RoleplayNovel Chapter 64 Encounter Battle
Chapter 64 Encounter Battle
Although morale was still manageable, after several days of continuous sailing, the two officers frowned more and more as they looked at the daily reports on supply consumption and the list of the wounded and sick.
The freshwater was deteriorating faster than expected, and despite measures such as diluting it with alcohol, diarrhea and non-combat casualties were still slowly increasing.
This filled the two officers with deep anxiety, and the situation forced them to increase the fleet's speed, even if it meant taking more risks.
Lü Qianfan was the first to make this suggestion, and under Chen Ang's questioning gaze, he said in a deep voice:
"Let's change course and sail closer to the coast, taking advantage of the near-shore currents and more stable winds. That might save us a few days. But the risk is that we're more likely to encounter native fishing boats, small trading posts, or even Dutch fleets."
Chen Ang pondered for a moment, weighing the pros and cons. Saving two or three days meant that the soldiers would suffer two or three days less at sea, the supply pressure would be slightly reduced, and they could also temporarily land to obtain fresh water resources.
However, the risk of exposure does increase.
"Notify all ships to prepare for battle." Chen Ang finally made his decision. "If we encounter small vessels, avoid them if possible; if we cannot avoid them, capture or sink them. We must not let the news leak out. Order the vanguard ships to strengthen their lookouts. We will change course."
The order was given, and the fleet adjusted its course again, beginning to sail close to the lush coastline of Borneo.
Dense mangrove forests and steep cliffs occasionally swept past the side of the boat, and scattered fishing villages and canoes could be seen from time to time. The lookouts kept a close watch, but fortunately, they did not attract much attention.
As the fleet changed course, relying on the near-shore currents and more favorable winds, their speed indeed increased. Six days later, the navigator excitedly reported that, based on the stars and coastal features, they had rounded Cape Tanjung Datu, the westernmost point of Borneo, and officially entered the Java Sea.
"Java Sea! We've arrived!" The news was like a shot in the arm, instantly boosting the morale of the entire fleet.
Although the horizon still stretched out to the horizon, everyone knew that their goal lay on the other side of the sea.
However, just as the fleet entered the Java Sea, the lookout on the lead warship sounded the alarm.
"A convoy spotted ahead on starboard! Five ships, flying Dutch flags!"
The moment the flag was raised, both Lü Qianfan and Chen Ang felt a pang of anxiety and immediately rushed onto the deck, raising their binoculars to look at the distant sea.
About four nautical miles to the right, a small fleet was sailing from north to south. The ships were not large, and appeared to be a mixed formation of several medium-sized merchant ships and two two-masted fast ships. The flag of the Dutch East India Company was flying prominently on the masts.
Judging from their course, they appear to have set sail from somewhere to the north, heading towards Batavia or further south.
"It's a Dutch fleet!" Lü Qianfan quickly judged. "We can't let them pass. If they enter Batavia or encounter other Dutch ships, our whereabouts will be exposed!"
Their use of the Dutch East Indies flag can only deceive people temporarily. Such a large fleet must be registered with the Dutch, and if it is discovered that they do not have the relevant documents, they will be exposed in advance.
"Then take them down!" Chen Ang realized the seriousness of the situation. "Make it quick and decisive. Resolve the battle as fast as possible, sink them, and then leave this area at full speed."
With the two men's orders, the flags were quickly raised to transmit the commands to each ship. The camouflage of the combat-capable Tier 5 and Tier 6 ships remained intact, but the gunners behind the gun ports were already in position, quickly loading ammunition into the cannons.
The marines and army soldiers on board also picked up their weapons and prepared for battle. The fleet adjusted its course, seemingly unintentionally cutting diagonally ahead of the Dutch small fleet's course, as if the two fleets were about to meet at sea.
As the distance closed, the Dutch fleet did not seem particularly wary. After all, it was not unusual to see a "friendly" fleet flying a company flag in the Java Sea. The lead two-masted speedboat even raised a friendly greeting signal flag.
On the mast of the Ming Dynasty flagship Jinghai, the sailor in charge of signals had sweaty palms and awkwardly replied with a signal indicating that everything was normal, based on the Dutch naval signals he had learned beforehand.
The two sides continued to approach each other and entered the effective range of artillery.
As the two sides gradually closed the distance, the opposing fast ship finally realized something was wrong. Although the Tier 5 and Tier 6 ships had been disguised, their different shapes from regular merchant ships could not be completely concealed.
Although the Dutch frigate sensed something was wrong, it did not immediately prepare for battle. Instead, it adjusted its posture and prepared to send out a signal for questioning.
