Translator: Cinder Translations
...
"Prepare muskets!"
"Grenades ready!"
"Prepare swivel guns!"
The six naval sailboats were not equipped with large cannons, but they were armed with swivel guns that could rotate flexibly.
The sailors on board were divided into two groups: one equipped with swords or axes, specializing in close combat to deal with enemies boarding the ship, each also carrying several ceramic grenades.
The other group of sailors were armed with muskets, positioned behind the close combat soldiers, responsible for picking off enemies engaged in melee combat with their fellow sailors.
Considering that current naval battles still primarily relied on boarding actions and preparing for potential urban warfare in the future, the equipment department, led by Herman and others specializing in firearm development, had specially crafted a large-caliber, short-range musket capable of firing shrapnel pellets.
This musket, dubbed "Big Sprayer" by the soldiers, was essentially a handheld cannon. Its shrapnel could spray enemies within a fan-shaped area up to thirty meters away, causing them to bleed profusely. Moreover, due to the large number and tiny size of the shrapnel, once embedded in flesh, they were extremely difficult to remove.
Close to half of the muskets carried by the sailors were these "Big Sprayers."
As enemy ships approached, soldiers with long-barreled muskets opened fire first. The initial barrage threw the pirates into chaos, forcing them to take cover and avoid the bullets.
When they closed within a certain distance, each of the six pirate ships latched onto a naval vessel.
"Throw out the grappling hooks!"
Some pirates risked being shot by muskets as they threw large iron hooks onto the warships. The hooks were tied to cables, and once hooked onto the warship's gunwale, they pulled with all their might during the sailors' ammunition reloading gaps, swiftly drawing the ships closer together.
As the pirates pulled on the grappling hooks, sailors vigorously tossed grenades onto the enemy ships. Even if the pirates lay flat on the deck, they would still be hit by the explosions.
Fortunately, they were dressed thickly enough due to the weather. With the current power of the grenades, as long as exposed parts weren't hit by iron nail fragments, they would only feel intense pain. However, many unlucky individuals still suffered injuries.
"Lower the boarding ramps!"
Thick boarding ramps flipped over from the pirate ships, their ends fitted with iron nails landing squarely on the warship's gunwales.
"Charge! Take them down!"
The pirates all stood up with a loud roar, charging towards the warship across the boarding ramps.
"Now's the time, open fire!"
Swivel guns on the six sailboats began firing in succession, sweeping the pirates crowded on the ramps clean, dropping them all into the sea to feed the fish.
"Don't stop! Charge ahead! Get close to them!"
Pirate leaders shouted loudly, some even waving their weapons, leading the charge across the ramps for a second time.
"Clash!" "Clash!"
At close range, the "Big Sprayers" used for repelling enemies opened fire. Though their power didn't match that of the swivel guns, the injuries they inflicted were severe enough to render the victims incapacitated and out of the fight.
If this were on land, it might have been somewhat manageable, but on the unstable gangplanks between ships, the sudden and powerful strikes threw the pirates off balance. The second wave of pirates attempting to board through the gangplanks howled in agony as they fell into the sea.
Normally, under such repeated assaults, a typical pirate crew would have surrendered or scattered long ago. However, in order to bolster their own combat effectiveness and reverse the disadvantage caused by the initial losses from the first four ships, Jaden ordered his closest followers to take the drug a second time.
Though the second dose was much smaller, the cumulative effect of the two doses left many in a state of confusion, their minds consumed with a fervent desire to taste the enemy's blood.
Even those who managed to retain some semblance of rationality no longer feared the casualties they witnessed among their comrades.
The gangplanks were short, and it took only a few seconds to charge across. This brief time was insufficient for the sailors to reload their ammunition for a second round.
"Brothers, take them down!" Each ship's captain led by example, wielding weapons alongside the close combat sailors to engage the pirates who boarded their ships. Due to the chaotic situation, most of the soldiers armed with muskets also drew their swords and joined the melee.
