Gasp! She's a Time Traveler Using Modern Tech to Improve Ancient Life-Chapter 713 - 708: Melee

Because a shipload of formidable women warriors joined the battle, the water pirates suffered heavy losses. In a fit of rage, they smeared their few remaining arrows with kerosene and shot them fiercely at the fleet.

Crying and shouting echoed everywhere in an instant.

All Great Tang ships are wooden with big sails; thus, fire attacks have always been prevalent in naval battles.

Initially, the water pirates refrained from using fire arrows for two reasons: first, they thought Lin Wanwan’s fleet could be easily subdued, and second, they feared the commotion from burning ships on the river might attract the court’s navy.

But realizing their current strategy was ineffective, they knew they needed to escalate; otherwise, their entire crew might perish without plundering a thing.

Lin Wanwan’s side was not prepared for fire attacks, leaving them vulnerable in this wave of combat.

Fortunately, the fire arrows were fierce, piercing masts instantly, but they seldom ignited fires. Besides, the pirates did not possess many quality weapons, and they had limited kerosene.

After one round of volleys, the arrows ceased, and though there were a few fires aboard, they were quickly and desperately extinguished.

Seeing their forces on the brink of collapse, the self-assured pirate leader, unwilling to retreat disgracefully, furiously charged toward the ship where Lin Wanwan was.

If he could seize treasures from the main ship and capture its people, this raid would not be in vain.

The Kunlun slave and other servants guarded the deck vigilantly, preventing the pirates from boarding this ship.

Yet, amidst the chaotic skirmish, some evasion was inevitable. The pirate leader showed remarkable martial arts prowess, capable of slicing fish arrows shot from the crossbows.

He finally managed to climb aboard Lin Wanwan’s ship, and worse yet, he snapped the neck of a manservant holding a crossbow, seizing it for himself.

Fortunately, he seemed to prefer the Tang Blade, skillfully wielding it like an impenetrable barrier. No one could challenge him nor stop his advance toward the cabin.

Observing the situation on Lin Wanwan’s ship, a highly skilled woman dashed between the ships, rapidly approaching. Yet no matter how valiant she was, distant help could not resolve immediate danger.

The pirate leader, eyes blazing, had arrived at the largest cabin door, behind which Qingyu’s group was hiding.

Lin Wanwan concealed herself in the shadow outside the cabin, occasionally shooting cold arrows.

She quickly realized this burly man was problematic. Not only did he use the Tang Blade to deflect her sleeve crossbow shots, but he also pinpointed her location as a result of her ambush.

In the darkness, with a single glance, the pirate leader recognized he had caught a big fish. The person before him was the fleet’s owner.

He charged at Lin Wanwan with a sneer, indifferent to the sleeve crossbow strapped to her arm.

Lin Wanwan calmly raised her right hand and fired a gunshot.

After the first shot, she refrained from shooting again, partly to conserve bullets and partly to avoid exposing herself with loud gunfire.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Three gunshots echoed over all fighting noises in the night, and the pirate leader incredulously lowered his head, staring at three holes in his Tang Blade.

"Bang! Bang!"

Two more gunshots followed.

The pirate leader glanced down again, watching blood gushing from his body, and just managed to utter "you" before collapsing with a splash.

Dead with eyes wide open.

No matter what, he couldn’t fathom why he would die here, defeated by a seemingly helpless woman.

The mysterious, pitch-black weapon—what was its origin?

But he would never find out, as Lin Wanwan fired two more shots, totaling five, sending him to the afterlife without a chance for a deathbed revelation.

No matter how skilled in martial arts—a single shot can bring them down, as Lu Shouyue said, without exception.

If the pirate leader hadn’t been overly confident in his blade skills, unaware of the gun’s penetrating power, and focused on evading, he could potentially dodge vital shots, or even evade them entirely with his abilities and Lin Wanwan’s average shooting.

But his arrogance cost him; he underestimated the power of bullets, which cannot be deflected by a mere Tang Blade—resisting them was futile, bringing about his downfall.

Seeing the leader slain, Lin Wanwan immediately shouted, "The pirate leader is dead! Charge!"

Her armed men followed suit, exclaiming, "The pirate leader is dead! Charge!"

"Charge! Charge! Charge!" A quick-witted member grabbed the fallen pirate leader, using him as a human shield, and rushed to the blazing forefront, allowing everyone to witness.

The news of the leader’s death spread instantly, causing the pirates to collapse, losing all will to fight, and they plunged into the water, fleeing.

The two pirate ships laden with arrows also turned to retreat.

Only then did Lin Wanwan push open the cabin door, revealing a dark interior.

She lit a fire stick, lighting the room and revealing Xiao Yixun with her fish-shooting crossbow seated on the bed while Qingyu continued sleeping soundly.

Qingyu was such a sound sleeper that even thunder couldn’t wake her after falling asleep, not affected by the turmoil outside.

Besides them, a circle of pale maids, including Cui Ying, Song Sulan, Ali, Ajing, and Fu Ling, surrounded the bed.

Cui Ying and the others were frightened by the noise outside, while Ali and Ajing were suffering from seasickness.

"Basically, we’re fine," Lin Wanwan reassured, "The water pirates have dispersed outside."

Behind her were the terrified Yun Shang, Ji Yue, Hua Nong, and Cai Yun, among other close maids, while Kun Lun and several slaves guarded the cabin entrance.

Upon hearing Lin Wanwan’s words, Xiao Yixun’s tense expression finally relaxed. Though skilled in poison and inner strength, her external martial arts were not strong.

In such close confrontations, she couldn’t effectively exert her combat power.

Therefore, Xiao Yixun maintained a grip on the crossbow Lin Wanwan handed her, finding it more reliable than her poison powder.

Seeing the two young ones unharmed, Lin Wanwan turned to leave.

"Wait, don’t go," Xiao Yixun called after her, "It’s dangerous."

Lin Wanwan glanced back with a smile, comforting Yixun, "Don’t be afraid, Little Yixun. The bad guys have been driven away. I’m just stepping out to assess our losses."

A quarter of an hour later, all fires in the fleet were extinguished. The escort team’s leader, the various captains of Lin Wanwan’s Armed Department, and two leaders from the women warriors came to Lin Wanwan’s cabin to report.

This chaotic night battle captured two pirates and slew countless others, their bodies tossed into the rolling river.

On their side, eight escort masters and five armed department members were wounded, none with life-threatening injuries.

Though, in the midsummer heat with knife and arrow wounds, the escort team feared losing a few men—naturally, with Lin Wanwan present, infection would not occur.

The sole casualty in this skirmish was a newly bought manservant of Lin Wanwan, who died at the hands of the pirate leader on the deck.