Section 4: Assault on Wei Family Island!
2013-02-09 Author: Gu Zhenren
The cabin fell silent for a moment.
Chu Yun truly dropped a bombshell, proposing to capture Wei Family Island.
What is audaciousness? This is audaciousness! To target an island of city-level significance with a small force of four hundred men.
Chu Yun scanned the room, noting the shocked expressions of most people. Only Yan Que and Jin Bihan appeared contemplative.
A slight smile touched Chu Yun’s lips as he asked them, “What are your thoughts?”
“Attacking Wei Family Island carries immense risk. However, if successful, the benefits will be substantial. We have the Wei Family’s fleet to cover our tracks, and Shi Jiaming’s excellent disguise techniques. Infiltrating Wei Family’s main island smoothly shouldn’t be a major issue,” Yan Que mused, a frown on his brow.
“The key is that this plan, whether it succeeds or fails, will draw the attention of the allied forces towards us. If we can tie down some of their troops in this sea area, it will greatly alleviate the pressure on Shu Family Island,” Jin Bihan guessed half of Chu Yun’s intention. “Could it be that this time, I am to play the role of Dian Longtao?”
Chu Yun nodded with a smile, “Precisely. This is still a feint, but this time we will be posing as a defeated force…”
Once the decision was made, orders were passed down level by level. Master Yu Ya almost had his eyes pop out when he first heard the command.
To covet a city-level island with such a force. He thought he understood Chu Yun, but now he realized he had drastically underestimated Chu Yun’s audacity.
Capturing a city-level island is no easy feat. There are two immediate challenges: the Demonic Beasts in the Earth Altar and Wei Family City itself.
The Demonic Beasts raised in the Earth Altar are typically Great Demon level, posing a significant problem. Normally, they reside within the altar, receiving offerings from the islanders. However, when intruders attack, they are unleashed onto the battlefield to repel the enemy.
And if the city itself is not taken, even if the entire island is captured, there’s always the risk of a counterattack from within the city, leading to a complete failure. Yet, Wei Family City has been fortified over generations to be as solid as iron.
It has been estimated that at least ten thousand soldiers would be required for a direct assault to capture it.
With Chu Yun’s small force of merely four hundred men, it was akin to an egg hitting a rock!
However, military orders are absolute. Since Chu Yun was determined, Master Yu Ya could only follow Chu Yun’s instructions and modify the ships to appear damaged, as if they had just survived a brutal and tragic battle.
The fleet was then split in half: two supply ships and one ordinary warship, led by Jin Bihan with Yan Que assisting, were to act as the defeated force, sailing openly towards Wei Family Island.
Meanwhile, Chu Yun led the remaining warships, proceeding slowly and secretly towards the waters around Wei Family Island.
Among the fourteen powers allied to besiege the Shu Family, the Tie Family, Hua Family, Ning Family, and Fang Family were first-tier powers, while the rest were second-tier. Wei Family Island belonged to the mid-tier of the second-tier. Due to its proximity to the Coral Forest, one of the seven great wonders of Xingzhou, its tourism industry was highly developed. In terms of wealth generated, it had once far surpassed Shu Family Island, but now, with the sea salt trade, they were on par.
Wei Family Island’s territory bordered Shu Family Island’s. As Shu Family Island rose in power, Wei Family Island naturally could not stand idly by. Furthermore, they had signed a sea salt trade agreement with Shu Family Island. These conflicts of interest led Wei Family Island to join the coalition against the Shu Family, dispatching their chief general, Suo Nan.
“Wei Family Island is a second-tier power, but being a tourist destination, its military strength has always been considerable. They have three fleets: one permanently stationed at the main island’s harbor, and two patrolling the waters. The fleet led by Suo Nan has already been annihilated by me. If this feint operation succeeds even partially, we can eliminate their second fleet. If it succeeds entirely, capturing Wei Family Island will not be impossible!”
Chu Yun watched Jin Bihan depart, calculating in his mind.
In his past life’s memories, within six months from this point, a genius named Ning Tianwang would emerge on Ning Family Island. He would lead the people, abandoning Ning Family’s traditionally weak and effeminate style, and adopt a tough and desperate approach.
It was under this person’s leadership that the Ning Family, a year and a half later, captured Wei Family Island overnight through a feint, shocking the world.
Chu Yun increasingly felt the benefit of his past life’s memories. This current strategy was inspired by Ning Tianwang’s tactics. Even if Wei Family Island could not be captured, it would suffer significant losses, rendering it paralyzed and unable to participate in further campaigns against Shu Family Island.
2:00 AM.
Chu Yun divided his forces. Jin Bihan’s group proceeded openly towards Wei Family’s main island. Chu Yun’s group, utilizing the thick darkness of the night, moved stealthily.
3:30 AM.
Chu Yun reached the maximum stealth range and was forced to halt his advance, ordering the fleet to hide in the shadows of a secluded, desolate island.
Wei Family’s main island was a city-level island, surrounded by several town-level and village-level islands, dotting the Wei Family’s waters like pearls.
Chu Yun had bypassed the alert lines of some islands but could not proceed further. Any further advance would alert the enemy.
The waiting time was long.
This kind of waiting was particularly agonizing.