However, they soon lost that opportunity.
As the distance between the two sides closed to the point that the Dutch could see that the other side's deck was full of sailors with Han Chinese features, they finally realized what was going on.
Before they could react, the Jinghai took the lead and the other ships followed suit. The gun ports on the sides suddenly opened, and cannons were launched, firing before the Dutch could react.
Boom boom boom—
With deafening cannon fire, the dark muzzles spewed out dazzling flashes of light and thick smoke as dozens of solid shot and chain shot hurtled toward the unsuspecting Dutch fleet!
The violent impact and the sound of wood shattering rang out almost simultaneously. The lead two-masted speedboat was hit first, its mast being snapped in half by the spinning chain shot, breaking in two and crashing heavily onto the deck.
The ship was also hit by solid shot, leaving several horrifying holes in its hull. It lost power instantly, and many people on deck were killed or wounded.
Another two-masted fast ship and three merchant ships were also hit to varying degrees, and the decks were in chaos with screams of agony.
"Get aboard! Board the enemy ship!"
Lu Qianfan's order was once again given through the flags, and all the ships immediately rushed at full speed toward the chaotic Dutch fleet, with the sailors shouting as they prepared the boarding hooks and gangplanks.
Meanwhile, the marines and line infantry lined up on the sides of the ship and opened fire on the Dutch warships that were gradually entering the range of their muskets.
A barrage of flintlock musket fire erupted like popping beans, white smoke instantly billowed across the ship's hull, and lead bullets swept across the deck of the nearby Dutch vessel like a storm of metal.
The Dutch crew and sailors had barely managed to regain their footing after the sudden artillery barrage when they were hit by a volley of musket fire at such close range, and fell in large numbers like wheat being harvested.
Blood splattered on the deck, screams echoed, and the already chaotic situation spiraled out of control. The few remaining sailors who tried to resist were suppressed and unable to lift their heads.
"Lower the grappling hook! Board the ship!"
The Ming warships used their momentum to ram into the Dutch fleet, the heavy hulls colliding with a deafening crash.
Countless thick cables with iron hooks were hurled at the enemy ships, hooking tightly onto the gunwales or the remaining masts. The Ming marines immediately abandoned their muskets, drew their swords, and, shouting, leaped onto the decks of the Dutch ships along the cables or the ramps.
"Kill! Leave no one alive!"
The marines shouted, trying to vent the emotions that had accumulated during their journey through combat. They had undergone rigorous boarding maneuver training, were tactically skilled, and coordinated perfectly. The Dutch convoy, on the other hand, had limited armed personnel to begin with, and the surprise attack caused their morale to collapse, and their resistance quickly crumbled.
The lead ship, which was the first to suffer heavy damage, was half-sunk, and the survivors jumped into the sea. Another ship tried to raise a white flag in despair, but the bloodthirsty Ming soldiers ignored them and continued their mopping-up operations.
Resistance on the merchant ships was even weaker, with many crew members and merchants kneeling down and begging for mercy.
The battle was basically over in less than half an hour, with shipwrecks, corpses, and struggling drowning victims floating on the sea.
Several Dutch merchant ships and the fast ship that had not yet sunk had been taken into Ming control, their decks stained with blood, and the prisoners were being held in a concentrated guard.
The Ming army quickly searched each ship for any useful documents. Soon, an officer hurriedly returned to the deck of the Jinghai and handed over several soaked nautical logs and letter bags. Behind him were two wounded and captured Dutch officers.
Lu Qianfan quickly flipped through the documents, which mainly consisted of trade documents and routine navigation records, without any particularly sensitive information concerning Batavia's recent defenses.
He learned from the prisoners’ terrified and fragmented confessions that the fleet was a trading fleet traveling between Annam and Batavia, carrying mainly rice purchased from Annam.
This rice is not of much use to the Ming army at present. If they want to eat it, they need to cook it with water, but fresh water is exactly what the fleet lacks most.
Lu Qianfan could only order the fresh water, preserved food, and valuables from the captured Dutch-Indian ships to be moved back to their respective ships, while the rice remained on board.
"Incorporate these merchant ships into our fleet, send some men to take over them, and keep the prisoners who are willing to surrender and cooperate with us, and execute those who are unwilling by shooting them or throwing them into the sea." Lü Qianfan gave the order, deciding the fate of the three merchant ships.
He originally intended to sink the merchant ships and feed the captives to the fish on board, but then he thought that these merchant ships were ready-made bait, and it would be easier to succeed if they were put in charge of carrying out the baiting mission.
