36: Landing on the island

The sunset completely sank below the sea level, and the inky blue canopy of the sky was dotted with sparse stars. The "iron sand no. 1" and "iron sand no. 2" were like predators in the dark night, using the faint moonlight and the push of the Ocean currents to silently sneak toward the southwest. To avoid being discovered by any lookout posts the Flamingo might have set up, Linn ordered a strict blackout and chose a circuitous path far away from the regular shipping routes.

After a day and a half of cautious sailing, on the second afternoon, the silhouette of Flamingo Island finally appeared in the distance through the thin sea mist. Just as the intelligence stated, the island was vast, with the terrain being high in the center and low all around, and covered in dense vegetation. Looking from afar, one could see a natural bay curving inward on both the east and west sides of the island, which must be where the two landing wharves were located.

Linn stood at the bow, holding up a monocular telescope to observe carefully. The east wharf was larger with a longer pier, where several damaged small boats and fishing vessels awaiting repair were moored. Behind the wharf, there were wooden watchtowers and fences, with figures faintly visible moving about. The west wharf was relatively simple, with a short pier and fewer facilities, and the Personal Guard seemed to be more lax.

"It seems the east wharf is the main wharf and is more heavily defended. The west wharf looks like a backup or a fishing port." Linn put down the telescope, having already made a decision in his heart. He turned to look at Clay, Karl, and Ocean behind him.

"Pass the order: change the plan, concentrate our forces, and attack the west wharf!" Linn's voice was calm and decisive. "The enemy's remaining forces are not many, so they will inevitably focus their defense on the east wharf. We will take them by surprise, strike at their weak point, and strive to open a breach as quickly as possible!"

"Ocean, command the 'iron sand no. 1' and 'iron sand no. 2'. Use the ballistae on the ships to conduct a volley against the west wharf's watchtowers and visible defensive works before the landing begins to suppress the enemy!"

"Yes, My Lord!" Huo Haiyang took the order and immediately went down to make arrangements.

"Clay!"

"Present!"

"After the ballista strike, your Personal Guard will be the first wave to storm the beach with all their might! At all costs, establish a solid position on the beachhead to cover the landing of the subsequent troops!"

"Understood!" A fierce glint flashed in Clay's eyes as he gripped the sword and shield in his hands.

"Karl!"

"My Lord!"

"Your First Squad will land immediately after the Personal Guard. After landing, advance inland in small squads, clear the remaining enemies in the wharf area, expand the beachhead, and be ready at any time to flank toward the east wharf to pin down any enemies that might come to reinforce!"

"As you command!"

The orders were quickly passed down, and the two warships began to adjust their course, like cheetahs discovering a prey's weakness, silently approaching the flank of the west wharf.

As the distance gradually closed, the figures of several lazy pirates on the wharf could already be seen clearly. They obviously did not expect to encounter an attack from this direction.

"Within range!" The lookout sailor sent the signal in a low voice.

Linn's eyes turned sharp, and he suddenly waved his hand: "Ballistae, fire!"

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Eight dull and terrifying roars erupted almost simultaneously! Eight thick and long heavy ballista bolts, carrying a scream that tore through the air, shot out from the ballista ports on both sides, crossing the short distance and slamming fiercely into the west wharf!

"Boom! Crack!"

The upper half of the wooden watchtower was directly hit by a ballista bolt, and in an instant, wood chips flew everywhere as it collapsed with a crash! Several other bolts slammed into the wharf's pier and simple fences, sparking a wave of screams and chaos. A few unlucky pirates were directly torn apart or pinned to the ground by the massive impact.

"Enemy attack! It's an enemy attack!" The surviving pirates finally reacted and let out shrill alarm cries.

"Landing! Fast!" Clay roared, leading the way. He was the first to jump down from the small boat lowered from the side of the "iron sand no. 1", stepping through knee-deep seawater and waving his longsword as he charged toward the beachhead. Fifty members of the Personal Guard followed closely behind like tigers descending the mountain, launching a silent charge.

The pirates left behind at the west wharf were only twenty or thirty people, mostly the old and weak or unimportant characters. How could they be a match for the wolf-and-tiger-like Iron Sand Island Personal Guard? Under the violent impact of Clay's Silver Intermediate Rank Battle Qi, the hastily organized defense line was easily torn apart like paper. Amidst the flashing sword light, severed limbs and broken arms flew, and blood instantly dyed the shallows of the wharf area red.

Karl's First Squad also landed quickly, spreading out in a skilled combat formation according to the predetermined plan, clearing sporadic resistance and pressing toward the inland and eastern directions.

However, the Flamingo Pirate Group's home base, which they had operated for many years, was not slow to react. The alarms and the sounds of fighting here immediately alerted the remaining forces on the island.

In less than fifteen minutes, the sound of hurried footsteps and battle cries came from the east. A burly man wearing chainmail and holding a two-handed greatsword led about seventy or eighty pirates and over a hundred slave soldiers with simple weapons, surging over aggressively. A strong Silver Intermediate Rank Battle Qi radiance shone on the leading burly man; he was the highest commander left behind! Behind him followed two captains with slightly weaker Battle Qi, but who had also reached the Silver Intermediate Rank.

