Chapter 29: Fish Weir Fire Sea

The official ship entered the river's center at Fish Weir Ford; the surrounding fog grew thicker, visibility under three zhang.

The river surface was unusually quiet, only the splash of oars cutting the water, monotonous and oppressive.

The guards on the ship had their hands on their sword hilts, muscles tense, eyes warily scanning the blank white river surface. Everyone knew that beneath the calm water lay a deadly killing intent.

Wang Jin stood at the bow, his expression calm, but his consciousness was highly focused. He could feel something beneath the water.

"Here." He softly uttered two words.

Just as his words fell, several muffled thuds came from the hull, as if someone were striking the planks with a heavy object.

"Water ghosts! They're sabotaging the hull!" Colonel Li's face changed, and he bellowed lowly.

"Water ghost" is the slang term for those who sneakily sabotage ships from below.

Almost at the same time, a whoosh of tearing air rang out from the thick fog.

Dozens of oilcloth-wrapped rockets screamed in from all directions, precisely embedding themselves in the official ship's deck and cabins.

But to the assassins' surprise, these rockets did not ignite into raging flames as expected; the ship's deck and sides had already been drenched with water, making them extremely slick. The rockets merely smoked black and quickly died out.

"Trivial tricks." A cold smile curled the corner of Wang Jin's mouth.

In the thick fog, several black boats as ghostly as apparitions shot out silently. Their hulls were oddly shaped—sharp prow, low body, moving as swiftly as water snakes. They were precisely the Night Owl's Fire Dragon Boats!

Seeing that fire attack failed, the black-clad assassins on the boats flashed a hint of surprise, but their motion did not pause. They hurled dozens of grappling hooks from the boats, firmly latching onto the official ship's railings, preparing to board by force.

They believed the official ship's hull had already been pierced, that it would soon take on water, and those aboard would fall into chaos. Attacking now was the perfect opportunity.

One after another, the black-clad assassins climbed up the ropes like apes.

In their eyes, the prey was already in the bag.

But what greeted them was not panicked screams.

But rather, fish nets soaked in tung oil rained down from above!

"Release!"

Wang Jin's arm swung down violently!

The Imperial Guards, who had long been ready, roared and hurled dozens of heavy fishing nets down upon those climbing the assassins!

"Plunk! Plunk!"

The climbing assassins, caught off guard, were instantly entangled in the nets, screaming as they fell back into the river like dumplings being dropped. The nets, soaked in oil, heavy and slick, grew tighter the more they struggled in the water, and they were soon swept downstream by the rushing current.

Those assassins who had already climbed onto the railings were also thrown into disarray by this sudden move.

"Ignite!"

Wang Jin's second order was cold and merciless.

The Zheng Clan Guards, who had long been waiting on either side of the railings, fiercely flung their torches at the Fire Dragon Boats hooked to the railings and at the fishing nets floating on the water!

"Boom——!"

Jar after jar of incendiary oil was poured down from the ship.

The pungent incendiary oil, upon contact with the river water, did not extinguish but instead seemed activated, instantly erupting into flames!

Flames shot into the sky!

In an instant, the entire river surface became a churning sea of fire!

Those small, exquisite Fire Dragon Boats, fragile as paper before the incendiary oil, were instantly engulfed by flames. The assassins aboard shrieked miserably, leaping into the river ablaze, only to find a layer of burning oil floating on the surface—nowhere to escape.

The assassins previously entangled in the nets and fallen into the water became living human torches. The tung-oil-soaked nets acted as the best accelerant, burning them to death in the river.

The towering firelight scattered the thick fog, also dispelling the assassins' last sliver of hope.

They finally realized they were not the hunters.

They were the ones who had blundered headfirst into the trap!

"Sink their ships! Everyone, follow me and charge out!" Seeing this, Colonel Li's blood boiled; he drew his broadsword, about to lead men onto the enemy vessels to slaughter them to the last.

"Come back!" Wang Jin barked, "Guard the ship! Watch below!"

Colonel Li stared, then realized. The greatest threat still lay beneath the water!

Just then, the official ship's hull lurched, beginning to tilt at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The hull had indeed been pierced after all!

"Hold steady! Plug the breach!" Colonel Li hurriedly directed the boatmen to plug the leak.

Amid the sea of fire, on the few surviving enemy boats, a tall figure—clearly the leader in black—flashed a hint of ruthlessness in his eyes. He knew the tide had turned; after two failures, if he returned like this, the people in the Capital would not spare them.

But they still had one last chance!

Capture the bandits by capturing their leader!

He gave a signal; the remaining ten or so elite assassins at his side all showed a resolve to die.

They abandoned the siege, instead concentrating all their strength to launch a death-defying charge toward Wang Jin at the bow!

"Protect the commander!" Colonel Li and Zheng Ping roared together, leading all the guards to form a human wall at the bow.

The battle instantly descended into the bloodiest melee!

These Night Owl elites, fighting on water, undoubtedly increased their advantage. They struck ruthlessly, every move lethal, their coordination seamless.

One Imperial Guard, slightly careless, was run through the belly with a blade. Yet he used his body to firmly block the opponent's sword, creating an opening for his comrade. Zheng Ping's knife, from a tricky angle, sliced across that assassin's throat.

Blood stained the deck.

The battle had reached a pitch of utter brutality.

Wang Jin stood behind the wall of men, his face splattered with warm blood, his heart also quite panicked—having been born in a peaceful age, when had he ever seen such a scene? Yet his expression remained calm. He knew the most dangerous moment had not yet arrived.

The assassin leader who had not yet made a move had been waiting for an opportunity.

Suddenly, a boatman tasked with plugging the leak let out a scream, being dragged bodily from the breach below into the river!

Immediately after, seven or eight soaking-wet men wearing only trousers—'water ghosts'—like true demons, silently crawled up from the hole in the cabin!

Their target was not the guards ahead, but Wang Jin, protected behind them!

Attack from both inside and outside!

This is a true killing situation!

In their eyes, a comrade's life meant nothing; as long as they killed Wang Jin, they would consider the mission accomplished, and even after returning they would still receive the lord's reward—more people would die, fewer would share the prize.

Colonel Li and Zheng Ping were shocked and frightened, wanting to retreat, but the enemies before them clung tightly, making escape impossible.

Seeing the daggers in the hands of those water ghosts, they were about to pierce Wang Jin's body.

Wang Jin's (Wang Xiu's) pupils suddenly contracted.

But he did not retreat.

At this critical moment, he reached into his bosom and pulled out the small porcelain bottle he had been reluctant to use.

【Gold Sore Medicine (High Quality)】!

He didn't use it himself; instead, with superhuman speed, he unscrewed the cap and flung the entire bottle of powder at the water ghosts who had just crawled out of the water, dousing them from head to toe!

Those water ghosts never expected him to do this, and instinctively closed their eyes.

Although the powder of the Gold Sore Medicine was not poisonous, once it got into their eyes, the intense irritation still blurred their vision and slowed their movements.

This was the moment!

Wang Jin moved.

He had never learned any martial arts, but he mustered all his strength, lifted his leg, and kicked the face of the nearest water ghost with all his might!

"Bang!"

That kick was powerful and heavy! From the start of this game, he had never given up on letting his ancestors strengthen their bodies, and moreover he had the Strong Body Health Pill.

Although he had not trained in martial arts, his reflexes, speed, and strength were now beyond that of ordinary people.

That water ghost, kicked until its nose bridge broke, let out a miserable cry, fell backward, and slid down the sloping deck straight into the sea of fire behind it!