Chapter 948

Miguel was awakened by the massive roar of cannons.

In his terror, he scrambled to the window. Through a crack in the curtains, he saw flames engulfing the military port. Not far out at sea, a large fleet was launching a fierce attack on their warships.

The Spanish warships in the military port suffered heavy losses. Several warships were completely engulfed in flames, while three more were slowly sinking.

“What the hell is going on?”

Miguel cursed, buttoning up his white shirt.

Pushing past three trembling, attractive women, Miguel burst out the door. He had to figure out who was attacking their warships.

Galloping towards the pier, Miguel soon met Joseph, who was rushing over.

“Your Excellency Governor-General, our military port has been ambushed! The despicable Dutch and Great Yu Empire people have now allied!” Joseph said anxiously. He no longer had his relaxed demeanor of yesterday.

Miguel’s face immediately darkened. He said grimly, “Have the soldiers assemble! Since the Great Yu Empire people and the Dutch have started a war, we great Spanish will show them our might!”

“But Your Excellency Governor-General, the Great Yu Empire is reportedly no longer the Great Yu Empire of the past,” Joseph said with some worry. The Great Yu Empire’s attack was too well-timed.

He strongly suspected that their massacre of the Hwayeon Kingdom had provoked the Great Yu Empire’s displeasure.

Moreover, one of their reasons for massacring the Hwayeon Kingdom was their concern that the Hwayeon Kingdom might collude with the Great Yu Empire and threaten their rule in the Philippines.

Miguel said frantically, “Who the hell cares what the Great Yu Empire is like now? They’re attacking us! What we need to do is kick their asses, send them into the sea to feed the fish! Listen, gather the army now! We must protect Spain’s centuries of gains here! Protect our colonies!”

“Yes.” Joseph responded and rode his horse towards the military camp.

Miguel glanced at his disadvantaged fleet, his heart growing more anxious. He rode along the coastline, cursing and ordering his soldiers to man the coastal artillery and fire at the Great Yu Empire and Dutch warships in the sea.

At sea, Yue Yun continuously monitored the activity near the military port. He commanded enough warships this time. Eliminating a mere twenty Spanish warships was a simple matter.

Seeing the coastal artillery beginning to fire at sea, he immediately ordered the waiting warships to destroy the military port’s coastal defense facilities. At the same time, he ordered the marines to land in small boats and seize the coastal artillery positions.

It had to be said that these coastal defense cannons were built in thick fortresses. It would be difficult to destroy these coastal defense cannons by relying solely on their artillery.

However, they posed a significant threat to the warships in the military port.

Like many military ports, Bohol Island’s military port was also semicircular. Soon, Spanish soldiers entered the coastal defense facilities. They began to attack the Great Yu Empire warships from ashore.

“Boom, boom, boom…”

Cannons from both sides fired at each other within the arc-shaped military port. Each shell fired by the Great Yu Empire warships created a burst of flame upon impact.

Meanwhile, the Spanish used their 32-pound heavy coastal defense cannons to bombard the Great Yu Empire and Dutch warships.

“Damn it! We really should have bought some explosive shells from the Great Yu Empire! Now the Great Yu Empire people will only laugh at us!” Eric said, looking at the Spanish soldiers on shore through his telescope.

Their warships were using solid shot to bombard the coastal defense cannons, but the effect was minimal. In contrast, the Great Yu Empire’s warships achieved more brilliant results. Every time a shell hit a coastal defense cannon, it would cause several Spanish soldiers to fall.

“Thump, thump, thump…”

Spanish coastal defense cannon shells flew from the shore one after another. Where the shells struck, wood splinters flew. Unlucky Dutch crewmen were hit by the shells, their bodies directly deformed by the impact. Maimed limbs and blood flowed all over the deck.

Eric grew increasingly anxious upon seeing this. If it weren’t for the Great Yu Empire being the main attacker this time, they would never have dared to come. This coastal defense artillery alone was enough to destroy his warships.

“Land! Land!”

In the chaos, seeing the Great Yu Empire warships begin to lower their troop transport boats, Eric also shouted. The fastest way to eliminate coastal defense cannons was to land.

Compared to Eric’s awkwardness, Yue Yun’s face was grim. After the Spanish coastal defense artillery returned fire, the Spanish warships in the military port basically lost their combat effectiveness.

Most of these warships were sinking, while the remaining ones were burning and unable to return fire.

However, the Spanish coastal defense artillery still posed a considerable threat to them. He intermittently heard the sound of solid shot piercing through wooden planks.

These Spanish heavy coastal defense cannons were incredibly powerful. Because they were located on shore, the cannons had very long barrels, which allowed them to fire 32-pound shells very far.

Their warships’ wooden hulls could not withstand such shelling. Great Yu Empire warships that were hit were often directly pierced by the shells.

“All warships, cover the soldiers’ landing and firing!” Looking at the smoke-filled warships and listening to the soldiers’ screams, Yue Yun’s expression grew increasingly solemn.

This was the Great Yu Empire fleet’s first battle against Western powers at sea. Unlike previous one-sided battles, they now had to endure heavier casualties in war.

After all, although Spain had declined, it was once a maritime hegemon. Its prestige might be gone, but its foundation remained.

Receiving Yue Yun’s order, the Great Yu Empire warships began to adjust their direction to bombard the shore batteries. In the fierce exchange of fire, the entire military port was covered in gunsmoke and flames.

On the coast, batches of Spanish troops poured out from the Spanish royal city towards the coast. To establish effective rule here, Spain had garrisoned over nine thousand troops here.

However, at this time, the over nine thousand men were dispersed on Bohol Island and its surrounding islands. Miguel could only mobilize five thousand soldiers.

“Damn it! Damn it! Sink all the troop transport ships in the sea!” Three hundred troop transport ships were densely rowing towards the coast. Miguel grew increasingly anxious.

Once these soldiers successfully landed, they would lose their entire colony.

At this time, besides the coastal defense artillery, Spanish soldiers also brought field artillery. They aimed their muzzles at the troop transport ships at sea. After aiming, they lit the slow matches.

“Boom, boom, boom…”

Sixty field cannons simultaneously fired from the beach towards the sea. Dense shells flew towards the Great Yu Empire soldiers. Three troop transport ships were hit, their wooden planks directly pierced. The shells’ power, undiminished, rushed towards the soldiers inside the ships. Immediately, six soldiers fell into pools of blood.

The remaining soldiers, seeing their comrades fall, gritted their teeth, their eyes red. Although some soldiers were scared, they still resolutely charged towards the beach.

Fighting for national glory and interest—this was their reason for existence.