Crossing the wilderness to survive, starting with a broken kitchen knife.

With just one round of artillery fire, more than half of the twenty ships were destroyed. Many survivors fell into the sea along with the sinking ships, and many more were directly hit by the shells and exploded into bloody flowers.

Many survivors reacted, each using their own skills, some using mobility skills to escape to other intact ships, while others deploying defensive skills to try to withstand the bombardment. However, their actions were like a drop in the bucket under the dense barrage of shells. Even Brother Long's ship could only be saved from being shattered by the fate of the artillery fire, relying on the protective shields of his magicians.

“Sprint, sprint, sprint!”

Realizing there was no escape except to storm ashore, Brother Long immediately ordered his men to sprint toward the shore. He had expected Zhang Shi to deploy advanced weaponry for defense, but he had never imagined the enemy could deploy a full artillery array. Had he known this, even with twice as many troops, he wouldn't have foolishly rushed forward to his death.

Cai Qing had already applied for a flank encirclement mission to the island before the attack, thus avoiding the bombardment. He watched the tragic scene on the north shore with lingering fear, and gained a new understanding of Zhang Shi's tactics.

As Brother Long and his crew desperately rushed towards the island's northern shore, hoping to find a glimmer of hope amidst the artillery fire, the sea suddenly began to surge. The strong smell of blood drifted on the sea breeze, causing not only a tense feeling among the survivors but also alarming unknown creatures in the deep sea.

A gigantic octopus-like sea monster poked its head out from the distance. Its pitch-black body was covered in iridescent patterns, and its tentacles, like eight giant whips, writhed in the water. Attracted by the gunfire and bloodshed on the north shore, it slowly approached the battlefield. Its arrival undoubtedly exacerbated the already desperate situation faced by Brother Long's fleet.

"Look! What is that!"

A member of the Dragon and Tiger Alliance pointed at the sea in horror, his voice trembling uncontrollably.

Brother Long looked in the direction of the finger and saw a huge monster approaching rapidly. Its tentacles had begun to wrap around some severely damaged and powerless ships, ruthlessly dragging the survivors on the ships into the sea and then swallowing them in one gulp.

The appearance of sea monsters made the already chaotic battlefield even more out of control. The survivors not only had to face the artillery attacks from Zhang Shi, but also had to avoid the terrifying threat of sea monsters.

"Quick! Change direction and stay away from that monster!" Brother Long ordered loudly, but it was too late to back down. Many ships were severely damaged and could not move quickly. They could only watch themselves become the next target of the sea monster.

Zhang Shi witnessed this sudden change on the island and couldn't help but feel secretly happy. Although he hadn't expected the sea monster to intervene, this situation was undoubtedly more advantageous to him.

"Brother Long, it seems that God wants to kill you. You can't escape today."

Seeing the sea beast following him, Brother Long was instantly filled with anxiety and anger. Pressured by both sides, his emotions swayed his decisions, and he directed his men to attack the advancing beast fiercely. Instantly, a barrage of arrows and spells pelted the beast's massive head. The beast, in pain, extended its tentacles to block the attack. Brother Long's actions not only failed to resolve the immediate crisis, but also infuriated the creature. The beast accelerated, charging directly towards Brother Long's ship.

Meanwhile, the island's artillery continued its barrage. As the distance closed in, a barrage of shells rained down upon the sea beast's massive form. The explosions, mingling with the churning of the seawater, created a breathtaking spectacle. Though slowed by the damage, the sea beast, inflicted by the shells, grew more ferocious in the agony. Its attacks also became increasingly blind, indiscriminately targeting surrounding ships and survivors. With this, the Eighteen-Route Alliance was completely routed, most perishing at the bottom of the sea. Only Brother Long and his group seized the opportunity to forge their way to shore, securing a brief respite. The enemy was now very close, and Zhang Shi, unwilling to damage the structures he had painstakingly constructed, ordered his men to cease fire and personally led his troops in surrounding the enemy.

Aside from the scattered forces surrounding the island, only Brother Long's boat managed to make it to shore despite the bombardment. This boat was staffed primarily by the elite core members of the Dragon and Tiger Brotherhood, numbering over a hundred, all capable survivors. Despite this, they had expended a significant amount of mana while combating the bombardment, and now, exhausted, they simply wanted to escape as quickly as possible.

Brother Long had the same idea. He quickly found the teleportation device and tried to open the portal completely, but found that the teleportation device had no response at all. Then he remembered that this island seemed to have a space restriction and all teleportation actions were prohibited.

Brother Long looked miserable and turned to look at the remaining men.

"There's something wrong with this island. Don't even think about escaping. We need to fight our way out and kill Zhang Shi to control this island. There might even be a glimmer of hope."

When everyone heard this, their expressions were extremely interesting. Some had sad faces, some looked angry, and some kept rolling their eyes as if they were thinking.

At the same time, Zhang Shi's army was approaching. Hundreds of well-equipped soldiers surrounded the group. Behind them was the endless sea, and in the sea there was a giant sea beast staring at them. It seemed that Brother Long and his group had no way to retreat.

Zhao Feng walked out with his battle axe raised, his face filled with murderous intent. He stared fiercely at the leaders and pointed his finger at Brother Long, Chen Beipan and Xie Dong one by one.

"Except for these three, everyone else who lays down their weapons and surrenders will be spared death."

As Zhao Feng finished speaking, several people who had seen the situation clearly began to stir. One of the survivors thought for a moment, dropped his weapon, and shouted loudly.

"I am willing to surrender. Please don't kill me. The mastermind behind this operation is Brother Long."

Brother Long's eyes were grim. He turned around and instantly transformed into a giant snake, spraying a mouthful of venom into the man's face. The venom's powerful corrosiveness landed on the flesh, emitting puffs of white smoke. The surrendering survivor let out a shrill roar, but struggled only for a moment before falling silent.

"Anyone who dares to think of surrendering will end up like this!"

Brother Long's voice came out of the giant snake's mouth, which was even more cold and terrifying. Although everyone was dissatisfied, no one dared to stand up and talk about surrender.

Zhao Feng saw this and a sneer crept across his lips. He then waved his hand gently towards the troops behind him. Suddenly, a volley of muskets and bows and arrows erupted, suppressing the enemy with firepower.

"I'll give you a heads-up first."

The Dragon and Tiger Brothers could only expend their remaining magic power to cast a protective shield, trying to hold out for as long as possible. Brother Long and Xie Dong also sprang into action, lunging towards Zhao Feng, who was at the forefront, like two bolts of lightning. They'd fought the golden-armored warrior before and were well aware of his strength. He clearly saw Zhao Feng as the key to a breakthrough.