330: Chapter 330 Zhang Liang Deploys Vanguard Battalion

"Since there are no more questions, let's begin the preparations."

Zhang Liang said to the Six-Fingered Black Knight and Peng Yue.

"Understood."

Both the Six-Fingered Black Knight and Peng Yue nodded in response.

Zhang Liang was a patient man; he didn't expect to attack the steam train immediately.

While having the Mohist Disciples build assault boats, he was also modifying cargo ships.

After more than half a year of preparation, the cargo ship modifications were successful, and ninety assault boats had been built.

Zhang Liang sent the first batch of one hundred and eighty men from the Vanguard Battalion to infiltrate Kuaiji Commandery.

No matter how good his Mother-and-Son Ship smuggling plan was, without the test of actual combat, he wouldn't know if it was truly feasible.

Zhang Liang had the Vanguard Battalion test the waters.

If they were discovered by the Great Qin Lou Chuan Soldiers, it would only be a loss of one hundred and eighty men.

For a force of five thousand people, it wouldn't be a crippling blow.

Huang Long was the battalion commander of the Vanguard Battalion.

He led the men of the Vanguard Battalion toward the cargo ships docked at the ferry crossing.

Carrying an assault boat between every two men, they panted heavily with weighted steps.

The assault boats were not light; it was only because people in ancient times did physical labor every day and had great strength and endurance that they were able to carry them.

The cargo ships were enormous, thirty meters long and nine meters wide, with a load capacity of up to sixty tons.

After the modifications, the bottom hold could be opened, and Huang Long had the Vanguard Battalion place the ninety assault boats inside.

With so many assault boats and two hundred men to carry, the cargo ship had already reached its load line.

This meant there wasn't enough capacity left to use cargo to hide the presence of the ninety assault boats.

This was also why Zhang Liang had the cargo ship unload the ninety assault boats before passing through the checkpoint.

The cargo ship left the ferry crossing and headed downstream along the Yangtze River.

A few hours later, the cargo ship dropped anchor at a Reed Marsh.

"Vanguard Huang."

The cargo ship's owner, Lin Bing, said to Huang Long, "The river surface ahead is guarded by the Great Qin Lou Chuan Soldiers. You should disembark under the cover of night and hide in the Reed Marsh. After midnight, you can then sneak past the checkpoint."

"Mhm."

Huang Long signaled his men to bring out the assault boats from the cargo ship's bottom hold.

*Splash...*

After the assault boats entered the water, one member of the Vanguard Battalion steered at the bow while another pedaled the Water Wheel at the stern.

The assault boats streaked across the night-shrouded river like arrows from a bow, turning the reflection of the full moon into irregular shards of silver light.

*Rustle, rustle...*

After the assault boats rushed into the Reed Marsh, the bows repeatedly struck the reeds, making a raspy sound.

Huang Long watched until all the Vanguard Battalion had entered the Reed Marsh before disembarking and following them in.

The Yangtze River was so wide that it was impossible to block it off completely.

Great Qin had built ferry crossings along the banks and stationed several Louchuan on the river to monitor the surface in shifts.

Any ships passing along the river would be subject to their surveillance and inspection.

Atop the Great Qin Louchuan was a massive Searchlight that swept across the river from time to time.

The cargo ship sailed downstream and was quickly spotted by the Great Qin Lou Chuan Soldiers.

"Stop the ship!"

The Great Qin Lou Chuan Soldiers steered their vessel closer to the cargo ship.

Many of the Great Qin Lou Chuan Soldiers drew their bows, with oil-soaked cloth tied to the tips of their arrows.

If the cargo ship did not stop, these Louchuan Soldiers would ignite the oil-soaked cloth on the arrowheads in a brazier and fire them.

Cargo ships were made of wood; firing fire arrows could set the entire vessel ablaze.

Thus, fire arrows were a lethal deterrent to cargo ships.

The owner of the cargo ship quickly brought the vessel to a halt.