"Hah!" Captain Yarman roared, barely blocking a pirate's incoming swing with his saber.
To his surprise, the block sent shockwaves through his arm, leaving Yarman astonished. He had always been confident in his strength, but compared to the pirates before him, he felt somewhat lacking.
Yarman forcefully pushed aside the pirate's sword, gripping his hilt with both hands as he engaged his opponent. After a few exchanges, he gradually realized the pirate relied solely on brute strength, with reckless and erratic movements, a completely reckless fighting style.
The pirate he fought against seemed almost frenzied, with veins bulging on his exposed arms as if they were about to burst.
"Come on! Blue-striped dog!" The pirate yelled madly, drool streaming down from his mouth. He raised his long knife and once again charged recklessly towards Yarman.
Yarman remained tense, opting not to parry or dodge, but instead seized the opportunity to crouch and deliver a sweeping leg kick. With a loud clang, his opponent stumbled and fell onto the deck.
The pirate struggled to get up, but a sharp sword thrust from behind pierced through, ending his struggle.
Taking a breath, the captain withdrew his sword and surveyed the battle around him.
Due to the firearm strikes before the gangplank battle, the pirates suffered significant casualties. Compared to the navy, they were now outnumbered, but seemingly every pirate charging forward displayed tremendous strength, often requiring two or three sailors to barely hold them off.
Yarman sensed something amiss; it was the first time he had encountered such a situation. Thankfully, the sailors in this engagement were no longer the rookies from before. Their rigorous obedience training and ironclad discipline overcame their fear and panic, and the promise of substantial rewards for their war achievements stirred their fighting spirit. Moreover, their defense against pirates had accumulated rich combat experience. With these factors combined, the navy wasn't simply being overwhelmed by the enemy.
And they still had muskets!
Not all sailors equipped with muskets joined the melee; some continued firing their guns.
These marksmen were carefully selected for their agility and quick aim. Each was accompanied by several specially trained assistants responsible for loading ammunition. After firing a shot, they handed the empty gun to an assistant to reload while searching for the next target. This continuous cycle of firing was maintained without interruption.
Unlike in some gunfight movies where protagonists can sustain multiple gunshot wounds and continue to fight vigorously, in reality, a human body often loses its ability to move after being hit by a bullet.
Moreover, in this world without the Hague International Conventions, the bullets used by the Aldan Army were made of lead. Because lead is relatively soft, upon impact with the human body, it releases all its kinetic energy, severely deforming or even rupturing the bullet head, creating a trumpet-shaped cavity in the tissue. The wound area is hundreds of times larger than the cross-sectional area of the bullet, and the instantaneous pressure on the human circulatory system causes even greater damage. The pain inflicted on the wounded isn't just limited to this; if not all bullet fragments are removed from the wound, lead poisoning can occur.
TL Note: Hague International and Private Conventions: This declaration states that, in any war between signatory powers, the parties will abstain from using "bullets which expand or flatten easily in the human body".
Though Jaden's pirates, under the influence of the drug, had experienced explosive growth in their strength, endurance, and resilience to impacts, it wasn't to the extent where their bodily tissues underwent mutations. Moreover, due to accelerated blood circulation, arterial bleeding would gush out if hit.
On the other hand, even with the impressive accuracy of muskets at distances of a hundred meters, at such close range on the deck, it was almost a matter of shooting wherever the shooter pointed. The only thing shooters needed to be cautious about was not to accidentally injure comrades engaged in melee combat with the enemy.
As the continuous gunfire echoed from each warship, pirates, their eyes bloodshot from the killing spree, fell on the deck one by one.
Those pirates struck in vital areas like the heart or head died instantly. Those hit in the thighs or arms fell without a chance to rise again, quickly dispatched by the sailors they fought against.
The scales of victory swiftly tipped in favor of the navy.
(End of the Chapter)