RPAGF #479 - 5 thrilling hours
#479 - 5 thrilling hours
Seeing the pirates gradually become alert and begin circling the Yangbo One, seeking opportunities to attack the crew, Lin Liang reacted quickly. He decisively ordered everyone to retreat as much as possible to the shooting blind spots, using the ship's hull as cover to reduce the pirates' attack surface. Fortunately, the ship was loaded with industrial products rather than heavy iron ore, so the draft was shallow, and the height of the ship's side above the sea was relatively high, providing the crew with a natural barrier.
If the pirates wanted to climb onto the ship, they would undoubtedly face great difficulties. Especially after the barbed wire was installed around the ship, this difficulty increased exponentially. The barbed wire was like a giant net, isolating the pirates from the crew and making it difficult for them to approach. Unless they were extremely ferocious and reckless, few would be willing to risk being covered in wounds to climb over the barbed wire full of thorns.
However, not all areas of the Yangbo One were surrounded by barbed wire. Some areas, especially the bow area, which required frequent entry and exit, were not suitable for wrapping barbed wire due to various reasons. But this did not mean that these areas were without any defense. On the contrary, due to the design characteristics of the bow, it would also require great effort and cost for the pirates to climb onto the ship from there.
The structure of the bow was relatively complex, with many protruding parts and inclined angles, making it difficult for the pirates to find a stable foothold and climbing route. Even if they had enough courage and determination to try, they would often fail due to a lack of necessary support and leverage.
Lin Liang was well aware of this, so he particularly emphasized the defense work in the bow area. He asked the crew to remain vigilant at all times, pay close attention to the pirates' movements, and take immediate action to prevent anyone from trying to approach the bow. At the same time, he also arranged for some crew members to patrol and guard the bow area to ensure the safety of this important position.
Under Lin Liang's careful command, the crew of the Yangbo One demonstrated a high degree of teamwork and the ability to deal with crises. They used the ship's advantages and the weapons in their hands to successfully resist the pirates' multiple attacks, protecting the safety of the ship and personnel.
The pirates, on the other hand, were trapped in a dilemma because they could not find an effective breakthrough, and their arrogant arrogance was gradually weakened.
Lin Liang keenly perceived the fragility of his own defense line, but did not show the slightest panic. He quickly glanced at his watch; two hours had quietly passed. The key to victory lay in delaying the pirates and preventing them from setting foot on the deck of the giant ship.
Therefore, he decisively adjusted his tactics. When the pirates just stepped into the deadly hundred-meter range of the compound bow, Lin Liang did not hesitate to pull the trigger. The arrow shot out, aimed directly at the enemy ranks!
Although such long-distance shooting was greatly reduced in accuracy due to the raging winds on the sea, and the trajectory of the arrow swayed uncertainly, this was precisely why Lin Liang had insisted on waiting for the pirates to approach before taking action. After all, arrows are different from bullets, and air resistance can still significantly affect their direction beyond a hundred meters.
However, this sudden change caught the pirates off guard. They had just lost several companions to the sailors' arrows, but now they were facing this seemingly random but actually cunning long-range harassment. Although the pirates could barely avoid the flying arrows, no one dared to approach the giant ship easily until they had taken out this elusive archer.
Damn it! Kunsha and the others are just a bunch of blind men, recklessly attacking without even figuring out the strength of their opponents," one pirate cursed angrily on a remaining speedboat, then helplessly suggested, "Let's retreat. This operation is destined to be a losing proposition."
"Lamad, you cowardly bastard! Don't forget we have guns. Are we really afraid of their broken bows and arrows?" another pirate retorted loudly, trying to boost morale. "Vila, focus on driving. We'll avoid their water gun attacks, navigate around the big ship about a hundred meters away, and look for a chance to take out that archer. An archer's long-range shooting is not a threat at all. Everyone, don't be afraid!"
To return empty-handed after this voyage, having also lost a speedboat and some brothers, would undoubtedly be an unbearable shame for many pirates.
