Chapter 29: Night Raid on Triple-Fork Bay

On the surface of the sea, only the faint sound of waves and wind echoed. Li Chuan and his team moved quietly in a small boat, following a pre-determined course along the undercurrent as they slowly approached Sancha Bay. Their clothing and tools were wrapped in black cloth to avoid any reflection or noise.

"There is a patrol boat ahead," the scout whispered.

Li Chuan immediately signaled for the boat to pull to one side, hiding behind an underwater reef. He took out a mirror coated with black ash and carefully peeked out, using the dim moonlight to observe the situation ahead. The patrol boat's torches flickered in the night breeze, appearing faint yet dangerous.

"Once the tide rises a bit more, they will leave," Li Chuan whispered. He knew that the Wokou pirates were well-versed in the tidal patterns of these waters; their night patrols typically lasted only until the tide reached its peak, after which they would return to the bay.

As time ticked by, the patrol boat indeed turned around and departed. Seeing this, Li Chuan signaled his team to proceed. Their target was the warehouse within the bay—a structure hidden beneath the cliffs, filled with the supplies traded between the Wokou and Xie Tonghai.

As they approached the warehouse, Li Chuan realized how tight the enemy's security had become. Torches were distributed around the perimeter, sentries stood at high vantage points, simple wooden fences had been erected on the ground, and two armed Wokou guards stood at the entrance.

"It seems Xie Tonghai and the Wokou have become more vigilant against the rebellious fishermen," Li Chuan muttered with a frown.

He gathered his team and quickly drew a simple map on the sand. "We need to act in three groups. A-Qiang, you take two men around to the back and create a small distraction to draw their attention. Xiao Wu, follow me; we will climb from the undercurrent to the cliff base beneath the warehouse and infiltrate from below."

"What if we alert the enemy?" A-Qiang asked with concern.

"If you are discovered, just stall for time. Do not engage in a prolonged fight; retreat directly to the rendezvous point afterward," Li Chuan said firmly. "The goal is to destroy the supplies in the warehouse, not to fight head-on."

Everyone nodded in agreement and quickly dispersed.

Li Chuan and Xiao Wu slipped into the water from the shore, swimming slowly along the undercurrent toward the base of the warehouse. The cliff face, covered in reefs and seaweed, provided natural cover. Using the dim moonlight, Li Chuan carefully observed the activity on the cliff before proceeding once he confirmed there were no enemies.

"Captain, there seems to be a small hole leading into the warehouse ahead," Xiao Wu said, pointing to a hidden crevice.

Li Chuan swam toward it and found a narrow waterway. Using their daggers, they carefully cleared away the debris at the entrance and squeezed inside.

At the end of the waterway was a sealed storage room, the floor piled high with wooden crates and sacks, emitting a heavy smell of fish and damp mold. Li Chuan inspected them and discovered that the wooden crates were filled with weapons, while the sacks contained dry rations and medicine.

"It really is a supply depot," Xiao Wu whispered, his voice suppressed with excitement. "If we can destroy all of these supplies, the Wokou's combat effectiveness will be at least halved."

"Don't get ahead of yourself. Find oil or flammable materials first," Li Chuan commanded calmly. They searched the room and found several oil drums in the corner, clearly intended as backup fuel for ship repairs.

Meanwhile, A-Qiang and his team had reached the back of the warehouse. Using the fire-starters and tinder they carried, they ignited a pile of hay near a stash of debris. The thick smoke quickly caught the attention of the sentries.

"Fire! Go check it out!" a Wokou guard shouted, and several guards immediately rushed toward the back.

Seizing the opportunity, A-Qiang and his team quickly retreated into the woods and patiently observed the situation. They felt relieved to see that most of the guards had left the area in front of the warehouse, leaving only a few behind.

"I hope the captain is doing well," A-Qiang thought to himself.

Inside the warehouse, Li Chuan and Xiao Wu had already poured fuel over most of the supplies. They dipped strips of cloth into the fuel to create makeshift fuses and lit the first one.

Flames spread rapidly, and the warehouse was suddenly filled with light. The stacked crates and sacks ignited instantly, and thick smoke poured through the gaps, quickly filling the entire storage room.

"Go! If the fire gets out of control, we'll be trapped!" Li Chuan shouted. He and Xiao Wu quickly retreated into the waterway and swam out from the base of the warehouse.

As they climbed back onto the shore, they heard shouts and cries in the distance. Clearly, the Wokou had discovered the fire and were rushing from all parts of the bay to put it out.

Li Chuan and his team successfully regrouped at the rendezvous point, but during their retreat, they were pursued by a Wokou patrol boat. The enemy's torches lit up the darkness, and piercing whistles echoed across the sea.

"Board the boat! Quickly!" Li Chuan commanded. Everyone scrambled onto their waiting small boat. They cast off the lines and rowed at full speed with the current, heading away from Sancha Bay.

The Wokou ship pursued them relentlessly, even firing arrows. Li Chuan made a swift decision, ordering his men to cast their pre-prepared fishing nets into the water.

"Quick! Slow down!" he commanded quietly.

The nets spread out in the water, and the Wokou ship plowed straight into them. The enemy, with their hull entangled, instantly lost speed. The pursuing ships behind them were forced to stop to untangle the nets, giving Li Chuan and his team precious time to escape.

Finally shaking off the pursuit, Li Chuan and his team returned to a safe hideout. Looking at the thick smoke and fire rising from the direction of Sancha Bay, they felt a complex mix of emotions.

