Traveling through the late Ming Dynasty to promote Chinese civilization

Chapter 236 Battle of Liaoluo Bay (6)

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The fierce boarding action finally began. On one side were the tall Dutch soldiers, and on the other were the fierce and fearless pirates, each with their own advantages. The Dutch soldiers used their rifle butts to smash and kick, knocking down one pirate after another, only for two or three more to surge forward. The soldiers were forced to discard their muskets and take out their water spikes or daggers for self-defense, rushing forward and engaging in a fierce battle.

This scene unfolded on all the Dutch warships. From a distance, the red-haired soldiers on the decks seemed to be overwhelmed by the shirtless pirates, in danger of being swallowed up at any moment.

Putmans watched all this from his flagship at the rear, his face ashen and terrifying.

Zheng Yiguan's men were simply too numerous, so numerous it was unsettling. Having lost their firepower advantage, he couldn't think of a better way to deal with the current situation. When Van Bommel reported that the "Slotditch" had been captured by Zheng Yiguan's men and that over 100 men on board had been taken prisoner, he was furious but helpless.

Just when the Dutch East India Company's chief executive was about to despair, "boom boom boom," the sound of cannons rang out, and a large number of sailing ships appeared behind Zheng Zhihu's fleet, breaking through the gunboats' firepower and entering the battlefield. Liu Xiang escaped the outer entanglements and rushed to reinforce.

"God, we haven't been abandoned by fate yet." Putmans felt a sense of relief when he saw the large "Liu" flag on the bow of the reinforcement ship. Although he had previously held Liu Xiang in contempt, considering him nothing more than a pawn used by the East India Company to deal with Zheng Yiguan, at this moment he found this pirate captain so lovable that he would not hesitate to give him a warm hug if he appeared in front of him.

After Liu Xiang joined the battle, the situation changed dramatically, and Zheng Zhihu found himself attacked from both sides. Liu Xiang's men were not just Dutch soldiers skilled in firearms; like Zheng's sailors, they were seasoned pirates who had killed countless people. They boarded Zheng's ship, howling as they leaped onto the bow and engaged Zheng Zhihu's men in a fierce battle. The pirates waiting to board the Dutch warship were forced to turn their attention to Liu Xiang, greatly relieving the Dutch pressure, who gradually drove the enemies off the deck.

Zheng Hongkui, aboard the large blue-headed gunboat, stared dumbfounded at the scene before him, caught in a dilemma. Although he had tried to stop Liu Xiang after discovering her approach, the hasty cannon fire, disregarding casualties, was insufficient to keep them out of the battlefield. The situation had suddenly shifted from Zheng Zhihu's advantage to being attacked from both sides. What should he do?

Someone suggested, "Fourth Master, shall we fire the cannons at Liu Xiang?"

With a loud "smack," Zheng Hongkui slapped the man hard across the face, shouting, "Second Master is over there too, do you want to blow him up as well?"

The man, dazed and confused from the slaps, stammered, "...But if we just stand by and watch Second Master get into trouble, even the Big Boss won't let us off the hook!"

Zheng Hongkui slapped him again: "Who said we're not going to take care of Second Master? Hurry up and inform the Big Boss to send reinforcements. Tell him that Red Hair and Liu Xiang are going to fight like cornered beasts, and Second Master is in danger."