Transmigration: Space-Aided Rise to Power and Prosperity-Chapter 316 - 152: Strike First to Gain the Upper Hand

Gu Chengyu glanced at the bewildered group standing on the deck and sighed.

These people clearly hadn’t experienced such things before. As soon as the ship began approaching Gu Chengyu and the others, he was certain they were the River Bandits. There were only twenty or thirty crew members and fighters, along with a dozen common folks, which was far too few.

If they didn’t resist, Gu Chengyu wasn’t sure if anyone on the ship would survive. Jingyuan River didn’t face many robberies, but Yi River was often plagued by River Bandits. Some left only after taking valuables, causing no harm. Others, however, committed arson, murder, looting, all sorts of atrocities. Not a single woman on board was spared from their humiliation.

These bandits were very cunning and always inquired about the passengers ahead of time. If they knew a high-ranking official or their family was on board, they would think twice and rarely act. They were extremely sly, and even the government couldn’t deal with them.

This time, the River Bandits came unexpectedly, but Gu Chengyu didn’t have time to ponder more.

"Everyone, grab some weapons, preferably both long and short ones, then stand by the ship’s edge. As soon as any River Bandits climb up, beat them down. You mustn’t let them board. These scoundrels surely have weapons on them, and if they get on the ship, killing will be as easy as cutting through vegetables."

The environment on the ship was complex, and Gu Chengyu couldn’t cover every angle. If, while he was resisting, a bandit climbed up from a hidden corner and rushed into the passengers’ rooms, Gu Chengyu would be powerless to stop it. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Gu Chengyu directed them to take their positions and stood watching as the enemy vessel drew nearer. He nocked an arrow, ready to fire at any moment. It was time to strike first!

If the arrows weren’t ignited, they would take some time to set anything on fire. However, if ignited too early, the wooden arrows could burn out midway. Thus, Gu Chengyu had to wait until the ship came closer.

He was nervous too, despite having killed many in the apocalypse, this was his first time in ancient times. Besides, with all the people on the ship behind him, he couldn’t help but feel pressured.

He watched the approaching ship closely and suddenly heard the sound of water splashing. Although it wasn’t loud, his martial arts training had sharpened his senses—it was a sign the River Bandits had begun their move.

Gu Chengyu shouted, "They’re in the water! Get ready, don’t let them get onboard."

With that, he thrust an arrow into a nearby lantern, and the head instantly ignited. Seeing this, Gu Chengyu immediately drew his bow and shot the fire arrow. He aimed for the enemy’s sails, made of cloth, which easily caught fire.

Then, without pausing, he fired a second and a third...

Gu Chengyu repeated this mechanical action, shooting arrow after arrow into the enemy’s sails and deck.

"Ah! It’s on fire, put it out! Damn it! They found us out." Chaos erupted on the enemy ship, as they realized they’d been discovered. The river came alive with activity.

Gu Chengyu had shot many fire arrows, bringing the enemy vessel much closer. With flames clearly visible from both sides, the crewmen now believed that the Bandits had truly come.

In response, each of them armed with bows, began shooting fire arrows as well. Unfortunately, only about half could reach the ship. Seeing this, Gu Chengyu quickened his pace.

The fighters hadn’t practiced much, and while the crew might be better at hand-to-hand combat, their archery left much to be desired.

Gu Chengyu glanced over; the enemy ship was ablaze. Even if they drew water to extinguish it, it would take a long time. The wooden vessel was quite flammable.

"Okay, stop shooting! Everyone, grab buckets, fill them with water and keep them ready." Gu Chengyu feared the scoundrels might grow desperate. If they no longer cared about loot and retaliated with flaming arrows, this ship would fare no better. Water was definitely needed.

The noise from the water grew closer, and Ming Mo and Ming Yan remained vigilant.

Some wielded bamboo poles, ready to knock any climbers back into the water. But bamboo was limited, and some improvised with iron tools, while others even held paperweights.

No weaponry was available, so they had to make do with what they had. While Gu Chengyu had a stash in his space, he couldn’t just reveal it! How could he explain?

Now that the larger threat was handled, he could focus on the ship’s edge. With Ming Mo and Sun Xian’s help, they should manage!

Soon, some began climbing up. Those with bamboo poles pressed them back into the water, but were the water-savvy River Bandits so easily subdued? Despite the swats from above, they evaded and found the right moment to grab a pole and tug downwards.

"Ah! Pull me up!" someone on the ship cried out, feeling their body pulled forward by the pole’s force. If Ming Mo hadn’t reacted swiftly, that person might have been yanked into the river.

The first incident led to a second. Failing on the first attempt, fear began to spread among the crew. Could they really contend with such formidable bandits?

More surfaced from the water, clambering up, terrifying the crew so much they hesitated to strike with anything in hand.

Gu Chengyu, seeing this, sensed danger. "Don’t be afraid, fight back! If we let them aboard, we’re doomed!"

The ship’s crew rushed to assist, and with their help, they managed to knock several bandits down. Confidence was restored, and even those wielding brooms swung wildly, momentarily repelling the bandits back into the water.

The noise reached the passengers inside, filling them with dread; they realized the River Bandits had truly arrived.

An older woman, panic-stricken heard the outside commotion, "Miss! What should we do? The River Bandits are really here!"

A girl of about ten sat at the table, clearly anxious. Her clothes were hastily thrown on, hanging somewhat disheveled.

With a trembling voice, she asked, "What’s happening outside? Go get Uncle Li to help! Retrieve the guard and the older woman from the next room, having the guards with us would make us safer!"

She knew Uncle Li was skilled, and with such intense sounds outside, having him help might tip the scales in their favor.

"That won’t do, miss! If Uncle Li goes and the bandits break in, what will we do? We’re just women and children!" the older woman exclaimed, shocked by the suggestion.

Even knowing the usually decisive young mistress, this was not a time for impulsiveness, she thought. In a room full of vulnerable people, without Uncle Li, what would they do if the bandits invaded?

"Exactly, miss! If the bandits break in and Uncle Li’s not here, we’re in big trouble!" Lianxin disagreed with the idea.

Qing Dai had already run out to call for the older woman and the guard.