Chapter 964
When he saw the Dionysian fleet, Ademica's first reaction was to retreat immediately. But when he saw the swift attack of the Diónia warships, and then looked around at the bloated fleet around him, he had to dismiss the idea.
After a brief moment of thought, Ademica believed that the number of warships under his command was about the same as the Dionysian fleet in front of him, and that his crew had an advantage in terms of physical strength. They could definitely fight the Dionysian fleet.
Therefore, he quickly gave the order for the entire fleet to fight.
In fact, the Carthage warships had already begun to get busy. They cut the ropes that pulled the wounded ships, and drove the captives on board into the sea again. Some of the more ruthless warships even forced their companions who had been injured by the infantry to jump into the sea first. This was to reduce the burden on the warships and restore their flexibility. But the salty seawater stimulated the wounds that had not yet healed, causing the wounded soldiers who jumped into the sea to scream and scream. Their screams echoed throughout the fleet, casting a shadow over the hearts of the crew even before the battle began.
While the Carthage warships were still busy, and the fleet had only just begun to line up, the Diónia warships had already rushed to the front …
Captain Sesodorus of Diónia, who was tied to the wooden pillar of the flagship, was being humiliated by Carthage's crew. Suddenly, a shout came from the deck, and the Carthage sailors in the cabin panicked. The fierce-looking boatswain loosened his grip on Sesodorus' hair and said a few words loudly with a serious expression. The noisy cabin returned to silence, and the sailors sat upright on the wooden benches, holding the wooden oars with both hands.
The boatswain shouted, and the sailors on one side began to paddle, while the other side remained motionless.
Sesodorus immediately felt himself spinning along with the wooden pillar. Although he could not understand what Carthage was saying, as an expert, he knew that the warships were turning around.
Why did Carthage's warships turn around? He guessed in his heart.
At this moment, a few lightly armored Carthaginian soldiers came down from the deck. They ferociously used their spears and daggers to drive away the Dionysian captives locked in the lower deck. One of the captives was a little slow, and without a word, the Carthaginian soldier pierced his chest with a spear.
Cesodorus cried out in grief and indignation. These were his men! What was Carthage planning to do?
The Carthaginian soldiers did not stop their atrocities. Some soldiers even came in front of him and wanted to drag him up. However, perhaps the ropes were too tight, or perhaps the fact that he was the only captive did not matter. In the end, they chose to give up.
"Great Hades.
You are the king of the underworld, the ruler of justice, and the guardian of the kingdom!
I have steered the warships, fought at sea, and protected the kingdom.
If that day comes,
I went to your temple,
I hope you will judge me fairly,
Give me the glory of a warrior!
… … "
The captive captain suddenly began to chant. The captives who were still struggling suddenly quietened down when they heard the voice. They began to sing along. There was no panic on their faces. Instead, there was more solemnity. There was no need for Carthage's soldiers to push them. Under Cesodorus' solemn gaze, they walked towards the deck with firm steps. Only the solemn singing echoed in the cabin.
Although the Carthaginian sailors did not understand what they were singing, they inexplicably remained silent and did not dare to interrupt.
The boatswain slapped Cesodorus's face hard again. He then waved his fist and cursed.
The sailors then shouted in unison, as if they were full of fighting spirit.
At that moment, there was a loud shout from the deck.
The boatswain shouted the same words again. The flutist sitting at the exit of the cabin played a double-barreled flute. The sailors listened to the rhythm of the flute and increased the speed of the oars in unison.
Cesodorus swallowed the blood in his mouth and did not curse loudly. He knew that the warship was speeding up. It was preparing for battle. Its enemy was self-evident. Our fleet is coming! To destroy these damn Carthage's men! "
Cesodorus's heart was filled with joy, but he did not show it. Instead, he quietly observed the situation in the cabin. He turned his head and tried to look through the gap that the sailors revealed when they leaned forward and back. He looked through the narrow cabin window, but all he could see was the sliding wooden oars and the glowing seawater.
He retracted his gaze in disappointment and once again focused his attention on the cabin. He had to admit that the Carthage's sailors were well-trained and had great teamwork. Nearly 200 people were operating the warship as if they were controlling their own bodies. Whether it was accelerating, decelerating, turning, or turning, it was all smooth and smooth. There was not a single trace of sluggishness.
Therefore, he focused his attention and carefully felt the movement of the warship. This should be the speed of attack. The Carthage's men still have some strength left. They should not have encountered our warship yet. Why did it suddenly stop? It's turning left. Oh, it's accelerating. Could it be that our warship is ahead on the left? It's accelerating. It's still accelerating. This is the speed of a charge! The Carthage's men are preparing to attack our warship! What should I do?!
