Chapter 357: Section 144: Navy Mobilization
After reporting the situation to Navy Marshal Yan Tan, Wei Sheng immediately rushed to the battle room.
On the way there, an intelligence officer ran up to him with a delighted expression, “Sir, we’ve located the Justice Pirate Group.”
“Well done!” Wei Sheng was slightly surprised as he quickly took the military report.
After looking over it for a moment, he revealed a hint of bemusement.
The Justice Pirate Group was so bold as to make such a move, daring to contact the empire’s spies after this incident and enter the empire’s secret military port for resupply!
But almost immediately, a glint flashed in Wei Sheng’s eyes as he realized what was behind the military report.
“No, these guys are cunning, playing a timing game with us.”
“The transmission of intelligence does take time.”
“Their actions are still extremely risky. It seems that although they managed to retreat successfully, they are in very bad shape, and their need for supplies is urgent!”
With that supposition, Wei Sheng strode into the battle room.
A huge military map that exuded the aura of the Holy Domain Level was affixed to the wall.
This was a Magic Map, and the emblems symbolizing specific Navy warships moved in real time upon it.
Wei Sheng reached out to touch the map’s surface.
His Fighting energy flashed and was gone, while his Spirit was infused into the map through his Fighting energy.
He began to manipulate the map, which changed.
The map immediately expanded, revealing a sea area that was marked much more precisely than before, with the center being Knife Island.
Wei Sheng caught sight of the symbols for two fleets stationed on Knife Island at a glance.
A bolt of lightning crossed his mind, and his eyes flashed again with sharpness, “Oh? Both Tan Mo and General Kan Qiao are on Knife Island. What good luck!”
He immediately recalled that General Kan Qiao’s fleet was there for an emergency resupply, whereas Tan Mo had gone to Knife Island to investigate a corruption case.
These would normally be minor matters, lost among other heavy military affairs and not very noticeable, but they now became vividly clear.
Facing the map, Wei Sheng’s thoughts flashed like lightning, “According to the intelligence, the state of the Justice Pirate Group is extremely poor. Although they have the actual body of the Goddess Mei Lan, the Goddess has been in a deep slumber all this while. Even during the battle of Sky Pillar, she didn’t truly awaken but kept conjuring false divine avatars to deal with Barbarian powerhouses.”
“The captain of the Justice Pirate Group, Long Fu, is actually the Divine Son of the Charming Blue Sect, but he has not grown significantly, with his real Cultivation being only at the Silver Level.”
“Below Long Fu is the Half-Beast Lion Flag. This fellow’s Cultivation is a bit more formidable, reaching the Peak of Silver Level. It seems he sustained serious injuries during the battle of Sky Pillar.”
“Besides him, there’s Di Lou. A Silver Level bard, specialized in… uh, urine flow songs…”
“The last notable threat is Old Zhong. Usually well-disguised, he is, in fact, an Undead Mage, albeit at the Black Iron Level.”
“There’s also a Silver Level Undead Mage, who was part of the Justice Pirate Group. However, during the battle of Sky Pillar, in order to hold off the Barbarian offensive, he did not hesitate to detonate himself and perished—a suspected follower of the Charming Blue Sect and extremely loyal.”
“The greatest threat among the conventional forces is actually that Golden Level alchemical demon energy ship with a fish-like appearance, which must be very adept at underwater combat.”
Within a few short seconds, Wei Sheng had accurately assessed the combat strength of the Justice Pirate Group.
“Issue a top-level military command!” Wei Sheng, with his eyes ablaze with brilliance and after pondering, resolutely ordered, “The Kan Qiao Fleet and Tan Mo Fleet are to fight with all their might, to capture or kill all members of the Justice Pirate Group!”
“Yes!” The subordinate immediately responded loudly.
“Another order,” Wei Sheng continued, “the City Lord of Dun Dao City must cooperate in combat, without any delay or dragging of feet. Victory in this battle will be rewarded, with merits calculated at ten times the normal standard.”
“Yes!”
Wei Sheng reduced the size of the Magic Map and quickly checked the other Navy warships around the Knife Mountain Island area.
He issued another order, directing these warships to rapidly approach Knife Mountain Island and to maintain maximum alert along the way, forming an interception formation to prevent any possible escape by the Justice Pirate Group.
Finally, he pondered for a moment, “We need not wait for the Marshal anymore. We set off immediately, straight to Knife Mountain Island!”
In the Big Military Port, countless personnel sprang into action with remarkable speed.
Wei Sheng boarded his Twin Sword warship, leading almost all of the Navy warships in a grand departure from the harbor. Only a small contingent of the Navy remained behind, signaling a full mobilization.
He stood at the bow, with the sea breeze howling and his cloak billowing.
Yet his eyebrows and spiked hair were utterly still amidst the strong wind.