"How much longer until we reach the scene?" On the bridge of the Qinchuan destroyer, Captain Li Dahe's voice carried a hint of urgency. His gaze pierced through the night, as if to penetrate the vast sea and directly lock onto the unknown danger.
"Report, Captain, based on the current speed and heading, we are approximately twenty-five minutes away from reaching the sea area indicated by the alarm signal. However, considering that the target giant ship is not stationary, but may be traveling at a conventional speed of 10 knots/hour, we actually need about another hour and a half to effectively approach and take action relative to the dynamic target," the navigator quickly and accurately provided the latest information, his voice calm and professional.
"What's the radar situation? Have you detected any suspicious targets?" Li Dahe continued to ask, his eyes revealing an unquestionable determination.
"Report, Captain, the radar system has not yet captured any clear target signals," the voice from the radar room clearly entered the bridge through the communication equipment, carrying a subtle sense of tension.
"Continue to monitor closely, maintain high alert. Once you detect any suspected targets, no matter how small, report to me immediately!" Li Dahe issued the order, his face appearing even more somber in the dim light, his eyes piercing, staring intently at the seemingly calm but dangerous sea ahead.
"Yes, Captain!" The response from the radar room was short and powerful, every word revealing absolute obedience to the order.
Time passed quietly like flowing water, and nearly three hours had passed in the blink of an eye. Although the information sent back via satellite communication from the Yangbo One—the giant ship that had been attacked by pirates—still showed that everything was normal, and the security instructor was using compound bows and other light weapons to deal with the pirates, successfully delaying their offensive and ensuring that the ship had not yet been captured.
However, Li Dahe knew that as time went by, the situation was becoming increasingly urgent. Once the pirates lost patience, they were likely to take more radical or even reckless actions, such as forcibly boarding the ship. At that time, facing the pirates' cold weapon attacks, even if the sailors were well-trained, they would be at a great disadvantage if the advantage of firearms was weakened or could not be brought into play.
"We must get there as soon as possible. We can't let the sailors fight alone for too long," Li Dahe murmured in his heart, his eyes becoming more determined, as if he had already seen the coming decisive battle and the dawn of victory that was sure to come.
Time slipped away, second by second, each moment of delay potentially endangering the lives of the innocent sailors on board. Li Dahe was acutely aware that prolonged stalemate tested not only the sailors' will and endurance but could also trigger unforeseen violent conflicts, leading to unnecessary casualties.
“Ah, if only we had a shipborne helicopter on the Qin Chuan, ready to deploy at any moment,” Li Dahe thought, a complex mix of helplessness and anticipation welling up inside him. He gazed at the vast, boundless ocean ahead. Although the destroyer's speed had been set to maximum, it still seemed inadequate on the expansive sea. He knew that with a helicopter, its speed and agility would have allowed them to reach the scene quickly, control the situation rapidly, and effectively curb the pirates' arrogance.
As a naval officer, Li Dahe's understanding of shipborne helicopters went beyond simple transportation. He knew that in modern naval warfare, shipborne helicopters played a crucial role, whether in anti-submarine warfare, search and rescue, air defense early warning, or even material transport, and even launching anti-submarine depth charges for anti-ship operations were indispensable functions. The Luhu-class and Luyang-class destroyers to which he belonged were, according to the latest plans, supposed to have been or were about to be refitted with shipborne helicopter landing platforms and hangars to meet the needs of future naval warfare.
However, reality is always full of regrets. Currently, due to various reasons, shipborne helicopters have not yet been put in place, which makes the destroyer seem stretched when dealing with certain emergencies. What made Li Dahe even more regretful was that the Jianghu-class destroyers, due to the limitations of their initial design, failed to reserve a helicopter landing platform, making this class of destroyers even more inadequate in anti-piracy and anti-submarine missions.
