sea

Chapter 211
Hawkins' expression changed, and he said solemnly: "Mr. Gu, have you ever piloted a Dutch warship?" Gu Zhen smiled thoughtfully, "I used to have a fleet of twelve Dutch warships. It’s huge, but it’s a pity that it broke up after a battle.” Hawkins and Drake looked at each other, dubious.Gu Zhen walked to the steering wheel, discussed with Mo Yi, patted the steering wheel, and said with a smile, "Captain Hawkins, does this ship have a name?" The next trip to sea is entrusted by the Duke, so let’s call it the Duke.” Gu Zhen waved his hand and said, “The Duke is not impressive enough, in my opinion, it’s better to call it the Queen.” Hawkins was taken aback, then grinned and said, “Okay, It's up to you, call it the Queen."

Gu Zhen turned the steering wheel and said with a smile, "Captain Hawkins, let your sailors pull up the foremast sail, I want to sail against the wind." Hawkins and Drake were surprised to see his precise and skillful steering Unexpectedly, Hawkins gave the order to raise the sails, and then elbowed Drake: "You go to the topmast to be on guard, and if you see a suspicious ship, immediately blow the horn to warn." Drake snorted, took a conch on his shoulders, and quickly climbed At the top of the middle mast, before he could take a look, he suddenly felt someone breathing in his ears. Drake was startled and flustered, he let go of the cable and fell down.Unexpectedly, the wrist tightened suddenly, pulling him up, and Drake suddenly returned to the original position.He grasped the rope firmly, and just as he was in shock, he looked around, and at some point there was a white-haired man beside him, with picturesque features and bright eyes.Probably because the sky was dark, and his clothes and eyebrows were the same color as the white sail, so Drake didn't see him, so he couldn't help but ask, "Who are you?"

Zuo Feiqing had nothing to do, he also came to the top of the mast to enjoy the scenery, and said, "What did you say?"With a light wave of his sleeve, Drake no longer saw his shadow. He looked around and saw no one. Just as he was wondering, he suddenly saw Zuo Feiqing appearing on the deck, walking gracefully towards the stern.Drake's heart skipped a beat, and he couldn't help praying secretly: "Almighty God, may you bless little Francis, and don't let him meet evil things..." While praying, he stared at Zuo Feiqing and walked to the stern, watching silently. Xianbi, who is chatting and laughing with Yu Zhao, looks like a snowman in white clothes and white hair.

The boat sailed in the middle of the night, the full moon was facing west, and the autumn wind was slightly cool.The sea lapped lazily to and fro, dull and dull, and the slack shrouds dangled like cradles.Although Drake is very energetic, he doesn't feel dizzy after being in such a situation for a long time.Holding the mast rigging with both hands, his head drooped frequently, feeling drowsy.

Suddenly, a tremor surged into his heart. Drake acted smartly, opened his eyelids, and looked as far as the eye could see. On the black and blue sea, three groups of black shadows suddenly emerged. Through the starlight, the outline of the ship could be vaguely seen.Derek's mind was shaken, he brought the horn to his mouth, and blew it long.

The people on the boat started up and ran to the deck. Hawkins looked up and shouted: "What's going on?" Drake was trembling all over, and shouted: "They are coming!" Hawkins spat: "They? They are Who?" Drake said: "Spanish ships, that's right, there are three ships, my God, there are also cannons, battleships, it's true, they are battleships..." Hawkins blinked, and before he could speak, Gu Zhen called Get up: "Hold up the sail, I want to sail with the wind."

The order was issued, and there was a commotion on the deck. Drake flew down from the top of the mast and pulled up the mainsail with two sailors. Hawkins Ze went straight to the bottom cabin and directed the gunner to pour gunpowder into the iron cannon.

As soon as Gu Zhen turned the steering wheel, the ship tilted to the left, and the waves rushed onto the deck with a "crash", smashing his head.Everyone on the deck was drenched, the "Queen" forcibly drew a snow-white sign on the sea, raised its bow suddenly, and sailed towards the northwest.

When the Spaniards heard the horn, they also knew that their whereabouts had been revealed, so they set up their sails one after another, firing three arrows at once, and outflanked the Queen.

The sea waves roared, the sea wind whistled fiercely, during the chase, the east turned white, a round of red sun showed its shame, thousands of golden lights illuminated the deep sea into a golden wall, and the Spanish warships were also coated with a touch of gold. The gold-red, black-iron barrel looks like it's made of gold, making it daunting.

There were several bangs, random gunfire, Gu Zhen swung the rudder, and the ship rushed out obliquely, an iron bullet grazed the starboard side, sawdust flew, the hull shook violently, and everyone on board staggered and screamed.

