Just as the Japanese pirates were about to spiral from chaos into a full rout, the archers and musketeers at the rear turned into a supervisory squad, wielding their Japanese blades, they hacked down the hundred or so fleeing pirates without mercy, sparing not a single one.
This was a lesson Xu Hai and the other pirate leaders had drawn from the previous wave’s collapse, issuing a strict supervisory order.
Any Japanese pirate who dared retreat would be killed without pardon!
If even one vanguard pirate fled back to the main force, the entire supervisory squad would face a death sentence!
“Baka, retreaters, death awaits!”
“The leaders command, retreaters, no mercy!”
“Charge forward, and you might win riches and women in your arms, we’ve got thousands, the muskets might not hit you, but if you run back, hmph, our blades will surely find you!”
“Charge up, all of you charge! The Zhejiang army’s fired three volleys, at most one more, then they’ll need to reload, that’s when we’ll slaughter them!”
The supervisory squad, brandishing blood-dripping blades, swung them forcefully, bellowing orders to compel all the pirates forward.
The supervisory squad’s ruthless slaughter halted the pirates’ flight.
Indeed!
Running back meant certain death by their blades!
Charging forward, you might not get hit by a musket, I reckon my luck’s not that bad! Besides, the Zhejiang army’s fired three volleys, one more, and they’ll need to reload, that takes time, enough for us to reach their lines and lop off their heads! Damn it! Let’s do this!
The pirates gritted their teeth, cursed, steeled their hearts, mustered their courage, and charged toward the Zhejiang position again!
As the pirates rallied their courage and surged forward, the Zhejiang line erupted in sparks once more, “bang, bang, bang,” the orderly, dense musket fire rang out as expected, another vast swathe of pirates fell.
The scene remained staggering!
But this time, aside from those who dropped dead, the other pirates’ faces showed not fear but wild excitement, they burst into frenzied laughter.
“Hahaha, I didn’t get hit, my luck’s as good as I thought, I’m the chosen one, heaps of silver and big-bottomed, big-chested women, hahaha, all mine!”
“Brothers, the Zhejiang army’s fired four volleys! They’ll need to reload now! Strike while they’re weak! Charge, it’s our turn to butcher them!”
“Kill! Wipe them out! Avenge our fallen brothers!”
The surviving pirates, grinning savagely, waved their weapons maniacally, rushing toward the Zhejiang position!
Yet, barely had they taken a step when they saw the Zhejiang line perform its seamless front-to-back switch again, sparks flared, the familiar “bang, bang, bang” sounded once more.
What the hell!
What’s going on?!
Hadn’t the Zhejiang army fired four volleys already?! Shouldn’t they be reloading?! How could they still shoot?!
I don’t get it!
The wild joy on the pirates’ faces froze, terror swept over them again, especially as they saw their comrades ahead fall like reaped wheat in droves, their fear intensified.
Faces paled, eyes bulged like dead fish, breaths came short, as if the Grim Reaper clutched their throats.
“They might’ve split into five waves, this time they must reload! Charge, tear them apart, don’t give them time, or our fallen brothers died for nothing!”
“Rush, this has to be their last volley! No mistake! Gold, silver, jewels, and women await in Suzhou city, fortune lies in danger, what are you standing there for?”
“Dawdle again, and my blade’s getting hungry!”
The supervisory squad rushed forward too, slashing down a few stunned pirates, roaring commands.
“Right! This must be their last volley! It has to be! Brothers, charge!”
Under the supervisory squad’s threats and lures, the pirates hypnotised themselves, charging the Zhejiang position again.
Bang, bang, bang…
Another volley of musket fire greeted them.
The charging pirates fell like harvested wheat once more, screams rising and falling.
“What the hell, wasn’t that the last volley?! What’s this then?! How are they still firing?!”
“Damn it, do they not need to reload?! How many waves are they?! They can’t have just two thousand, can they?!”
The pirates were going mad, cursing the Zhejiang army and the supervisors, who the hell said that was the last volley?!
“This time it’s definitely the last!”
The supervisory pirates shouted.
But before his words settled, the pirates saw the Zhejiang army switch ranks again, their souls fleeing in terror, hair standing on end, “What the hell! Here they come again!” spilling from their mouths.
Legs trembled, knees buckled, feet rooted to the ground, unable to move forward.
Bang, bang, bang…
The Zhejiang muskets fired once more, the pirates fell like wheat again, patch after patch.
We’re done for, the Zhejiang firearms are endless!
As the Zhejiang army began another rank switch, the pirates, souls and courage gone, turned to flee.
Just then, an excited shout came from behind, “Look, the leaders sent reinforcements!”
The pirates turned to see another wave of about four thousand pirates charging forward with loud war cries, their momentum vast, swallowing miles, even the main pirate force at the rear began advancing slowly.
“Reinforcements are here!”
“Reinforcements are here!”
The pirates shouted in excitement, the reinforcements bolstering their courage, they charged toward the Zhejiang position again.
“Bang, bang, bang…” The Zhejiang muskets fired once more, another large swathe of pirates fell.
But this volley brought a change on the Zhejiang side, two muskets misfired.
At least four or five Zhejiang soldiers were injured.
Of the two holding muskets, one lost a finger to the blast, another’s face was bloodied by the explosion, those nearby were affected too, though minor, just superficial wounds.
No way around it, the metallurgy of this era was limited, steel quality far inferior to modern standards, the Zhejiang army’s black powder was potent, despite the equipment camp’s best efforts, misfires couldn’t be avoided.
“Hahaha, see that? Their muskets misfired, they can’t hold out much longer! Even if they don’t need to reload, they won’t last, more shots, more misfires…”
“Hahaha, another volley, and they’ll lose more than us, strike while they’re weak, charge!”
Seeing this, the pirates erupted in wild joy, shouting savagely, rushing toward the Zhejiang army like madmen.