At this moment, a picture couldn't help but flash in Li Dahe's mind: if the Qin Chuan really had a shipborne helicopter, then the pirates' arrogance would surely be quickly suppressed. Even if the current shipborne helicopters were not directly equipped with mounted attack weapons, just the two 12.7mm machine guns mounted on both sides of the helicopter cabin doors would be enough to inflict devastating blows on the pirates' speedboats. With the helicopter's flexible maneuverability and powerful firepower, the pirates' speedboats would probably not last ten minutes before being completely destroyed.
However, reality is always cruel. Li Dahe could only hope that the destroyer could reach the scene as soon as possible and pray that the sailors could hold on until reinforcements arrived. He knew that as a naval officer, he must remain calm and firm at all times, because on this boundless sea, he was the sailors' strongest support.
On another stretch of sea, the pirates' speedboat had been chasing relentlessly for an hour, but they still couldn't find an ideal opportunity to board the ship. Disagreements began to arise among the pirates on the speedboat, and the atmosphere became tense and subtle.
“Kambua, we really have to go back. That archer is too cunning. He almost always shoots deadly arrows when we get close to the giant ship. Look, the speedboat has been hit by several arrows. If this continues, we won’t even be able to protect our own boat!” Lamad suggested retreating again, his voice tinged with fear and helplessness. He pointed to the deep arrow marks on the speedboat, each arrow nearly piercing the hull, making them tremble with fear.
“Shut your mouth, Lamad! You coward, you have no ambition at all!” Kambua roared, his eyes flashing with determination. “We must not give up so easily! Although that archer is powerful, he is only one person after all. As long as we are united and find a suitable opportunity, we will definitely be able to take him down! By then, this giant ship will be ours!”
Kambua's words began to shake the pirates' minds. After all, the goods loaded on this giant ship were priceless. Once they succeeded, each of them would receive hundreds of millions in wealth. Such temptation made even someone like Lamad, who was inclined to retreat, hesitate.
“Yes, Kambua is right! Aren’t we out here to make money? As long as we can get hundreds of millions, we can quit and live a carefree life from now on!” A pirate echoed, his eyes flashing with greed.
“That’s right! People die for wealth, and birds die for food! We can’t give up so easily!” Another pirate shouted excitedly, his voice tinged with fanaticism.
The latest and most complete novels are available on Liu Jiu Shu Ba!
As soon as the huge sum of wealth was mentioned, the pirates' eyes became fiery, as if they had been injected with endless motivation. They began to excitedly discuss how to divide the work, how to find the archer's weaknesses, and how to take down the giant ship in one fell swoop.
Driven by greed, the pirates forgot their fear and danger. All that remained in their hearts was the desire for wealth and the longing for victory. However, they did not know that what awaited them would be an even more brutal battle and an unknown fate.
However, Lin Liang didn't give them this opportunity.
With the support of sufficient arrows, Lin Liang's harassing shooting at the pirates never stopped. He tried to hide in the blind spots of the pirates' firing range, occasionally sticking his head out from behind the shield and firing at the approaching pirates, so that the pirates could not find a gap to seize the ship.
After entangled for 5 hours, the Qin Chuan finally arrived!
Although the radar on the Qin Chuan could not directly detect the speedboat, Li Dahe and the others followed the huge target of Yangbo One, and after approaching Yangbo One 500 meters, the observers who had been observing the sea with night vision binoculars finally discovered the pirate's speedboat!
“Captain! Found them, just at 10 o'clock to the port!” The observer above the destroyer excitedly reported loudly to the walkie-talkie.
“Order the snipers to take their positions! Take them out!” Li Dahe raised his binoculars and looked in the direction indicated by the observer, saw the speedboat like a headless fly in the sea, and shouted loudly to the operations staff.
But this time they were destined to be tragic.
With two gunshots, two 12.7mm sniper bullets went straight for the pirates' speedboat!
The sound was still echoing on the sea, and the bullets had already hit the speedboat! One of them even passed through the oil drum loaded on it, igniting the speedboat at once!