Chapter 33: Strategic Layouts and Undercurrents

Page 1 of 3

Morning sunlight spilled across the sea, setting the waves glittering, while the faint smell of gunpowder lingered in the air. The fishing village pier was packed with villagers waiting to welcome their loved ones home. Tears glimmered in their eyes as they watched the fishing boats slowly make their way back.

The boats were crowded with rescued villagers. Their clothes were ragged, but nothing could conceal the joy in their eyes.

“Mother!”

A little girl was the first to break through the crowd. She threw herself into the arms of a middle-aged woman coming down from the boat. The woman held her tightly, tears streaming down her face.

“My child, Mother’s home!”

Scenes like this unfolded again and again, cheers and sobs blending into one overwhelming chorus. Standing at the bow, Li Chuan watched it all with the faintest smile on his lips. Relief spread through his heart. At last, all their efforts had not been in vain.

When Li Chuan stepped off the boat, the entire pier erupted.

“Li Chuan! Li Chuan! Our hero!”

The villagers shouted his name. Some even knelt and bowed their heads to him in gratitude. Li Chuan hurried forward and helped an elderly man to his feet.

“Uncle, there’s no need for this. I only did what had to be done.”

“Brother Chuan, you truly saved our entire village this time!” Liu Hao slapped him on the shoulder with a hearty laugh. “How about we throw you a hundred-chicken feast tonight?”

“You only ever think about food.” Li Chuan shook his head with a laugh. “Everyone has worked hard. We should certainly celebrate properly tonight, but don’t forget to make arrangements for the rescued villagers.”

Liu Hao nodded. “Leave it to me!”

That night, the fishing village was decorated with lanterns and streamers, while bonfires cast a red glow across the entire beach. The villagers brought out the finest ingredients in their homes and prepared a lavish feast. Young men and women danced and sang around the fires, while children played and chased one another nearby. The whole village was filled with a joy it had not known for far too long.

“Brother Chuan, have a drink!” Liu Hao approached Li Chuan carrying a bowl of wine, his face already flushed. “This one is from everyone!”

Li Chuan accepted the bowl and drained it in one go.

“Good wine!”

The villagers gathered around him, eager to toast him in turn. As he drank, Li Chuan smiled and said, “Winning this battle was not my achievement alone. It was the result of the entire village working together. Let me raise a toast to all of you!”

Another wave of cheers rose into the night.

As the celebration gradually died down, Li Chuan walked alone to the entrance of the village and stared absently toward the distant sea. He held a jug of wine in his hand but did not drink from it.

“What’s this? Drinking alone to drown your sorrows?”

Liu Hao came up behind him, carrying a jug of his own.

“No. There’s just something I can’t quite let go of.” Li Chuan sighed. “Although we won, we also lost many people.”

“Does any victory come without bloodshed?” Liu Hao sat down and patted him on the shoulder. “Those brothers understood that they were fighting so all of us could survive.”

“I know.” Li Chuan nodded, his voice low. “But I can’t help feeling that we’re still not strong enough. What will we do if the enemy comes again—or if the next enemy is even stronger?”

Liu Hao was silent for a moment before saying, “You think too much. Besides, with you here, what do we have to fear?”

Li Chuan gave a bitter smile and shook his head. “I only want everyone to live in peace, without ever having to go through something like this again.”

Early the next morning, Li Chuan summoned the villagers and assigned them their postwar tasks. He paid special attention to the wounded, instructing the village’s finest physician to treat them first. At the same time, he led the villagers in holding a solemn funeral for the fishermen who had fallen in battle.

“They traded their lives for our peace. We must never forget them,” Li Chuan said at the funeral, tears glimmering in his eyes.

The villagers lowered their heads in silent mourning, their respect and trust in him growing even stronger.

At the same time, Xie Tonghai, commander of the captured Japanese pirates, was being held in a warehouse in the fishing village. His body was covered in wounds, yet his arrogant expression remained unchanged.

“Tell me. Who is behind you?” Li Chuan sat before him, his tone cold but carrying a hint of authority.