“The whims of gods are beyond conjecture!”
“The Justice Pirate Group is not to be feared, but the true terror is the actual body of Mei Lan.”
“No one knows whether she can still awaken or how much fighting power remains!”
“Let General Kan Qiao, Tan Mo, and the City Lord of Dun Dao City test the waters. Even if it means sacrificing them all, as long as they can probe the remaining fighting strength of Mei Lan, it will be entirely worth it.”
Wei Sheng gazed out where sea and sky met, his eyes sharp and cold.
Military intelligence was communicated to Knife Mountain Island at the fastest speed.
“What? A special military order! Telling me to launch a full assault and must annihilate the Justice Pirate Group? And also that the fleets of Tan Mo and the City Lord of Dun Dao City will work together in this battle?” General Kan Qiao received this military order and was greatly shocked.
The First Officer’s face was somber: “This is a direct order from Navy Headquarters. What crime has the Justice Pirate Group committed to warrant the combined efforts of three Golden Fighters and two Navy fleets against them?”
“Hmph! I’ve always felt that there was something off about this pirate group,” General Kan Qiao said through gritted teeth. “Since when do pirates claim to be just? Throughout history, only the most wicked and deranged criminals believe they are righteous, and the whole world is wrong!! Gather everyone; we strike directly at their pirate ship.”
The First Officer immediately interjected, “Vice Admiral, isn’t a blind attack unwise?”
“The military order explicitly dictates for our side, alongside the fleet of Tan Mo and the City Lord of Dun Dao City, to capture or kill the entire Justice Pirate Group.”
“Our forces are too strong; why would the usually cunning and strategic Navy Headquarters waste such precious fleet power?”
“Clearly, this pirate group is hiding significant strength, leading Navy Headquarters to believe that only our three forces combined can execute their capture or kill.”
“I suggest we immediately contact the other two sides to discuss a joint operation plan,” advised the First Officer.
General Kan Qiao fell into contemplation.
Though he was impetuous, he was not foolish.
He detested the First Officer, who often disagreed with him, but deep down, he was well aware: the First Officer was a good soldier, performing his duties and considering the best interests of the entire fleet in his own way.
After some thought, General Kan Qiao still shook his head, “If the Justice Pirate Group were concealing their strength, it would surely be explicitly mentioned in the orders from Navy Headquarters.”
“If nothing specific is stated, either the Justice Pirate Group’s power is as it appears to be, or the hidden strength has not been precisely determined by Navy Headquarters.”
“But the Justice Pirate Group must have committed a major crime, likely involving something they looted that is highly important and must be reclaimed immediately. That’s why there is such a great show of force, with a will to win, against a mere pirate group.”
“Contacting the other two parties is a must.”
“But we also need to take action in advance. Don’t forget, their ships are docked at the port, and now is the best time to attack. If we let them escape to the sea, it will be even more troublesome.”
“Even if the Justice Pirate Group has concealed their strength, our attack can still probe out many pieces of key intelligence, providing great assistance to our allies.”
General Kan Qiao’s words and demeanor both revealed his resolute will.
The First Officer sighed softly, very familiar with Kan Qiao’s nature and admiring his spirit of selflessness, “Then, please issue the orders, Vice Admiral.”
Just as General Kan Qiao was mustering his troops for a direct assault on the Justice Pirate Group’s ships, Tan Mo and the City Lord of Dun Dao City also received the military order.
“My lord, this is actually a top-priority military order!” The First Officer was very nervous, “We must act immediately, can’t be paralyzed and delayed. Otherwise, we might end up in a military court.”
Tan Mo’s face was unhappy.
He was selecting treasures in the treasury, trying to probe the bottom line of the City Lord of Dun Dao City, when this incident occurred.
Looking at the military order in his hands, Tan Mo felt as if the thin piece of paper was burning his hands.
“Dangerous!”
“This military order is too bizarre.”
“A top-priority military order, and to mobilize such a large force, assembling three Gold Level powerhouses to deal with an unknown pirate group?”
“The waters run deep here!”
Vice Admiral Tan Mo was not familiar with the Justice Pirate Group.
The Justice Pirate Group had indeed taken out the Golden and Silver Hook brothers, but that merely brought them a bit of fame. In fact, the Life Sect’s bishop later issued orders to suppress the spread of this accomplishment.
It was Vice Admiral You-mian-guang who not only plundered the gold and silver islands but also planned ambushes for several pirate groups. He was the one who stood out.
Vice Admiral Tan Mo was a sly and cunning person, so it was normal for him not to recognize the Justice Pirate Group. If there were members of the Justice Pirate Group with Gold Level strength, he would take them seriously.
