Chapter 70

"Lord Count, I have brought the men and weapons you requested."

About half an hour later, Brandt Scarlet Flame, drenched in sweat, led a large group of sailors to Luo Zhengdao. Seeing this, Luo Zhengdao stood up and called out:

"Good, the reinforcements have arrived. Rest for half an hour and then continue forward!"

After the reinforcements caught their breath, the treasure-hunting team, which had been on hold for a while, set out again on their unknown journey. So far, the scouts had not detected any enemy presence, but the journey was not easy. The cave slope was clearly tilting downward, and the twisted cave had numerous branches. Zola Hegel, who had extensive experience in the underground world, did not seem worried. He took out a special paint and marked each branch with a fluorescent symbol. Luo Zhengdao, passing by, felt it was not secure enough and ordered his men to carve arrow symbols on the cave walls. Unlike the symbols Zola had painted to indicate the route forward, this was a trick he had learned from a novel, with all the arrows pointing to the exit.

In case of danger, they wouldn't need to decipher complex symbols in a panic; they could just follow the arrows and run out.

Zola Hegel, leading the team, suddenly crouched down as if electrocuted and raised his right hand to signal everyone to stop. He whispered:

"Stop, there seems to be the sound of flowing water ahead."

Hearing this, Luo Zhengdao snapped his fingers and called out:

"Scout team, move out."

With the increase in the number of underground caves, Luo Zhengdao no longer bothered to send people to scout continuously. There were too many branches and not enough men. This mobile scout team consisted of five agile pirates skilled in combat and stealth. They ventured deep into the dark cave and returned after about ten minutes to report to Luo Zhengdao:

"Captain, the cave opens up ahead, and there is a large underground lake."

Hearing this, Luo Zhengdao looked at the boatswain, and Zola Hegel immediately understood and said:

"I suggest sending two more teams to scout along the lake shore."

Luo Zhengdao, always cautious, said:

"Alright, Chief Mate Scarlet Flame, pick another team."

After repeated reconnaissance, the scouts found no abnormalities. The pirate fleet, dragging their cannons, slowly advanced and soon reached the underground lake. The lake shore was calm, and it seemed that Luo Zhengdao's sense of danger was just a false alarm. However, the quiet, enclosed environment made him increasingly uneasy. The current calm was like the moment before a mana storm in the Ether Sea, when everything was eerily still. Just as Luo Zhengdao was full of doubt, his ominous premonition came true. The calm lake surface suddenly turned into a terrifying place of surging waves.

"Blow... blow... blow..."

A low, deep horn sounded from the distance, making Luo Zhengdao shiver. He asked urgently:

"What is that sound?"

Boatswain Zola Hegel, well-versed in the underground world, immediately drew his saber and shouted with a fierce expression:

"Everyone, prepare for battle! This is the battle horn of the Koto Fishmen. They are coming!"

If the Shawa Fishmen, whom Luo Zhengdao had previously encountered, were a semi-civilized barbaric race that could at least communicate and reason, the Koto Fishmen, who bore some resemblance to them, were a completely uncivilized barbaric tribe. Their only way of interacting with other races was through combat and slaughter.

"Damn it, set up the cannons and prepare to fire."

Zola Hegel, taking on the role of a battlefield commander, repeatedly shouted orders to the pirates. After so long, the boatswain had a good understanding of Luo Zhengdao, the pure-blooded nobleman. In terms of strategy, the current Lord Fulu was not an amateur and often hit the mark. Perhaps this was the reason for the nobility's high status? However, at the tactical level, Luo Zhengdao lacked the practical experience to make on-the-spot judgments. His unreliable ideas often did not align with reality. It would be more realistic to hope that the Koto Fishmen would all suffer a stroke and die than to expect Luo Zhengdao to command smoothly in such a chaotic situation.

Meanwhile, the Koto Fishmen, speaking a strange language, were shouting noisily. Their cries echoed in the vast underground space, further unsettling everyone.

"Fire! Fire!"