Xie Tonghai grinned. “Even if you find out, what can you do? They are not people a few petty fishermen like you can handle.”

“Try keeping quiet.” Liu Hao stood to one side and waved the dagger in his hand. “I wouldn’t mind letting you feel again how this blade carves into flesh.”

Page 1 of 3

Page 2 of 3

Xie Tonghai’s smile froze instantly. He stared at Li Chuan for a long while before finally speaking.

“Fine. I’ll tell you. I’m only a minor underling. The real person pulling the strings is a merchant from the Central Plains. He supplies us with weapons and provisions, then has us raid villages and eliminate his rivals in the coastal trade.”

“His name.” Li Chuan looked straight into his eyes.

“His surname is Qin. I don’t know his given name. His influence extends across the entire coast. Trying to oppose him would be no different from smashing an egg against a rock.”

Li Chuan’s brow furrowed slightly, but his resolve had already hardened.

“No matter what, we will not allow someone like him to continue endangering our home.”

Though the celebrations in the fishing village had ended, a greater crisis was already drawing near in silence. Li Chuan understood that the real war had only just begun. Returning to his room, he spread out a map and began considering his next move.

“Strengthen the defenses, investigate this Qin merchant, find his weakness, and destroy him completely.”

Beneath the moonlight, his figure stood firm as iron, like an unbreakable line of defense.

The fishing village was filled with an atmosphere of tension and order the next morning. Though they had only just won a battle, Li Chuan knew it was merely the prelude to a storm. The enemy lurked in the shadows, and the village had to make every possible preparation in advance.

On a stretch of beach, Li Chuan gathered the village’s strongest workers and held a meeting to plan the defenses.

“Everyone, Xie Tonghai’s confession made me realize something. The Japanese pirates are merely pawns being controlled by someone else. Our true enemy is that merchant from the Central Plains—the man known as Qin.” Li Chuan swept his gaze across the crowd. “To deal with him, we must first secure our own home.”

Liu Hao nodded. “Brother Chuan, just give the orders!”

“First, we need to strengthen our maritime patrols.” Li Chuan pointed to the map at the village entrance. “I plan to convert old ships into floating barriers and place them outside the harbor, forming a blockade to prevent enemy vessels from entering easily.”

“Good idea!” Liu Hao laughed. “If the enemy wants to get in, they’ll have to overturn the boats first.”

“Second, I’ll have more watchtowers established along the shore, with men assigned in shifts. We must be able to detect enemy movements in time, whether day or night.”

“But what about weapons, Brother Chuan?” Old Zhang raised a question. “We used up a great deal of our arrows and gunpowder in the last battle.”

“An important point.” Li Chuan nodded. “That will depend on our blacksmith. Uncle Chen, please lead your men in forging a fresh batch of weapons through the night. At the same time, see if you can improve the range of our crossbows.”

Blacksmith Chen thumped his chest confidently. “Brother Chuan, leave it to us. We’ll have them ready within three days!”

While the village defenses were being arranged, Li Chuan dispatched a skilled squad to the nearby port city to gather information about the so-called Qin merchant. He carefully selected several quick-witted fishermen, disguised them as seafood traders, and had them infiltrate a merchant caravan.

“Remember, keep a low profile. Find out the extent of Qin’s operations and the network of his businesses, but under no circumstances reveal your identities.” Before they departed, Li Chuan gave them one final warning. “If you sense danger, withdraw immediately. Your safety comes first.”

The scouts nodded firmly.

“Don’t worry, Brother Chuan. We’ll be careful!”

Toward evening, a fisherman hurried to Li Chuan’s residence with a letter in his hands.

“Brother Chuan, this was sent from the city.”

Li Chuan accepted the envelope. A strange pattern had been carved into the sealing wax. He unfolded the letter, and his brows gradually drew together.

“Li Chuan: You think victory is already within your grasp, yet you do not realize that an even greater storm is bearing down upon you. Surrender while you still have the sense to do so, and perhaps your life may be spared.”