“Top-priority military orders cannot be disobeyed; we must take action immediately!” Vice Admiral Tan Mo winked at his First Officer, “Even if our warships collide with each other at the port and nearly run aground due to leaving in too much of a hurry, we must do our best to rush to Knife Harbor and capture the Justice Pirate Group.”
The First Officer blinked, understanding the intentions of his superior but still could not help expressing his anxiety, “Lord, this is a top-priority military order, not an ordinary one.”
“Carry out the order!” Tan Mo glared fiercely at the First Officer.
The First Officer trembled all over and immediately accepted the order to leave.
Beside him, the City Lord of Dun Dao City, who had witnessed the entire conversation, was stunned and gained a new understanding of the power behind Vice Admiral Tan Mo.
The City Lord was forced to hand over the Ship Spirit Repair Scroll and was also extorted by Vice Admiral Tan Mo, naturally not willing to accept the military order.
He was not under the direct command of the Navy, but rather recruited by the Empire. This recruitment was only nominal allegiance to the Empire; in reality, Dun Dao City was an autonomous faction.
Moreover, this military order was very peculiar, making the City Lord unable to grasp the full situation and inherently unwilling to take risks.
The City Lord of Dun Dao City stared at Vice Admiral Tan Mo and suddenly said, “The Justice Pirate Group is ruthless and vicious, actually setting up an ambush in the city! Over a dozen pirates lay in ambush, specifically targeting me with sinister and ruthless methods. They secretly placed Alchemy Bombs throughout Dun Dao City.”
“To carry out the military order, and even more so to protect the lives of the city’s residents, I fought with all my might, undaunted to the end, and managed to repel the members of the pirate group. Despite suffering injuries, I still went around disarming Alchemy Bombs, yet this caused a delay in setting out, and I was completely helpless!”
Upon hearing this, Vice Admiral Tan Mo’s eyes brightened, and he laughed heartily, “Good, the Justice Pirate Group’s strength is formidable, actually hiding Gold Level powerhouses. This Vice Admiral was investigating the case of the Ship Spirit Scroll leak with the City Lord of Dun Dao City when the incident occurred, fighting side by side with the City Lord. Although unscathed, my equipment suffered severe damage, my Fighting Energy nearly depleted, and it was only with great difficulty that we emerged victorious!”
The City Lord of Dun Dao City smiled at hearing Tan Mo agree with him but then trembled slightly at the mention of Tan Mo’s equipment suffering severe damage, realizing he had to give a considerable bribe to get through this situation.
General Kan Qiao held a long-handled great sword, his prowess unyielding.
The First Officer followed closely behind him.
Captain Sea Dog led other elite Navy personnel, tightly encircling the Justice Pirate Group’s ships.
The person in charge of the naval port hurriedly arrived.
“Why are there several ships missing?” General Kan Qiao frowned, sensing something was wrong.
The person in charge wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and immediately responded, “This morning the Justice Pirate Group requested a trial sail. Seeing their repairs on the demon energy ship had reached a certain extent, I allowed them.”
“So they left all their ordinary ships in the port?” The First Officer’s brow furrowed tightly.
At that moment, on the ordinary ships, a large number of pirates gathered at the side of the ship, holding all kinds of weapons, very tense.
These men were captives from a previous defeat of the Fast Blade Pirate Group, facing Gold Level powerhouses and the most elite Navy. Their morale was extremely low, their legs trembling, looking around for the pirate group’s higher-ups.
“Justice Pirate Group, listen up, surrender now, and you will not be killed!” General Kan Qiao shouted angrily.
The port was sealed, the ships could not leave.
As their own higher-ups were nowhere to be seen, these pirates realized they might have been abandoned, and one by one, they dropped their weapons and knelt on the deck.
“We surrender!”
“We’ve all surrendered, don’t kill us!”
The Navy soldiers successfully boarded and secured control of the situation.
“Search for me!” General Kan Qiao ordered again.
The Navy teams entered the ship’s cabins, searching everywhere.
“Nothing found.”
“There’s no one in the cabins!”
“We didn’t find anyone either.”
One piece of bad news after another reached General Kan Qiao, his expression growing uglier.
“Wait, what is this?!” Captain Sea Dog suddenly exclaimed.
“Hmm?” General Kan Qiao’s face flashed with hope.
But the next moment, he heard Captain Sea Dog’s sharp voice, “Bombs! Alchemy Bombs, get out fast!”
Boom, boom, boom!
The pirate ships erupted in explosions, the blast wave lifted thick smoke and waves, numerous ship debris, and Navy bodies were flung around.
Ironically, the pirates kneeling on the deck were less injured, mostly falling into the water. Some were unfortunate enough to be killed by the explosions or were blown high into the sky and perished on impact.
“Damn it, this was a trap!” the First Officer clenched his teeth.
General Kan Qiao’s face turned ashen, and after a moment of silence, he roared furiously, “Pursue them!!!”