Lu Jian protected Yao Qing and stayed in the bilge. Yao Qing was unconscious. Lu Jian used his internal force to protect her meridians. Unexpectedly, the hull was grazed by shells and the vibration was so violent that Yao Qing woke up from the coma before she became conscious. Another loud noise was heard, mixed with the shouts of sailors, like a thunderbolt.

Yao Qing cheered up and shouted: "Lu Jian..." Although she tried her best, she still heard it slightly and weakly. Ah Qing, I'm here." Yao Qing said weakly, "Go... to the top." Lu Jian was taken aback, silently picked her up, and jumped onto the deck.Before standing still, the ship tilted steeply, and a row of huge waves came straight over. Lu Jian gave a loud shout, and supported Yao Qing with his right hand. With his left palm full of strength, he swept out. A gap rushed through the body of the two like a galloping horse.

Lu Jian swept away the huge waves with one palm, didn't dare to stop, jumped to a high place, looked down, Yao Qing looked into the distance, her eyes sparkled, Lu Jian remembered Xianbi's words, and couldn't help thinking: "Ah Qing is really happy and aggressive. When you encounter disputes, you will feel happy." While thinking, while looking out, the three Spanish ships suddenly gathered and separated, green smoke curled up from the muzzles, reflecting the red sun, flying together with the morning glow, and several black petrels were playing on the top of the waves , unaware of the war around him.

The sound of the cannon was booming, and several iron balls roared from small to large.Lu Jianzheng felt startled, but who knew that the iron ball was still a few feet away from the hull, its strength suddenly weakened, and it crashed into the sea, splashing a few snow-white waves.At this time, Gu Zhen suddenly heard a long cry: "Ready to fire the cannon!" As soon as the words came out, Xianbi translated them, and in an instant, one shout followed another, rushing across the deck like a wave, and sending it to the gun emplacement below.

The two looked away, Gu Zhen stood on the bridge, turned the tiller with both hands, the sea ship rushed ten feet, it was too late, then it was fast, a Spanish ship was approaching on the port side, that ship was the fastest chasing, unintentionally Time to send it to Gu Zhen's muzzle.

Hawkins, who was old in maritime affairs, saw it very clearly. Before Gu Zhen's order came, he had already ignited the fuze. Several cannons fired, and several iron balls flew out like arrows. One after another, one hit the right side of the enemy ship without landing.The plank of the ship was just like a piece of paper, with a few gaps, hurriedly sailing against the wind, and moved sideways for more than half a mile. The other warships saw their companions suffered a big loss, and saw Gu Zhen's ship rampage, and the starboard gun port fell towards them, suddenly felt Frightened, the onset slowed down.But Gu Zhen didn't like to fight, he accelerated forward, and within a short time, he left the three Spanish ships out of sight.

After doing this for half a day, the Spanish ship appeared and disappeared on the horizon. After a while, the westerly wind came, and both sides slowed down.Hawkins was a light and fast ship with excellent speed. He was always within a gun's distance of the opponent when he hit and stopped. The Spanish ship fired repeatedly, but it always failed to hit it.

The sun was over and Yao Qing fell asleep. Lu Jian was about to turn back to the cabin when the sailor at the bow screamed: "Look, the Great Devil's Reef!" A chaotic reef emerged, and Hawkins happened to be on the deck, his face turned pale, and he shouted: "That's the 'Devil's Reef', Mr. Gu, go around it!"

Gu Zhen quickly turned the steering wheel and circled around for a while. Mo Yi stood in front of the compass and watched closely. Just after passing the reef, his expression suddenly changed, and he shouted: "Master Gu, according to the instrument, we have to pass through this reef." Gu Zhen was startled, stared at him and said, "What? Are you sure?" Mo Yi pursed his lips and raised his eyebrows, almost crying: "Little slave... I guarantee my life." Gu Zhen shook his hand angrily, and shouted "Why didn't you say it earlier?" Mo Yi said, "Looking at the compass, the difference is very small. I just... just..." Gu Zhen looked back, and the Spanish ship was also going around the reef. , must encounter it.Mo Yi was extremely ashamed, he hesitated and said: "Master Gu, either...or don't go for now, let's talk about getting rid of the enemy?"

Gu Zhen glared at him fiercely, then turned his gaze, and saw Lu Jian standing at the bow of the mast with a terrified expression, holding Yao Qing in his arms and looking around, he immediately gritted his teeth, turned the rudder sharply, turned the bow and rushed towards the reefs.

