Chapter 102: Fierce Battle with Heavy Artillery, Encountering the Dragon Spirit Again

"The Hangou County Navy is under attack. Regional Commander Zhang has requested reinforcements. I ask you, Magistrate Li, to authorize the dispatch of grain and artillery. I will personally lead the relief force."

"That is impossible, General Han. My rank is too low; I have no authority to authorize such a transfer. Please, General Han, allow me to report this to the Imperial Court first, and then we shall proceed accordingly."

"Nonsense! Have you never heard that speed is the essence of war? If Hangou County falls, the enemy will strike deep into our territory. By the time the Imperial Court issues an order, Qiongzhou may already be lost. Though I am a General of the Demon-Slaying Division, I hold the fourth rank. With the office of Governor currently vacant, I am authorized to oversee Qiongzhou’s affairs. Step aside!"

Han Chong shouted in anger, pushed the magistrate aside, and led his officers directly to the government granary and armory. He ordered the officers to open the warehouses, load the grain and firearms onto wagons, hire laborers for transport, and set out immediately.

When the morning bell ceased, Han Chong rode ahead alone. By noon the next day, he had reached the borders of Hangou County on his flying sword. From afar, he could hear the thundering of artillery and see thick smoke rising.

Hangou County’s three inland seas and four great trenches, each spanning dozens of miles in width and hundreds in length, were under siege. Four enemy fleets had reached the western end, bombarding the coastal defenses. The Navy’s coastal artillery returned fire sporadically. As the estuary was mostly shallow, the enemy fleets were poised to land at any moment, creating a dire situation.

Han Chong landed outside the Navy camp at the western edge of the four trenches. Inside, only a few hundred officers and men were scrambling to transport supplies and treat the wounded.

"Who goes there?" a soldier asked, spotting Han Chong approaching rapidly.

"I am Han Chong, Guerrilla General of the Qiongzhou Demon-Slaying Division. I have come to provide reinforcements. Where is Regional Commander Zhang?"

Seeing the copper-clad armor and the robes of the Demon-Slaying Division, the soldier quickly replied, "Reporting to General Han, the Regional Commander is commanding the defense at the Middle Trench. I will lead the way."

A captain, wondering how a general from the Demon-Slaying Division had arrived, bowed and greeted him. Han Chong followed him on horseback toward the artillery batteries. There, he saw a general wielding a saber, directing the artillery to return fire at the warships in the trench.

Artillery shells struck the coastal defenses, causing massive casualties. The ground was scorched, the masonry shattered, and many soldiers lay dead or wounded. Another volley of fire descended. Two shells were heading directly toward the saber-wielding general. By the time he noticed, the shells were already hovering above the shore.

"Scatter!" the general shouted, diving backward.

However, Han Chong realized that the general's path of retreat would lead him straight into the blast radius of another incoming shell. The speed of the projectiles was immense; even a master of the Heaven-Man Realm would be blasted to pieces!

Han Chong leaped from his horse and threw his dark Celestial Sword into the air, intercepting the falling shell. A roar echoed as they collided, the shockwave sending the saber-wielding general tumbling to the ground. He looked back at the copper-clad general with lingering fear.

"Thank you for saving my life!" he exclaimed, scrambling to his feet and rushing over.

"No need for thanks."

"Commander, this is General Han Chong of the Demon-Slaying Division, here to reinforce our Navy."

"So it is General Han. I have long heard of you. But how did you arrive here alone?"

"I met the captain sent by Commander Zhang yesterday. Since the former governor had been arrested and sent to the capital, I decided to set out ahead of the main force to provide support."

"Yesterday?" The general gasped. This place was over a thousand miles from Qiongzhou City. To cover a thousand miles in a day and night was inconceivable, but this was not the time for questions.

"I see. General, your righteousness is commendable. I am Zhang Pingxin, and I am deeply grateful."

"Commander Zhang, why are these warships attacking our Great Feng coastal defenses?" Han Chong asked, skipping the pleasantries.

"General Han, you may not know, but these warships belong to the Dongyi Kingdom. For a century, they have harassed our coasts, usually in small, probing raids to plunder the local people. I do not know why they have sent nearly twenty warships to attack Hangou County this time. That would be one thing—we could fight them off—but when I organized the defenses, I discovered that most of our coastal artillery had been sabotaged and could not fire. We had to rely on reserve cannons from the armory, which significantly reduced our firepower. That is why we were in such a desperate situation and had to call for help."

Han Chong frowned. It was too much of a coincidence that the artillery would be sabotaged just as the Dongyi launched their invasion.

"Commander Zhang, let us investigate this later. First, we must repel this wave of attacks." Han Chong looked at the warships and pondered. In terms of artillery, the Navy was at an irreversible disadvantage. The only way to break the siege was to board the ships and kill the Dongyi soldiers.

"Commander Zhang, do you dare to board the ships with me?"

"What? Board them?" The commander was shocked. This General Han was certainly bold, willing to risk his life!

"General Han, the Dongyi soldiers and commanders are strong. They have masters of the Heaven-Man Realm, perhaps even the Heaven-Transformation Realm. Even if we make it through the barrage of fire, we might not return alive!"

"To capture the bandits, you must first capture their leader. There must be a flagship. If we kill their commander, the fleet will fall into chaos!"

"General Han is right. It seems this is the only viable strategy!"

Han Chong drew his Qingming Sword, grabbed the commander’s arm, and soared into the sky. They flew directly toward the central flagship. Their arrival caused a stir among the enemy, drawing the attention of the Dongyi forces.

On the flagship, a commander shouted orders, and soldiers aimed their firearms and bows upward. However, Han Chong descended at a steep angle, making it nearly impossible to target them. Before they reached the deck, he unleashed a continuous stream of sword energy, causing massive casualties among the soldiers below. Several generals wielding blades struck back, but they could not hold him off.

A commander in red armor was issuing orders to the others; he was undoubtedly the leader. Han Chong charged directly at him with his Celestial Sword, while Commander Zhang engaged the other officers in a fierce, balanced fight.

Just as they were about to secure the flagship, a figure with a dragon-like head and ornate robes emerged from the cabin, lunging at Han Chong with a claw!

Han Chong was startled. He immediately realized that this figure must be the transformed Dragon Spirit. This explained why the coastal cannons were sabotaged—this creature had clearly commanded the demon generals to do it.

The creature was ferocious. Two-on-one, Han Chong knew he was no match. He had no choice but to retreat. He grabbed Commander Zhang, ascended on his sword, and pulled out a Celestial Thunder Bead, hurling it at the dragon-headed figure below. He had not intended to use it so soon, but the situation was critical.

"What is that?" A sense of extreme danger rose in the hearts of the dragon-headed figure and the red-armored commander. They scrambled to opposite sides of the ship.

In the next instant, Han Chong detonated the bead.

A thunderous explosion shook the heavens. A blue-black mushroom cloud rose from the deck, crackling with lightning. The massive flagship was blown apart, a giant hole torn through its center. It became unrecognizable and began to sink. The violent shockwave sent Han Chong and Commander Zhang tumbling through the air, even though they were already a hundred yards away. As for the hundreds of Dongyi soldiers on the deck, none remained.