"Captain, we did it!" Xiao Wu said excitedly.

"This is just the beginning," Li Chuan said with a cold smile. "Xie Tonghai and the Wokou will not give up easily. We are going to face even greater challenges next."

Nevertheless, today's victory gave them endless confidence and hope. They knew that as long as they stood united, they could defeat the enemy and protect their home.

Li Chuan and his men quickly withdrew from Sancha Bay. Although they had successfully destroyed the Wokou's supplies, the flames from the warehouse still burned in the night, illuminating the entire sea. The Wokou patrols were delayed, but Li Chuan did not dare to lower his guard; he knew the Wokou's retaliation would follow them like a shadow. Having suffered heavy losses, the Wokou would surely vent their fury on the fishing village and might even increase their oppression of the villagers.

As they sailed across the dark sea, far from the main Wokou fleet, Li Chuan whispered instructions to his men: "We must return to the safe house tonight to ensure our supplies and combat readiness remain intact. Tomorrow, we will immediately begin preparing for the counterattack."

The fleet sailed east with the tide. Li Chuan ordered his men to remain as quiet as possible to avoid attracting enemy attention. During the voyage, he silently planned their next moves. Although they had destroyed the Wokou's vital supplies, the battle was far from over. Xie Tonghai and the Wokou would never willingly relinquish their control over the coastal region.

The next morning, Li Chuan and his team returned to the fishing village. The villagers were overjoyed to see them return, but Li Chuan could not shake his vigilance.

"Report, Captain! A large number of enemy ships are approaching from the east!" a villager ran over, breathless.

Li Chuan immediately gathered all his team members for an emergency tactical meeting. Through the scouts' reports, he learned that the Wokou fleet was assembling on the sea, clearly to retaliate for last night's raid. The Wokou were preparing a large-scale counterattack.

"Their target is the fishing village!" Li Chuan said calmly. "No matter how many enemies there are, we must protect the villagers and ensure the village's defensive line is not broken."

A picture formed in Li Chuan's mind—the Wokou would surely use their numerical advantage to close in on the village, and Xie Tonghai's methods were always ruthless; he would not let them off easily. Li Chuan made a swift decision: "We need to evacuate the women, children, and the elderly to the temporary shelters before the enemy arrives, and concentrate our efforts on defense."

The emergency evacuation began as villagers started moving their belongings and families to the shelters. Meanwhile, Li Chuan commanded the fishing fleet to prepare for defense. They reinforced their fortifications, utilized the natural terrain around the village, deployed snipers and artillery positions, and set up an impenetrable line of defense.

As night fell, the village's defenses were in place, and Li Chuan led his team to hide in pre-prepared positions. At that moment, the sounds of drums and whistles from ships echoed across the distant sea—the Wokou fleet had finally arrived.

"Prepare for battle!" Li Chuan ordered in a low voice. As the horn sounded, the fishing fleet assembled quickly, and the battle entered its final stage.

The enemy fleet was vast. Li Chuan knew clearly that they could not fight head-on; he had to use the advantage of the terrain and guerrilla tactics to repel the enemy. He had already made full preparations: every ship in the fishing fleet was equipped with fire-attack devices, and artillery positions were set up on the hills around the village, ready to suppress the incoming enemy at any moment.

"Remember, wait until the enemy enters the ambush zone before attacking!" Li Chuan reminded every member.

The Wokou fleet moved closer, clearly unaware that the fishing fleet was already hidden in the shadows. Li Chuan stared intently at the enemy ships, waiting for the most opportune moment.

Finally, the enemy ships entered the designated ambush zone. Li Chuan gave the order: "Ignite the fire ships! Concentrate your fire!"

Following Li Chuan's command, the fishing fleet quickly ignited the pre-prepared oil, and the flames, like meteors in the night, lunged toward the Wokou fleet.

The fire ships slid rapidly across the water. Caught off guard, the Wokou fleet scrambled to send crew members to put out the flames. Seizing this gap, Li Chuan's fleet launched their attack. They struck the enemy ships with arrows and gunpowder, precisely targeting their weakest points.

In this sudden naval battle, Li Chuan used clever tactics and meticulous planning to quickly suppress the Wokou's counterattack. The fishing fleet fought the Wokou warships for several hours, and in the end, Li Chuan successfully repelled the majority of the Wokou fleet, inflicting heavy losses on the enemy.

Although the fishing fleet had successfully thwarted the Wokou's offensive, the cost was not insignificant. After the battle, Li Chuan checked on the wounded and found that several men had been injured, and almost all the ships involved in the battle had sustained varying degrees of damage.

"We won, but the price of this battle was too high," Li Chuan told his men. "Next, we must focus our strength on repairing the ships and ensuring the safety of the fishing village."

Under Li Chuan's leadership, the fishing village returned to a brief moment of peace. Although the joy of victory filled the air for a moment, everyone knew that the threat of the Wokou had not ended, and Xie Tonghai was still pulling the strings from behind the scenes.

Li Chuan had no time to celebrate; he was already considering his next strategy. Since they had successfully repelled the Wokou fleet, the next task was to figure out how to thoroughly strike at Xie Tonghai, destroy the trade network behind him, and sever his connection with the Wokou in order to fundamentally eliminate the threat.

"Behind Xie Tonghai lies a massive power; this war is not as simple as just dealing with the Wokou," Li Chuan pondered his future plans. "I must find a way to completely break their alliance if I am to win true peace for the villagers."

With this deep contemplation, Li Chuan's eyes became even more resolute. For him, the struggle was far from over.