This was Chu Yun’s first time executing such a surprise attack, and he was aware of the immense risks involved. He gazed intently in the direction of Wei Family Island, but still saw no sign of the agreed-upon signal fire.
4:15 AM.
Chu Yun paced on the deck, occasionally looking towards Wei Family Island, his heart filled with anxiety. “It’s already been thirty minutes past the agreed time. How is the feint operation progressing? Is it nearing success, or has it been discovered?”
4:20 AM.
Chu Yun knew he had to make a decision. Dawn was breaking, and if he lingered any longer, his movements would surely be discovered.
Should he retreat or continue forward?
He lacked an estimate of the battlefield situation. Standard naval battles use flag signals for communication. Communication-type Demonic Beasts were expensive and extremely rare, with only a few Island Countries possessing them. They were almost nonexistent in the Archipelago.
Consequently, night battles were generally avoided due to poor visibility for flag signals.
Chu Yun had won two naval battles: one against the Scarred Wolf Pirate Group and another against General Suo Nan. Both occurred during chaotic engagements where flag signals became useless, allowing for a decisive surprise attack.
Now, he faced a similar predicament.
4:30 AM.
Chu Yun’s body trembled, and his face lit up with ecstatic joy. He finally saw the signal fires emanating from the direction of Wei Family Island!
“Charge! Charge! Full fleet charge!” he roared. The flagship treasure ship surged ahead, cutting through the waves, followed by eight ordinary warships, like wolves and tigers.
“What? An enemy fleet!” The guards were the first to spot the fleet, their eyes wide with disbelief.
“Quick, set up an interception line!” someone shouted in panic. Chaos ensued as they scrambled.
However, it was too fast.
Chu Yun’s fleet appeared too suddenly. By the time they reacted, the line had already been breached, and the fleet had sped away.
They were left staring at the fleet in stunned silence as it ferociously charged towards the smoke-filled Wei Family Island.
5:00 AM.
Chu Yun arrived at Wei Family’s main island. At a glance, he saw flames raging at the harbor, thick smoke billowing, nearly ten warships burning fiercely, crippled. The island was in disarray, with every rustle of leaves and shadow creating a sense of panic, plunging into chaos.
Most striking was a Great Demon, a Dragon Turtle, tens of feet tall, resembling a small mountain, rampaging within Wei Family City, exuding a terrifying aura of demonic frenzy.
Chu Yun was overjoyed. He knew the plan had been fully executed. This Dragon Turtle was the Great Demon from the Earth Altar.
Standing at the bow, brandishing the Drunken Snow Saber, he roared at his troops behind him, “The enemy was careless, believing their defenses impenetrable, allowing our surprise attack to succeed! Enough said, let us sweep through the entire enemy force and land!”
“How could this be? Where are my Earth Altar Beast Tamers? Where is my fleet? Why is the defending general so late?” The island master of Wei Family Island, with his grizzled hair, aquiline nose, and appearing to be in his fifties or sixties, stood holding a pair of Great Demon bronze hooks, watching the Dragon Turtle wreak havoc in the city, cursing in anger.
“Island Master, the defending general is delayed. A large number of enemy spies have infiltrated the city and are causing destruction everywhere! The Earth Altar Beast Tamers are likely in grave danger, and the Earth Altar’s Great Demon has gone berserk, attacking friend and foe alike! Our garrison fleet has been completely wiped out!” The defending general, clad in Lesser Demon armor and wielding a Great Demon Soldier’s iron ring saber, knelt before the Island Master, reporting urgently.
“What?!” The Wei Family Island Master’s body trembled, his face instantly turning as pale as a dead man.
He looked up at the sky in disbelief and cried out, “How could this be?! How could this be?! How did my impregnable Wei Family main island become like this overnight?!”
Things had changed too fast, too suddenly.
Just moments ago, it had been a quiet, peaceful night. Everything had been developing positively. Before going to sleep, the Wei Family Island Master was still anticipating the profits he would gain from this siege of the Shu Family.
But unexpectedly, shortly after falling asleep, he was awakened by suspicious commotion. Just as he was about to curse, the commotion suddenly escalated, followed by continuous explosions!
He quickly got up and climbed to a vantage point, only to witness a scene that caught him completely off guard. In the direction of the military harbor, a sky-high fire blazed, the island was in chaos, and islanders were fleeing in panic. The Great Demonic Beast Dragon Turtle from the Earth Altar was now rampaging on the island, in a frenzy, indiscriminately attacking.
Following this, the Wei Family Island’s defending general, leading the guards, went to suppress it. The result was a crushing defeat, and they inadvertently led the berserk Dragon Turtle into Wei Family City.
“What kind of command was that, lacking even basic formation? You thought you could suppress a Dragon Turtle?!” The Wei Family Island Master recovered, forced himself to calm down, and said in a tone betraying his panic, “You have truly disappointed me. This is your last chance to redeem yourself. Regardless of the current situation, first lure the Dragon Turtle out of Wei Family City. It cannot be allowed to continue its destruction!”
“Thank you for your grace, Island Master. Your subordinate accepts the order!” The defending general stood up, and just as he was about to retreat, he suddenly turned, brandishing his saber, and lunged at the Wei Family Island Master!