Hawkins was standing at the stern with a group of sailors laughing at the Spanish ship. They were surprised when they saw the U-turn. At first they didn’t understand what it meant. After a while, they suddenly felt that the ship was rushing towards the reefs, and hurriedly shouted: “Mr. Gu, the direction is wrong. Already!"

Gu Zhen smiled and said: "That's right, we are going to the reef." Hawkins was startled, and shouted: "Stop, stop!" Gu Zhen smiled, still doing the same thing.Surprised and angry, Hawkins rushed in front of him, trying to grab the steering wheel, and shouted, "Damn it, this is my boat..." Gu Zhen steered the steering wheel with his left hand, and with a wave of his right hand, Hawkins' chest went numb. , Immediately unable to move, with his mouth open, a lot of curse words were stuffed in his throat, and he watched the love boat crashing towards the dark rock.

Seeing the enemy turn back suddenly, the Spanish ship hastily set up its formation, two in front and one behind, just waiting for the enemy ship to get into the formation.Gu Zhen stared at his opponent and ordered the sails to be pulled up. The sails were bulging high, and the speed of the ship was so fast that the hull swayed from side to side, and waves of sea water jumped over the bow and rushed onto the deck.For a while, the sailors at the bow could see the enemy ship's muzzle clearly, and their faces turned pale with fright. They looked back at Gu Zhen and Hawkins, but saw that Gu Zhen's smile remained unchanged, and Hawkins was standing beside him. Everyone was puzzled and shouted: "Captain, what should I do?"

Hawkins' acupoints were blocked, he couldn't speak, and felt extremely uncomfortable.Suddenly, there was a loud noise, three iron bullets pierced through the air, two missed, and one went straight to the mainmast.At this moment, Lu Jian grabbed a cable and swept it out against the whirlwind of the iron bullet. Faster than a spirit snake, it curled and retracted around the iron ball. Xu passed by, flew far away, and dived into the sea.

Hawkins was terrified, and shouted in his heart that God bless me.Although Lu Jian resolved the crisis with the "Heavenly Tribulation Controlling Soldiers", he broke out in a cold sweat.Suddenly, the Queen sailed through the wind and waves, and passed a Spanish ship, and the sailors on both sides could see each other's faces clearly.There was a loud bang, the guns of the two ships were fully fired, and there was a muffled "crack", the stern of the Queen was missing, but the Spanish ship was hit three times in a row, one of which hit the midship of the ship, and the sea water rushed in, and the ship tilted down. When the ship sank, the sailors on board were in a state of turmoil, threw the sampan, and jumped into the water to escape.

The Queen's momentum continued unabated. When it came near the reef, the strange rocks in front of it were like iron. Among the chaotic reefs, a narrow passage opened like a monster's mouth. Since ancient times, I don't know how many ships have been swallowed up, and how many ghosts have been left behind.

There are reefs blocking the way in front, and enemy ships approaching behind, and the ship is as fast as an arrow, and the torrent is rushing, even if you want to stop the ship, you can't stop it.Amidst the exclamation of the sailors, the Queen rushed into the chaotic reef, stirring up white waves several feet high, and between two turns and three turns, encountered a vortex that enveloped the ship. Hit a bunch of rocks.

Yu Zhao saw it clearly, and jumped to the bottom of the mast, where there were three spare masts lying horizontally, all tied up with ropes for temporary replacement.Yu Zhao snapped off the rope, picked up a mast, grabbed the bow of the ship, shouted "Duh", and thrust the mast against the rock.

With a sound of "click", half of the mast broke, and it bounced back with great force. Yu Zhao took two steps back, and the deck under his feet was shattered and pierced.With the strength of his pestle, the Queen swung backwards and hit the rock on the opposite side. Yu Zhao almost exerted all his strength with the pestle, and he couldn't catch up with him. Grab a mast, just like Yu Zhao's method, and swing the ship back with a club as hard as possible.

Yu Zhao smiled and said: "Brother Lu, you are very capable." Lu Jian also smiled and said: "Brother Yu is not bad." , forcing ships away from the reef.With the help of the two of them, Gu Zhen regained control of the steering wheel, only to feel his palms were cold and wet with sweat.

Suddenly there was a muffled sound, and everyone turned their heads to see a Spanish ship was chasing too fast and crashed into the reef at the entrance.Seeing this, Lu Jian couldn't bear it anymore, handed the mast to Zuo Feiqing, grabbed a sampan himself, and shouted: "Go ahead." The sampan crossed a pile of chaotic reefs, and landed on the dead Spaniard middle.

The surviving sailors survived the desperate situation, climbed onto the sampan, used the broken planks as oars, and paddled out the chaotic reef desperately. up.

(End of this chapter)