Chapter 61: Vengeance

Chapter 61: Vengeance

“Is this still naval warfare?”

A murmur from a Venetian seaman broke the silence.

No one answered his question.

The Crete Provincial Commander was dazed. His common sense had been shaken so much that he was on the verge of a mental breakdown.

He had done his homework beforehand. He had compiled information about the Khitan Caesar from his past battle records to understand the enemy he was up against.

Herculean strength. Inexhaustible energy. Terrifying archery. Valiance of a war god.

If the Khitan Caesar had sniped down his seamen one by one or even charged straight ahead with his men and overran their galleys through sheer valiance, the Crete Provincial Commander would have still accepted the outcome.

But this...

What kind of nonsense is this?! Why is there even a horse in a naval battle?!

“Provincial Commander, what should we do?” a Venetian seaman asked as he trembled like a pitiful little quail.

And these were soldiers Venice had heavily invested in. Had they been hired mercenaries instead, they would have long-lost their nerves and surrendered.

“...” The Crete Provincial Commander was at a loss too.

Just then, he heard a shrill roar, “This is our chance to strike!”

He turned over and saw Vernier’s galley next to his.

Vernier was roaring with so much gusto that her face was warped, and her body was trembling, “He needs to accelerate! He needs enough space to build up momentum for his jump! As long as you don’t give him a chance to accelerate, he won’t be able to leap onto our galleys!”

We can’t let him get away! We cannot give him a chance to retreat!

It’ll be the end of me if they manage to escape.

The Senate will definitely issue an arrest warrant for me. No, that’s not all. These seamen here might even think that I have led them to their doom with my plan and attempt to kill me!

We must defeat the Khitan Caesar even if he sinks half of our galleys here!

While Vernier was catching her breath from all the shouting, the Crete Provincial Commander snapped out of his daze. As a war veteran, it didn’t take him long to make sense of the situation.

“The Khitan Caesar has been isolated from his troops! This is our chance to take him down!” the Crete Provincial Commander roared at his men.

“Dispatch ten galleys to surround the Khitan Caesar and shoot him down with our ballistae. Soak the arrows with flaming oil; we’ll burn him to death even if we can’t hit him!

“The remaining people shall stall the other Khitans. Don’t give them a chance to rescue the Khitan Caesar. Without those chained ships, the Khitan Caesar’s wings are clipped!”

The subsequent battle was brutal.

To stop Shu Yichao from reuniting with his troops, the Venetian fleet had no choice but to approach the Khitans’ chained ships to physically stop them. This gave the Khitans a chance to board their galleys.

But even if they had to lay down their lives, these Venetian seamen were determined to buy time for their comrades to take down the Khitan Caesar!

A massive fight unfolded.

All kinds of noises could be heard—the swooshes from oars rowing against the water, the creaking of splintering wood from colliding ships, the metallic clanging of crossing blades, and the furious roars of fighting soldiers.

Meanwhile, on Shu Yichao’s side...

“Hoh, are you finally coming at me?” Shu Yichao picked up a ballista and aimed it at the approaching Venetian fleet. “As I expected, I had to split away from my troops to reel you in.”

Boom!

The only thought left in their mind was to flee. The faster, the better.

Some might be able to escape with their adept galley steering, but one person was destined to die here.

A white comet descended from the sky once more.

Bam!

Miserable screams echoed, but they quickly died down.

At the end of which, Shu Yichao leisurely galloped up to Vernier.

“This should be my target.”

Red name. Health bar. Venetian.

Good. Now I just have to hang her on the flag pole...

“Esteemed Khitan Caesar,” Vernier meekly spoke with her dry lips, “I—”

Her facial muscles twitched as she tried to squeeze out a smile, but it looked awful.

She had never felt so regretful before. If she could do things over, she would have never messed with this monster!

Just then...

“Caesar!”

A figure suddenly pounced at Shu Yichao before he could make a move. Sophia grabbed his hands while looking at him with twinkling eyes that reflected the stars in the sky. Her voice was both sweet and coy.

“Leave her to me, please, Caesar.”

“Fine. Do whatever you want.”

Shu Yichao nodded without thinking much into it. He turned his attention to the other Venetian galleys.

“...”

The moment Shu Yichao turned around, Sophia’s face changed.

“Esteemed Senator...”

Her beautiful facial features warped into that of a savage beast, and her brilliant eyes were so cold that looking into them induced goosebumps.

“...I heard you Venetians pride yourselves as the ‘Bride of the Sea’?

“I am into matchmaking,” Sophia coyly twirled her hair, “why don’t I officiate your wedding?”

“You!” Vernier roared.

A few soldiers marched forth to hold Vernier down. A rope was tied around her neck, with the other end tied to a pole, before she was dragged to the galley’s edge. Without any hesitation, she was shoved off the edge.

“Wu! WUUUU!”

Vernier struggled desperately in the water. She was an adept swimmer, but who could swim while having a noose around their neck?

“Do your best, bride.” Princess Sophia put her hands together while watching the struggling Vernier. A slight redness reminiscent of embarrassment tinged her fair face. Then, she turned to her aide and ordered, “Raise the sail.”

Venetian Senator, let me guess—will you drown to death, or will you hang to death? Mmm, that’s a tough one for a child like me.

Oh well!