In his anxiety, Cesodorus suddenly opened his mouth and whistled.
"Shh! … Shh! … Shh … "
Another high-pitched sound suddenly sounded in the cabin. But unlike the double-barreled flute, its rhythm was much slower. The two sounds intertwined, but it affected the highly excited sailors. The captive captain was delighted to see that some of the sailors' rowing rhythm had become chaotic.
At that moment, a huge fist appeared in front of him, followed by the angry face of the boatswain. Then, he received a heavy blow to the head and fainted.
After an unknown amount of time, Cesodorus gradually regained consciousness.
He opened his eyes slightly and felt that the atmosphere in the cabin was no longer as relaxed as before. The boatswain looked nervous as he listened attentively to the orders coming from the deck. From time to time, he would shout a few times. The sailors were covered in sweat and panting heavily. The muscles on their hands were bulging and their veins were exposed. Their bodies were tense as they tried their best to control their bodies on the wooden benches. In such a tense state, no one noticed that he had woken up.
Cesodorus also felt his body tilting left and right along with the wooden poles. He knew in his heart that the warship was constantly spinning and accelerating. It was under attack!
Cesodorus' heart was like a mirror. He breathed lightly, trying his best to recover some strength. At the same time, he was waiting for an opportunity.
After a while, a hurried and nervous shout came from the deck.
Under the command of the boatswain, the sailors on the left rowed faster, and the sailors on the right stopped. The warship quickly turned to the right. After a while, the sailors on the right rowed faster, and the sailors on the left rowed at a normal speed.
Cesodorus knew in his heart that this was a difficult "reverse S-curve" maneuver. It was a tactical maneuver used to avoid being hit by the enemy ship and then escape the siege. In other words, the warship was under siege.
In such a dangerous situation, the sailors of Carthage could still move in unison and neat.
However, a sneer appeared on Cesodorus' swollen face. He was from Rockley. In the eyes of outsiders, the people of Rockley were used to obeying the strict laws of the city. However, the punishment of having their eyes gouged out and their hands broken had actually given birth to a character among some people who were willing to risk their lives and never shirk their responsibilities.
Cesodorus would never let these people of Carthage who wantonly humiliate and kill captives escape. He opened his mouth and said, "Shhh! Shhh! Shhh! Shhh! "
Suddenly, a sharp, rhythmic whistle sounded in the cabin again. The highly focused sailors were stunned, and some of them unconsciously slowed down their oars to the whistle.
The boatswain roared, picked up a spear in the corner, and pierced Cesodorus' chest.
Blood flowed from the captive captain's mouth. Although his whistle weakened, it did not stop. When there was a loud bang, the whole ship trembled, and the warship suddenly stopped moving. The sailors of Carthage cried out in alarm, and he died with a smile on his face.
After Carthage's flagship was captured by the Raven Warship, the infantrymen of the fleet saw the body of Cesodorus tied to a wooden pillar in the cabin with a spear piercing through his chest. Through the translation of the captive sailors, they learned about Cesodorus' heroic deeds and were all moved.
Not long after, Midolades learned about it and immediately ordered, "Carefully transport the body of Captain Cesodorus back to the flagship and keep it safe."
When the body of Cesodorus was carried to the flagship of the Third Fleet, Midolades and the crew of the ship stood at attention solemnly and solemnly saluted.
The Third Fleet's surprise attack caught the Carthage fleet, which was full of wounded soldiers, captives, and dragging the damaged ship by surprise. The swift and fierce attack that followed completely disrupted the formation of ships that had yet to take shape. After half an hour of fierce fighting, the Carthage fleet was defeated, and even their flagship was captured. The Third Fleet won the battle.
Considering that night was about to fall, Midolades ordered all the warships to stop chasing and quickly rescue all the sailors who had fallen into the sea.
At the same time, Midolades also considered that the new fleet of Carthage still had some combat power left, and on the way back, the fleet had to pass by the coast of Sardinia, so he was worried that they would attack at any time. In order to prevent his fleet from repeating the mistakes of the enemy, he also ordered all the captured warships of Carthage to be sunk, and not to rescue any of the sailors of Carthage who had fallen into the sea. He even cruelly ordered all the warships on his side to be sunk as well.
The consecutive victories raised Midolades' prestige, and under his insistence, the warships of the Third Fleet strictly followed his orders.
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