Chapter 743: Chapter 32: The Attack of the Tianbo Division Chapter 743: Chapter 32: The Attack of the Tianbo Division “What does it mean that the Dharma cannot be adequately spoken of?”

“Rumor has it that Borneo is teeming with Exotic Beasts, miasmas, and poisonous plants, and some native tribes there still practice human sacrifices. But that was a long time ago. Over a hundred years ago, many refugees and former officials unwilling to submit to the government rule from the Yue Min region ‘crossed over’ (went down to the South Seas), settling here. They cleared the forests, farmed the land, built roads, and leased land and mines from the native people for operation, developing a new world. Whenever there were natural disasters or calamities, large numbers of people would flock to Borneo to make a living. I roughly estimate that there are now over three million people living on the island.”

Cha Xiaodao listened, stunned: “Do they all recognize the Lin Family as the masters of Borneo?”

Hu Bailing shook his head, “Not at all, the Lin Family has only been in Borneo for a little over twenty years, not really old-timers. But they have the hardest fists and the broadest influence. Just in terms of various trading companies set up by Chinese People, there are no fewer than thirty on Borneo, and the Lin Family is just one of them. They mainly deal with shipbuilding and gold mining.”

Xue Ba also joined in, “The Divine Tower Ship that Leader Xiu is currently riding was built by the Treasure Ship King at Lin Dock, and I led the brothers to sail it back.”

Hu Bailing thought for a moment and added, “Right, these years the Dutch Red-hairs have been reinforcing their troops non-stop, reportedly because they discovered oil mines on Borneo. But Lin Ajin’s health is declining by the day; I see a storm brewing.”

With just a few words, Cha Xiaodao had formed a rough outline of Borneo in his mind.

He looked up. At some point, a thin layer of fog had risen over the sea. The milky-white beach and the luxuriant thick forest, against a sky now deep purplish-red, coupled with Hu Bailing’s vivid descriptions, seemed to shroud this unfamiliar island with an added layer of mystery.

This was a fertile land, but it belonged only to the brave adventurer.

“Hm?”

Cha Xiaodao turned his head and saw through the mist, a colossal Tower Ship emerged, sailing toward the port of Borneo alongside the Red Flag fleet, seemingly closing in on the Red Flag ships as if about to collide with them.

“Daozi, look behind you,”
Xue Ba whispered urgently.

As it turned out, there wasn’t just one giant Tower Ship; on the left, right, and behind the Red Flag fleet, massive Tower Ships were squeezing in. Each ship was roughly eighty meters long, more than twice the size of the Red Flag’s swift ships, like three giant whales herding a school of sharks, trying to trap Xue Ba’s fleet in the middle.

Ordinary sailors would most likely be panicking by now, but Xue Ba and his men were direct descendants of the Tianbao, the most seasoned naval warriors of the Red Flag Gang. Almost without any signal flags at all, the Red Sails swift ships spread out in a fan shape like swimming fish, darting through the gaps between the cumbersome opponents, effortlessly escaping the encirclement of the three Tower Ships. The sea was a momentary crisscross of vessels large and small. Not only that, each side of the Tower Ships was tightly entangled by the swift ships from both sides, completely reversing the situation from offensive to defensive.

The Red Flag pirates in the gun deck brought out cannonballs and firelocks. This improved Yellow Gunpowder ammunition, courtesy of Suo Heier (a Western official captured by the Red Flag), needed only two rounds of coordinated firing to sink an armored ship with less than half an inch of metal plating.

With just an order from the three leaders, the over twenty cannons mounted on the flanks of the swift ships would fire simultaneously, transforming the three old-fashioned wooden Tower Ships into gigantic torches on the sea.

Hisss~Hisss~Hisss~
Three figures suddenly leaped from the Tower Ships that were being pinned down, a good ten meters high, and charged directly at Cha, Xue, and Hu.

Xue Ba shouted, welcoming the challenge. But before the word “welcome” could fully leave his lips, Cha Xiaodao on his side had already surged upwards, colliding with the fastest of the jumpers. The attacker, falling with the force of gravity, was actually knocked unconscious by Cha Xiaodao’s upward charge, and without losing any momentum, Cha Xiaodao, still pressing against the chest of the unconscious man, continued upwards to meet the other two.