"Where did you pieces of trash come from, daring to sneak attack Flamingo Island! Kill them all for me!" The High Silver Rank pirate leader roared, waving his greatsword, and a sharp Battle Qi Slash swept toward the Personal Guard who were expanding the battle line.

"Your opponent is me!" Clay shouted, raising his shield to forcefully block the Battle Qi Slash. His figure swayed slightly before he steadied himself, and his longsword counterattacked with an indomitable Aura! Although he was only at the Silver Intermediate Rank, he was well-equipped, had rich combat experience, and was even more determined to face death. For a time, he actually fought the High Silver Rank leader to a standstill, not falling behind.

But the other two Silver Intermediate Rank captains were like tigers among a flock of sheep, leading the main pirate force and slamming fiercely into Karl's First Squad and some of the Personal Guard. Although the Iron Sand Island soldiers were elite, they were at a numerical disadvantage, and having just landed, their formation was not yet fully deployed, so they immediately fell into a bitter struggle. Those slave soldiers, driven by the pirates, charged forward fearlessly, further increasing the pressure on the Iron Sand Island army.

Linn saw clearly from the rear and knew they had to settle the battle quickly; otherwise, once they were bogged down and the other remaining forces on the island gathered, or the frontline pirates returned for reinforcement, the consequences would be unimaginable.

He took a deep breath, and heart-palpitating magical light began to gather at the tip of his staff.

"Circling elements of fire, gather at my fingertips, turn into an endless field of fire—Raging Flames Everywhere!"

In an instant, dozens of fireballs appeared out of thin air, letting out sharp whistles as they shot like a swarm of bees toward the most densely populated area of the pirates, especially toward those two Silver Intermediate Rank captains!

"Watch out for magic!" one Silver Intermediate Rank captain cried out in horror, hurriedly waving his blade to parry.

"Puff! Puff! Puff! Puff!"

Wind Blades mercilessly sliced through flesh, and low-level pirates and slave soldiers fell in rows, blood splattering everywhere. Those two Silver Intermediate Rank captains were also given special attention. Although they blocked most of it with their Battle Qi protection and agile movements, they were still injured in the arms and thighs by several fire blasts, and their movements immediately stalled.

"Now is the time!" A cold light flashed in Linn's eyes, and his staff struck the ground again.

"Wood Binding!"

Countless vines burst from the ground, instantly enveloping the two injured Silver Intermediate Rank captains, making them feel as if they had fallen into a quagmire, struggling to move.

"Karl! Clay! Finish them!" Linn shouted.

Seeing this, Ocean let out a roar, completely disregarding his own defense, and his longsword attacked the High Silver Rank captain he was fighting like a storm, pinning him down firmly.

Karl and Clay seized the opportunity, leading several Bronze Rank experts from the First Squad to pounce on the two Silver Intermediate Rank captains whose movements were restricted. Blades and swords clashed, Battle Qi erupted, and after paying the price of three casualties, they finally succeeded in hacking these two powerful captains to death!

The death of the two Silver Intermediate Rank captains was like pulling out the spine of the pirate side. The slave army, which had originally been maintained by high pressure, was the first to collapse, crying out and scattering in all directions. The remaining pirates' morale also plummeted, and amidst the angry and unwilling roars of that High Silver Rank captain, they began to retreat steadily.

"Full assault! Crush them!" Linn gave the order for the general offensive.

The Iron Sand Island soldiers' morale soared, and under the leadership of Clay and Karl, they launched a fierce counterattack. Having lost the assistance of his deputies and being pinned down by Ocean, the High Silver Rank captain, upon witnessing the rout of his subordinates, knew the situation was lost. He feigned a sword strike, forcing Ocean back, and actually turned around, wanting to flee.

"Want to leave?" Linn snorted coldly, and a pre-prepared Mental Shock, like an invisible spike, instantly sank into the back of the fleeing captain's head.

"Ah!" The captain let out a miserable scream, his figure stumbling.

In that instant, Ocean seized the opportunity, and the spear in his hand shot out like a venomous snake emerging from its hole, accurately piercing his heart!

The High Silver Rank captain looked down at the sword tip in his chest in disbelief, and his massive body crashed to the ground.

With the leader dead, the remaining pirates completely lost their will to resist, either kneeling to surrender or fleeing in panic into the island's jungle.

The landing battle, which lasted less than an hour, ended in a costly victory for Iron Sand Island. They successfully captured the two wharves and annihilated most of the remaining enemy troops, but they also paid the price of over twenty dead and more than thirty wounded.

Linn stepped onto the wharf, which was permeated with the smell of blood, and watched the soldiers begin to clear the battlefield and round up the prisoners, his eyes cold and firm. The first step, a surprise attack on the home base, had succeeded. Next was to hold this place and wait for that "Big Fish" destined to return, as well as the Gold Knight who might be accompanying him.

"Clean up the battlefield, treat the wounded, and reinforce the defenses! Fast!" he ordered in a deep voice, his gaze turning toward the direction of Eagle Beak Strait in the northeast. The battle there must have also begun. And he and his Iron Sand Island army had to win the next, and even more crucial, victory here.