Chapter 30: Who Knew You Could Fight a Naval Battle Like This?

Yu Jin suddenly realized that the winds and waves of the Han River were far more formidable than those of the Yu River. While he had been able to stand steady on the Yu, here on the Han, he was swayed from side to side. It was not just him; the Cao soldiers behind and beside him were all stumbling, frantically reaching for anything to grab onto. Sounds of complaint and alarm rose in succession. It was not just the flagship; the nearby warships were suffering much the same fate.

"General Yu, the Han River is far choppier than the Yu; the men are having trouble adjusting," his deputy generals complained from behind.

Yu Jin frowned and gazed forward. Over a hundred of Liu’s warships had already formed their battle line at the mouth of the Yu, blocking their path. The banner bearing the character "Guan" was clearly visible. There was no need to guess—it was Guan Yu leading Liu Bei’s naval forces to intercept him. On the north bank behind him, Cao Cao stood with his strategists and generals, keeping a close watch on the impending naval engagement.

He was caught in a dilemma; the situation allowed no retreat.

"It is merely a bit of wind and wave! What of it?" Yu Jin stood tall and barked, "Order the ships to pull themselves together! Follow the maneuvers we practiced and advance in formation—crush Guan Yu!"

The deputy generals, having no choice, relayed the orders. The flagship's signal flags fluttered, and horns blared. The Cao soldiers, though struggling, tried their best to steel themselves, steadying their footing as they drove their ships forward amidst the constant rocking.

It was easier said than done. The sailors and helmsmen of the Cao army were mostly from Nanyang, well-accustomed to navigating the small river systems like the Yu. Once they entered the Han, the water conditions changed abruptly, and the increased turbulence left them helpless. The ships drifted erratically, unable to maintain a stable course, and the entire formation fell into total disarray.

In contrast, the Liu naval forces maintained an orderly and disciplined formation. The sailors on their ships were all barefoot, standing as firmly on the decks as if they had taken root, remaining completely unmoved by the churning waves.

On the north bank, Cao Cao shielded his eyes with his hand, squinting at the scene on the river. Land warfare and naval warfare were vastly different; even with his divine command of troops, he could make little sense of what he saw.

"Prime Minister, our warships seem to be swaying even more violently now that they have entered the Han. The formation looks unstable; perhaps..." Man Chong, sensing the situation, hinted that Cao Cao should recall the navy, though he dared not speak plainly.

"It is merely that the Han River’s waves are stronger. If we are tossed about, the enemy is suffering just the same," Cao Cao replied, unable to see the state of Guan Yu’s fleet clearly, and thus dismissively rejected Man Chong’s warning.

Man Chong could not argue further and fell silent, watching the river with growing anxiety. Though Cao Cao appeared calm and confident on the surface, a flicker of tension crossed his narrowed eyes.

"Yu Wenze, of all my generals, you are the most steady and well-rounded. Do not let me down in this battle..." Cao Cao murmured to himself, stroking his thin beard.

On the Han River, the two fleets were now within a hundred paces.

On the Liu flagship, Guan Yu stood proudly, hand on his sword. Despite the fierce wind and waves causing the ship to rock, he remained perfectly still.

"General, the enemy formation is in chaos! They clearly cannot handle the Han River’s currents!" Zhou Cang, standing nearby and clutching the Green Dragon Crescent Blade, pointed forward in excitement. Having trained with Guan Yu’s navy for so long, Zhou Cang, a northerner, had mastered the art of naval combat, and he saw the enemy’s weakness at a glance.

Guan Yu stroked his beautiful beard and sneered, "Yu Jin knows nothing of naval warfare, and the Cao army is but a rabble. How could Cao Cao not be defeated by sending such a man?"

With that, a murderous light ignited in his phoenix eyes. He waved his hand and commanded with authority, "Sound the drums! Have all ships accelerate and move forward! Archers, fire at will! I will crush the Cao army within a quarter of an hour!"

Zhou Cang relayed the order immediately. *Thump, thump, thump!* The war drums on the flagship thundered, and the signal flags for attack danced in the wind. The Liu warships surged forward, charging toward the approaching Cao fleet.

When the two sides were fifty paces apart, the archers began to exchange volleys. Countless arrows filled the air, instantly weaving a lethal net above the river. The gap in skill between the two navies became starkly apparent. Under Guan Yu’s rigorous training, the Liu sailors stood on their pitching decks as if walking on flat ground. Though the ships swayed, their aim remained unaffected, and arrows rained down accurately upon the Cao ships.

Cries of agony erupted as blood sprayed into the air. In the blink of an eye, dozens of Cao soldiers were struck, collapsing onto the decks. In contrast, the Cao archers were poorly trained; the rocking ships left them unable to even stand, let alone aim. Any arrows they managed to loose went wild, flying aimlessly into the distance.

The disparity was so great that within moments of the clash, the Cao army was suppressed, unable to even lift their heads. As the battle progressed and the formations collided, the engagement entered a brutal, close-quarters phase.

Guan Yu did not hesitate. "Order the fighting ships to keep up the pressure with arrows! Zifeng, lead the *mengchong* strike force and board the enemy ships!"

Zhou Cang, his blood boiling, handed the Green Dragon Blade back to Guan Yu and charged off to lead the assault. A *mengchong* ship shot out from the side of the flagship, followed by twenty more, darting like flying sharks toward the Cao vessels.

The Cao soldiers, pinned down by the relentless archery, were unable to mount any resistance against the boarding craft.

*CRASH!*

With a deafening impact, Zhou Cang’s *mengchong* rammed into the side of a Cao fighting ship. The vessel lurched violently, and several Cao soldiers were tossed overboard, screaming as they vanished into the river. Taking advantage of the collision, Zhou Cang leaped onto the enemy deck, his blade flashing as he cut down two terrified soldiers. A dozen Liu warriors scrambled after him, their blades turning toward the panic-stricken Cao troops.

Simultaneously, over twenty other *mengchong* ships slammed into their targets, unleashing a frenzy of boarding actions. The Cao soldiers, unable to even steady themselves, were slaughtered in moments, their wails echoing across the water.

One ship, two, three... In the span of a single tea break, nearly twenty Cao warships had been seized. The Cao line had completely collapsed.

On the Cao flagship, Yu Jin finally poked his head up, trembling as he peered around cautiously. When he witnessed the Liu navy’s boarding tactics, his expression froze into a mask of ice. He stood there, utterly stunned.

"Naval... naval warfare—can it be fought like this?"