As soon as the word “ready” touched the ground, only to see Cha Xiaodao’s hands ignite with two fierce magenta flames, forming a “Y” shape that flashed across the night sky and then vanished, dazzling everyone for a moment. Following that, there were three consecutive sounds of splashes,
then a heavy “thud” as a silhouette landed on the top deck of the immense tower ship.

A figure swayed into view on the tower ship, standing in front of Cha Xiaodao. This person had an exquisite figure, with a long braid that reached the waist and a small teardrop mole at the corner of the eye, it was none other than Yan Ajiu, the personal guard of Cai Qian from the Tianbo Division. Crimson torches were also lit all around, illuminating the Cai clan flags that were hoisted everywhere on the ship.

Tianbo Division Cai Qian.

“Hahahaha, has the Tianbao brother come?”

Cai Qian’s laugh boomed as he spoke past Yan Ajiu to the figure of Cha, his back to him.

“…”

Cha Xiaodao turned around to face Cai Qian, whose gaze suddenly grew sharp.

Shaking his wrist, although his inheritance from Taotie was damaged by Muni’s bite, he was still a half-step proxy, equipped with several legendary items. A few from the Ten Cities of the Fiery Cauldron Species were naturally not a challenge, but to his surprise, he noticed a faint red glow emanating from the usually respected South Seas merchant, Cai Qian. This indicated that he might be capable of inflicting harm, possessing the power of the Nine Luminaries Peak.

The thought that Li Yan, who had only experienced three Yan Fu worlds, could snatch the South Seas Alliance Leader’s throne from him, was indeed quite lucky.

“Red Flag Gang leader Cha Daozi, at your service, Mr. Cai. I’m not sure where my Red Flag Gang has offended the Tianbo Division, but Mr. Cai didn’t even say hello before launching a brazen attack.”

“A misunderstanding, absolutely a misunderstanding. I heard that the Red Flag was being surrounded by the government, the Tianbao Dragon Head and Grand Alliance Leader Zheng’s lives hung by a thread. My heart has been filled with anxiety day and night. When I saw the red sails marked with the Tianbao Dragon Head in this place, I was overwhelmed and directed my men to bring the ship closer. This tower ship, which I purchased from the Lin Family last year, is still unfamiliar to my sailors. They couldn’t keep the proper distance, and that’s how the misunderstanding occurred. My men’s actions were a way to signal to our friends from the Red Flag. We meant no harm, just a greeting.”

Cha Xiaodao didn’t take it to heart and said with a laugh, “Mr. Cai’s greetings sure carry quite the impact.”

…

Hu Bailing walked to the edge of the deck to peer at the sea and saw that those who had fallen into the water were indeed the Yan Family brothers from before, causing her to suck in a breath of cold air.

The Yan Family brothers, Fiery Cauldron kin with Monster bloodlines, were nominally the Cai Clan’s servants, but their strength was unfathomably deep. Though few in number, during the big battle with the Dutch Red-hairs, the few Yan brothers held their own against eighty Gaoli ghosts in a contest to kill Red-hair officers, ending in a draw. That alone evidenced their strength as much greater than that of the common Gaoli ghost.

Hu Bailing then looked up to Cha Daozi, who was having a lively chat with Cai Qian. Sometimes Cai Qian would burst into laughter, shake his head, and Cha would occasionally chime in, or simply smile and nod. Shortly after, the Cai Clan’s servants fished the Yan brothers out of the sea. Cha Daozi apologized a few times and bade farewell to Cai Qian. Without further ado, he leaped straight down from the tower ship and landed in front of Xue Hu, causing the gunboat to tremble slightly.

Before Xue Hu could ask, Cha Xiaodao got right to the point, “This Mr. Cai is telling us that the authorities are squeezing him hard, and he’s worried that the Tianbo Division’s business will go south. He’s got the same idea as us, eyeing Borneo.”