chuan’s group grew larger as they moved on to the next target. The second village proved more difficult. Its stubborn middle-aged chief was hostile to any outside influence, accusing Li Chuan of “dragging everyone down.”

“Can you guarantee the pirates won’t retaliate?” the chief sneered. “Our village may be poor, but there’s little for the pirates to loot, so we’re safe.”

Li Chuan remained calm. “Do you think the pirates will forever spare you? Once they break through other villages, you’ll be next.”

The chief remained unmoved. “Better to not anger them now.”

Lana stepped forward, pulling a small arrowhead made from a pirate’s blade from her pouch and holding it up. “This is the ‘gift’ they left your peaceful village. Pirates never miss an opportunity to plunder and slaughter. If you don’t stand up today, tomorrow you won’t even have the chance.”

The chief was shaken by her cold resolve, mumbling but no longer arguing.

To fully convince the villagers, Li Chuan demonstrated the traps and simple weapons set up in the fishing village. Witnessing how these rudimentary tools could pack such a punch, the villagers’ expressions shifted to eager anticipation.

Finally, the chief put aside his prejudice: “If you’re this confident, we’ll follow your lead. But don’t let us regret it!”

As more villages joined, Li Chuan’s forces swelled, and the once scattered fishing village strength began to coalesce. At each stop, he patiently taught villagers tactics and how to use terrain and simple weapons to fight the pirates.

Lana leveraged her influence to stabilize the situation, helping villagers believe they were not merely resisting pirates, but defending their homes.

On the return journey to the fishing village, hundreds of villagers followed, their eyes alight with hope.

When they arrived, the once somber village was livelier than ever. Neighboring villages sent supplies—food, boats, and skilled craftsmen volunteered to repair weapons. Morale soared in a short span.

“We have people and boats. Next, we must unite these forces as one.” Li Chuan stood on the village gateway platform, surveying the gathered crowd with resolute eyes. “The pirates are not fearsome; they only act boldly because we are divided and unprepared. But now, united, we will use our wisdom and courage to drive them away!”

Cheers erupted, but some faces showed worry. Lana noticed and quietly said, “These people are fired up, but have never truly fought. You must give them clear confidence and direction.”

Li Chuan nodded, raising a hand for silence. “Starting tomorrow, we begin unified training. You need not become warriors—just learn to cooperate, using our terrain, boats, and cunning against the pirates. I promise you, this land is ours, and we will never let it become their hunting ground!”

The villagers, moved by his conviction, shouted in unison, “Follow Li Chuan! Fight them to the end!”

Li Chuan convened a strategy meeting with village chiefs and fishing leaders in the village shrine. A simple map of the coastline lay before them. Using charcoal, Li Chuan marked probable pirate landing sites.

“The pirate fleet usually approaches the coast at night, dispersing during the day to pillage villages. We need to set up lookout posts at sea. Once they are spotted, all villages must be alerted to prepare,” Li Chuan explained, circling several vantage points with wide views.

“But we lack weapons for sustained combat,” one chief frowned. “Bamboo spears are convenient but not sharp enough to pierce pirate armor.”

Lana stood, her gaze sharp. “We’ve signaled the trading company. A shipment of iron tools and crossbows will arrive in days. Meanwhile, we can make traps from discarded fishing nets and fortify our harbors and village entrances. Once the pirates are thrown into chaos, they lose their advantage.”

Another leader voiced concern, “What if the pirates send a large force to surround us?”

Li Chuan answered calmly, “This battle won’t be about direct confrontation but guerrilla tactics to gradually weaken them. Their supply lines are far from home, and their numbers limited. As long as we hold the defense and strike in turn, their arrogance will be crushed.”

After the meeting, villagers set to their assigned tasks. Li Chuan personally inspected defenses and guided trap and weapon construction. Lana managed the distribution of supplies from the trading company, speeding resources to every village.

Three days later, a lookout reported a pirate boat nearing the shore. Li Chuan swiftly organized the villagers into an ambush. He chose not to face them head-on but to test their cooperation with a probing attack.

The ambush site was a tidal marsh, its complex terrain dotted with fishing net traps and simple spike pits. Villagers concealed behind trees and rocks held their breath in silence.

As night deepened, the pirate boat slipped ashore. A dozen pirates leapt out, scattering to loot. They soon found the sand slippery, slowing their steps.

“Attack!” Li Chuan commanded. Villagers pulled up fishing nets, entangling several pirates. Hidden crossbowmen fired arrows, felling one instantly. Panicked, the rest tried to fight back but stumbled into spike traps, their screams piercing the night.

Though not flawless, the action showed clear improvement in coordination. The pirates, suffering heavy losses, fled hastily, leaving behind corpses and captured weapons.

“Well done!” Li Chuan praised, thumbs raised. “This is just the beginning. We must be faster and more synchronized to face the next, larger assault.”

This tentative victory lifted villagers’ spirits immensely. For the first time, they realized the pirates were not unbeatable; united with wisdom and courage, they could protect their homes.

News of the pirate defeat spread quickly. Some villages previously hesitant now sent emissaries, requesting to join Li Chuan’s alliance. The coalition expanded, making training and resource management more complex.

Lana took charge of logistics, allocating village forces by skill: seasoned fishermen for sea reconnaissance, young strong villagers for combat training, and skilled blacksmiths focused on weapon-making.

Meanwhile, Li Chuan studied more sophisticated battle plans. Using his navigation skills, he drafted a detailed map marking the pirates’ likely routes.

“Next time, we won’t just defend; we will take the initiative,” Li Chuan said, eyes resolute as he examined the map.

As the alliance grew, tensions emerged—some villagers questioned the fairness of weapon distribution, others resented Lana’s authority.

“These issues must be resolved, or we’ll collapse from within,” Lana warned Li Chuan during a meeting.

Li Chuan nodded. “We all came together for the same goal. I will personally mediate. Once everyone understands the importance of cooperation, these problems will be solved.”

He began visiting each village, engaging villagers face-to-face, listening to their concerns. His battlefield reputation helped build trust, showing his leadership served no personal gain but the protection of all.

After persistent effort, village conflicts eased, and the alliance’s cohesion strengthened.

Yet Li Chuan knew the pirates’ main force would return sooner or later. This battle was only beginning, and he must prepare the coalition swiftly for greater challenges ahead.

That night, standing on the shore, Li Chuan gazed across the dark sea and murmured to himself, “No matter how many times they come, I will defend this land.”

Lana stepped beside him softly, “I believe in you.”