Liu Hao leaned over to read it and cursed angrily.

“Damn bastard! He’s provoking us!”

“This is more than a provocation. He’s testing our reaction.” Li Chuan gave a cold laugh. “Since he’s so eager, we’ll give him a surprise.”

“What do you plan to do?”

Li Chuan folded the letter.

“Continue laying our plans and strengthen the defenses. Have the scouts send word the moment they uncover anything important.”

Two days later, the watchtower sent word that several unfamiliar ships had appeared in the open sea beyond the village entrance.

Liu Hao hurried to Li Chuan’s side.

“Brother Chuan, they look like scout ships sent ahead by the enemy. Should we take them out?”

Page 2 of 3

Page 3 of 3

Li Chuan pondered for a moment, then shook his head.

“No. Don’t alert them. Let them come closer and investigate. Our people only need to observe them from the shadows. It would be even better if we could capture someone alive.”

The unfamiliar ships did indeed draw closer, sailing cautiously along the waters near the village. The people aboard were clearly unfamiliar with the terrain, stopping repeatedly to study their surroundings.

“Move!”

At Li Chuan’s command, the fishermen who had long been lying in ambush near the beach sprang into action. They rowed their small boats silently toward the enemy vessels, used grappling hooks to secure them firmly, and then leapt onto the decks.

The enemy was caught completely off guard and was quickly subdued.

“Who sent you?” Liu Hao seized one of the terrified soldiers and demanded harshly.

“I… We are…”

The trembling soldier had barely begun to speak when the leader beside him barked, “Shut up!”

Li Chuan strode forward with a cold smile and fixed his gaze on the enemy commander.

“You won’t talk? Fine. I have plenty of ways to make you speak.”

The commander clenched his teeth, stubbornness written across his face.

“Hao, take them back and question them your way,” Li Chuan ordered with a wave of his hand. “But don’t kill them. Leave them breathing.”

After capturing the enemy, the villagers held another emergency meeting.

“Brother Chuan, these ships look like a small detachment. If they really were sent by Qin, then we’re certain to face another hard battle soon,” Blacksmith Chen said with a frown.

“That’s right. We may have just won a battle, but our weapons and manpower have been badly depleted. Can we really withstand another attack?” another villager asked anxiously.

Li Chuan nodded.

“I understand everyone’s concerns. But remember this: we are defending our own home. Only by standing together do we have any chance of survival.”

“Brother Chuan is right!” Liu Hao stepped forward to encourage them. “What haven’t we faced already? Even if another group comes, we’ll cut them down like vegetables!”

His boldness inspired the villagers, and they shouted their agreement.

“That’s right! We’re not afraid!”

Late that night, Liu Hao returned with a crucial piece of intelligence.

“Brother Chuan, the commander finally broke.” Liu Hao’s expression was grave. “He says Qin is organizing a large fleet and preparing to launch an all-out attack against us.”

Li Chuan’s face darkened.

“How large?”

“At least ten large ships and several dozen smaller ones, according to him.” Liu Hao lowered his voice. “This was only a probe. The real killing blow is still to come.”

“So the enemy truly has no intention of letting us go.” Li Chuan gave a cold laugh. “Good. Then we’ll use this time to strike first.”

Liu Hao asked in confusion, “What do you mean?”

“We take the initiative.” Li Chuan’s gaze sharpened. “We’ll move the battlefield to the sea, weaken their forces before they arrive, then coordinate with the village defenses and crush them in one decisive blow!”

Liu Hao clenched his fist in excitement.

“Good! That’s how we should fight!”

Li Chuan summoned the villagers once more and announced his plan to launch a preemptive strike.

“Everyone, don’t worry. This is not recklessness; it is necessary.” Li Chuan explained calmly. “We cannot remain passive and take blow after blow. This time, I will make the enemy understand that our fishing village is no easy target!”

The villagers responded one after another.

“We’ll follow Brother Chuan!”

The air of battle once again descended over the fishing village. Every person gave their all, preparing for the great battle that was soon to come.

Page 3 of 3