After executing prisoners who refused to surrender and throwing them into the sea to feed the fish, the Ming fleet quickly assembled, adjusted its course, and headed at full speed toward Batavia without stopping.
Only dissipating smoke, a few floating fragments and corpses remained on the sea surface, along with a flock of seabirds drawn by the blood and beginning to circle.
As the main attack fleet entered the Java Sea, three merchant ships, after being guarded by colonial infantry, broke away from the fleet and sped to the designated area to begin their planned operation.
Two days later, in the Java Sea, dozens of nautical miles from the port of Batavia.
A merchant ship, flying the East India Company flag, slightly tilted, with several damaged sails, drifted helplessly in the waves.
On the deck, several panicked European-looking crew members were waving strips of cloth and screaming for help in Dutch. On both sides of the ship and in hidden places, dozens of bare-chested, dark-skinned, or dressed in tattered clothes native sailors were huddled together.
From a distance, the ship looks exactly like a merchant ship that has been caught in a storm and is unable to continue sailing.
In the distance, a Dutch East India Company two-masted patrol boat was on a routine patrol. Captain Karls held up a monocular telescope and observed the "distressed" vessel. As mentioned earlier, he subconsciously assumed it was a distressed ship.
"It looks like a merchant ship caught in a storm, and it's still flying our flag." Karls lowered his binoculars and said to his first mate, "Let's go over and take a look. In this awful weather, it's not good to let them fend for themselves. The governor has recently issued strict orders to tighten maritime order."
"Yes, Captain. However... things have been tense lately, and the Chinese have been making unusual moves, so it's best to be cautious," the first mate advised.
"Hmph, the Chinese? They should be entangled with the Spanish in the Sulu Sea and Mindanao right now!" Kars scoffed dismissively. "What threat could a shabby merchant ship pose? Move closer, prepare to launch a small boat to board and inspect it, see if it's one of our company's ships, and if we need any help."
The Hercules adjusted its course and slowly approached the distressed merchant ship. The Dutch sailors lazily prepared the ropes and boarding ladders, unaware that death was approaching.
The ship cut through the calm sea and gradually approached the seemingly miserable merchant ship. When the distance closed to about a hundred yards, Karls could see the damage on the other ship more clearly. There were many cannon fire wounds and bullet holes left by lead bullets.
Seeing this, he couldn't help but click his tongue a few times and said, "It seems that this ship not only encountered a storm, but was also attacked by pirates. It must have been tough for them to make it this far."
Although Karls did not believe there was any danger, his professional instincts kept him on guard. He lowered the sails and stopped the ship fifty yards away from the merchant ship, launched a small boat with five sailors and a sergeant, and rowed toward the distressed merchant ship.
The small boat approached the merchant ship, and the Dutch sergeant led the sailors onto the deck. They were greeted by Dutch crew members who looked terrified and nervous, and the native sailors who seemed to be trembling with fear.
The sergeant didn't notice anything unusual about the Dutch crew members' expressions, assuming it was just a normal reaction after encountering danger.
The Spanish prisoner, playing the first mate, was visibly excited, chattering incessantly in Flemish-accented Dutch:
"God help you! You've finally arrived! This is the 'Andris,' returning from Rising Dragon, when we encountered that damned storm and pirates..."
As he listened, the sergeant sharply scanned the deck. He noticed that most of the native sailors had their heads down and dared not meet his gaze, which was normal. However, a few of them seemed to be too robust, which was not normal in comparison.
"Where is the captain? Where is the logbook?" the sergeant interrupted the first mate, asking sternly.
"Captain... the captain was injured in the storm, in the lower cabin." The first mate's eyes flickered as he pointed to the stairs leading to the cabin. "The nautical logbook is also waterlogged; I'll have someone bring it to me immediately."
The sergeant nodded and stood there waiting. Soon, a crew member ran over with the nautical log and other documents and handed them to the sergeant for review.
These nautical logs were seized along with the merchant ship, so the sergeant naturally didn't see anything unusual about them. However, he noticed that the ship had deviated significantly from its course and asked in confusion:
"You came from Rising Dragon Island, which is far off course. How did you end up in this area?"
The first mate scratched his neck and said with a wry smile, "We encountered a storm, lost our way, and were blown here."
This explanation is barely plausible, especially in an era lacking precise navigation tools, it was not uncommon for ships to deviate from their course after encountering a storm.
The sergeant nodded, asked no more questions, and then inspected the cargo hold. After confirming that it contained only Annamite rice, he completely lowered his guard and returned to the patrol boat to report to Captain Carls.