The expedition team carried a large number of crossbows and muskets. Under the boatswain's command, the pirates engaged in a fierce exchange of fire with the Koto Fishmen spear-throwers who suddenly emerged from the lake. While trying to suppress the enemy's ranged attacks, the pirates had to be especially cautious of the Koto Fishmen overseers mixed among the spear-throwers. The crossbows in their hands were far more deadly and had a longer range than the crude spears of the ordinary Koto Fishmen. A moment's carelessness could turn them into targets.

Stabilizing their lines temporarily, Zola Hegel, who had dealt with these fish-smelling neighbors in the underground world during his youth, turned to Luo Zhengdao and shouted:

"Captain, the Koto Fishmen tribe has at least a hundred warriors, and their numbers are increasing. Should we retreat?"

Hearing this, Luo Zhengdao, who had been observing the battlefield, narrowed his eyes and said:

"Wait a bit longer. Our cannons are almost set up. Hold the line a bit longer."

These creatures, with fish-like upper bodies and human-like lower bodies, with hook-like fangs protruding from their lips, were more hideous than their close relatives, the Shawa Fishmen. The most unsettling thing was the madness lurking within them, which could erupt at any moment, destroying both enemies and themselves. In short, the Koto Fishmen were a group of severely mentally ill individuals, all of the manic type. Anyone with a sound mind would find dealing with such lunatics challenging.

"Zola, can you understand what they are shouting?"

Luo Zhengdao, protected by his men, had ample time to ponder the enemy's intentions. His confusion was not about what they wanted to do but about their uncontrollable, manic state, which did not fit the tone of a life-or-death battle. The Koto Fishmen seemed more like they were holding a grand celebration. What are you happy about?

Hearing this, Zola Hegel, who had a basic understanding of the strange language, listened carefully. His face darkened as he replied:

"Sacrifice! They are shouting 'sacrifice.' Captain, I have a bad feeling."

"Rush... rush..."

Good things never happen, but bad things do. Before Luo Zhengdao and the boatswain could finish their conversation, a loud, surging sound of water echoed through the cave. Under the dim light of the bioluminescent moss on the cave ceiling, a massive creature emerged from the lake.

Its body was covered in a bizarre blue-purple slime, and it had four tentacles, two long and two short, which waved wildly in the air like snakes. Its deep, unfathomable eyes seemed to possess some inexplicable, eerie magic. This subterranean demon fish, surrounded by its servants, rose from the blood-red underground lake like an unidentified flying object. When the giant creature appeared, the pirates, who rarely knew fear, let out a collective gasp. This monster was far more intimidating than the Koto Fishmen.

"Heaven! What is this monster?"

"Help! I'm caught!"

"Fire, fire quickly!"

Struck by the sudden situation, the pirates immediately fell into disarray. If they had no support, they would have given up long ago. Fortunately, the cannon teams, who had been struggling for a while, finally managed to set up their weapons. The chief mate, Brandt Scarlet Flame, who had been temporarily assigned to command them, shouted:

"The cannons are ready!"

Hearing this good news, Luo Zhengdao, who had just thrust his sword through a Koto Fishman's throat, was overjoyed. He turned back and urged:

"What are you waiting for? Fire!"

"Boom! Boom! Boom..."

Brandt Scarlet Flame waved his hand, and the cannons at the back of the line fired in quick succession, spewing golden flames. The fist-sized stone balls, moving as fast as lightning, struck the massive subterranean demon fish. If they missed such a large target, the boatswain's usual training of the sailors would have been in vain.

"Niguru..."

The large subterranean demon fish, resembling a tropical catfish, was not an easy target. It let out a strange, muffled sound and lashed out with its four tentacles, striking the pirates at the front of the line. The Koto Fishmen had the advantage in numbers, and the subterranean demon fish had the advantage in strength. The combination of a large number of cannon fodder and a powerful boss was not a simple 1+1=2; it was a geometric increase in threat.

Feeling the increasing pressure on their lines, even with the pirates using all their weapons, the pressure continued to grow. The already strained lines were on the verge of collapse.

At this point, the unfavorable situation was obvious even to a blind person. Brandt Scarlet Flame, while handing his flintlock pistol to a subordinate for reloading, shouted to Luo Zhengdao:

"Captain, we can't hold on much longer."

Zola Hegel, with his rich experience in underground combat, was now more resolute and decisive. He roared at the sailors:

"Every three men, one retreats and prepares a grenade!"

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