Chapter 1788: New-Style Mechanisms

Zhang Jiao gently stroked Zhang Ning's little head, a trace of tenderness flowing in his eyes, then turned toward the direction of Lu Zhi and Huangfu Song, sighing secretly in his heart. He knew that these disputes in the court should have been transcendent for practitioners like them, but now, they had to be involved.

"Ning'er, Daddy and the uncles have important things to do; when these things are over, Daddy will certainly take you to see the most beautiful scenery, okay?" Zhang Jiao said softly, trying to temporarily isolate this heavy atmosphere.

Zhang Ning blinked her big eyes and nodded understandingly, still tightly clutching a small wooden sword in her hand; that was a toy Zhang Jiao had carved for her with his remaining magic power.

At this moment, a burst of hurried footsteps came from outside the tent, and a messenger hurried in, knelt on one knee, and presented a secret letter with both hands: "My Lord, urgent military intelligence!"

Zhang Jiao took the secret letter, opened it, and frowned. What was said in the letter was precisely about the pirate leaders who were blocking them from going to sea; they were not only well-equipped but also seemed to have mastered some strange magic, making the fishermen and merchant ships along the coast terrified.

"It seems this is where our mission lies." Zhang Jiao said in a deep voice, his gaze firm, "We cannot sit idly by; if these pirates continue to be rampant, not only will it affect our plans, but it will also make innocent people suffer."

Zhang Bao and Zhang Liang looked at each other; although there was still fear in their hearts, seeing their eldest brother's firm gaze, that unease was gradually replaced by courage.

"Eldest Brother, we will go with you; no matter what, we must solve these guys." Zhang Bao clenched his fists, his tone carrying determination.

Zhang Liang also nodded and added: "Right, we cannot fail the Master, nor can we fail the people."

The decision made, the three brothers began to discuss countermeasures. Zhang Jiao first proposed: "We must first understand the background of these pirates, the source of their magic, and their stronghold. Knowing oneself and knowing the enemy, one will never be defeated in a hundred battles."

Zhang Bao suggested: "We can send some clever subordinates to probe for news, and at the same time, use our magic to create some illusions to confuse them and buy time for us."

Zhang Liang thought of some mechanism techniques in the "Heavenly Craft Essential Techniques": "Perhaps we can make some simple mechanisms to use for defense or attack; although we cannot immediately build weapons like grenades, they can always help."

Just as the three were arguing, a voice came from outside the tent again; this time it was Gu Yi's voice: "Zhang Jiao, are you inside? I have matters to discuss."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jiao hurriedly welcomed him out, only to see Gu Yi looking serious, holding a roll of drawings in his hand.

"Mr. Gu, you have come just in time; we were just worrying about how to deal with those pirates." Zhang Jiao said.

Gu Yi shook his head gently and unfolded the drawings: "I observed the celestial phenomena at night; this matter of pirates is I fear not accidental. These are simple defensive construction drawings I improved based on the 'Heavenly Craft Essential Techniques'; perhaps they can help you."

Zhang Jiao examined the drawings carefully, a flash of surprise in his eyes: "Mr. Gu, this is truly sending charcoal in snowy weather! With these, our chances of winning have increased by a few points."

Gu Yi smiled slightly and patted Zhang Jiao on the shoulder: "Remember, no matter when, you must believe in your own strength and also believe that everything we do is for the people on this land. Go, go and complete your mission; I will provide support for you in the rear."

The three Zhang brothers nodded gratefully, their hearts full of strength. They knew that this road would be full of challenges, but as long as there was belief in their hearts, there was nothing that could not be overcome.

In the following days, the three Zhang brothers acted according to the plan; on one hand, they sent subordinates to probe for news of the pirates, and on the other hand, they secretly built defensive works according to the drawings provided by Gu Yi and trained soldiers to use these new-style mechanisms.

At the same time, they did not forget to cultivate their own magic; after all, in a real battle, personal strength was also crucial.

Finally, on a calm night, they received definite news that the pirates were coming to attack. The three Zhang brothers led an elite team and quietly ambushed near the bay that the pirates had to pass.

Under the moonlight, the sea was sparkling, and everything seemed calm, but in reality, undercurrents were surging. When the pirate fleet sailed into the ambush circle, Zhang Jiao gave an order, the mechanisms were activated, arrows shot toward the pirate ships like locusts, and at the same time, Zhang Bao and Zhang Liang each performed magic, creating a mist that made the pirates lose their footing.

The battle was extremely fierce, but relying on careful preparation and firm belief, the three Zhang brothers finally successfully repelled the pirates and protected the tranquility of the coast.

After the battle, when they returned to the camp, Gu Yi was already waiting there, his face full of a satisfied smile: "Well done; you not only proved your strength but also won peace for the people."

The three Zhang brothers smiled at each other, their hearts full of pride. They knew that this was just the beginning; the road ahead was still long, but as long as they were united, there was nothing that was impossible.

And regarding the mission of going to sea to find grain seeds, they also firmed up their determination. When everything settled down, they would certainly embark on that unknown journey to find that light of hope for every life on this land. ===== CHAPTER 1789 =====