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

When they arrived at the north shore, they saw Chen Baomu's fleet lined up on the sea, with artillery continuously bombarding the island. Several fortifications on the island had been destroyed. The soldiers fought tenaciously under the command of Zhang Dazhuang, but they were gradually losing their strength.

What Zhang Shi didn't expect was that during this period of time, Chen Baomu actually obtained a large number of heavy weapons. This may be the reason why he had the courage to attack the island.

Seeing this, Zhang Shi roared, "Hit them hard! Aim those cannons at them, and don't let a single ship go!"

Following Zhang Shi's orders, the island's artillery began to counterattack. Zhang Shi personally supervised the battle, and the soldiers' morale soared upon seeing their lord, who had been missing for so long, finally return. The artillery opened fire relentlessly on the fleet at sea, filling the entire island with smoke and the roar of cannonballs.

"How is this possible? Why would they come back at this time?" Chen Baomu secretly groaned in his heart, but since things had come to this point, he could only bite the bullet and continue fighting.

As the battle continued, Chen Baomu's fleet gradually showed signs of decline. Warships were hit from time to time, and his men suffered heavy casualties.

Chen Baomu's expression was grim, knowing his fate was sealed. He simply went all the way. He pulled a talisman from his bosom and squeezed it hard. Suddenly, the entire fleet's speed more than doubled, braving the artillery fire and rapidly approaching the island, ready to land.

Zhang Shi had a clear insight into Chen Baomu's actions through the panoramic map. They all knew that once they landed on the island, the advantage of artillery fire would be weakened, but this also meant that Chen Baomu's men had no way of retreat. This confrontation would be a life-or-death battle.

Zhang Shi showed a rare stern look. He stood on a high point, raised Lao Duan and shouted loudly.

"Stop the bombardment and annihilate all the enemies who dared to invade the island. Leave no one alive!"

The soldiers heard Zhang Shi's cry and picked up their weapons, first firing a volley of muskets at the enemy. However, Chen Baomu's men were not ordinary soldiers. Each of them had good equipment and strength, so the damage caused by the muskets was limited.

Seeing this, Zhang Shi gave the order and personally marched out. The soldiers followed him, shouting deafening battle cries and surging towards the shore like a tide. Zhang Shi led the charge, charging at the front, the old Duan in his hand flashing with a cold light, like a black lightning, and was the first to rush into the enemy camp.

Every swing of his sword was laced with killing resolve. Enemies fell before him like fragile ants. Zhao Feng and Ge Dalong, though gravely wounded, refused to retreat at this crucial moment. Despite their injuries, they rushed to the battlefield, supporting Zhang Shi with ranged attacks from the rear and providing cover for the soldiers.

Mao Tai, Cai Qing and others were not afraid either. As the few survivors, they had gotten used to life on the island and no longer wanted to go back to their previous days of wandering as barbarians. They also knew clearly that their current stable life was all thanks to Zhang Shi.

Therefore, when the battle entered close combat, the two of them followed Zhang Shi closely, engaged in fierce close combat with the enemy, and acted as Zhang Shi's bodyguards.

Seeing how brave Zhang Shi and the others were, Chen Baomu became increasingly panicked, but he still refused to give up. He commanded his trusted men to launch round after round of frantic attacks on Zhang Shi and the others.

However, the momentum of Zhang Shi and his companions was unstoppable. In the fierce battle, Zhang Shi keenly sensed Chen Baomu's position. His eyes flashed, and he tapped the ground with his toes, activating his Shadow Step and rushing towards Chen Baomu like a ghost.

Chen Baomu was horrified and used his mobility skills to quickly distance himself from Zhang Shi. He also ordered his guards to stop him. But the guards were no match for Zhang Shi. Zhang Shi flashed and easily broke through the guards' defenses, arriving in front of Chen Baomu.

Chen Baomu saw Zhang Shi rushing towards him like a tiger. Although he was afraid, his years of fighting experience allowed him to quickly calm down. He waved his hands, and a black mist spread out from his palms, instantly enveloping him. The air around him seemed to be distorted by the mist.

Zhang Shi showed no fear; instead, his disgust for Chen Baomu intensified. His speed increased, and in the blink of an eye, he charged into the black mist. Chen Baomu snorted coldly and thrust his hands forward. Suddenly, several black tentacles emerged from the mist, wrapping around Zhang Shi like venomous snakes. Zhang Shi's eyes glared, and he swung his Old Duan sword with icy flashes, severing the tentacles with pinpoint precision. With each swing, a tentacle was severed, and in an instant, Zhang Shi had broken through the black mist.

Seeing his attack broken, Chen Baomu roared, emerging from the mist. He clenched his fists and, with a whirring sound, launched a powerful punch towards Zhang Shi's chest. The force of his fists was so immense that the air compressed and crackled wherever they passed. Zhang Shi dodged the blow with a flicker of his hand, then slashed at Chen Baomu's waist. Chen Baomu quickly dodged, but the blade still ripped his shirt, and a flicker of fear and anger crossed his eyes.

Immediately, Chen Baomu stomped his feet onto the ground, launching himself into the air. He spun rapidly in mid-air, his legs like two sharp axes, slashing down towards Zhang Shi's head. Zhang Shi remained calm, his arms folded overhead, taking the blow head-on. The powerful impact sunk Zhang Shi's feet more than three inches into the ground, but his gaze remained resolute, his arm muscles tensed, and he exerted a powerful force to knock Chen Baomu away.

Chen Baomu, now ravenous with rage, pulled a black dagger from his bosom. It gleamed with an eerie light, evidently coated in poison. He flashed and lunged at Zhang Shi's throat with lightning speed. Zhang Shi's eyes narrowed, and he leaned back, narrowly avoiding the fatal blow. Then, taking advantage of Chen Baomu's weakened state and the regeneration of his strength, he struck him in the abdomen, sending him flying several meters.

Chen Baomu steadied himself in mid-air, stumbling a few steps before landing. He gasped for breath, his eyes filled with resentment. Meanwhile, Zhang Shi, holding the old sword, advanced on him, exuding a chilling aura.

"Chen Baomu, today is the day you die!" Zhang Shi roared.

Chen Baomu gritted his teeth and charged forward again. However, this time, Zhang Shi had already seen through his moves. The moment Chen Baomu approached, Zhang Shi dodged his attack and thrust his Old Duan sword at a tricky angle, slicing directly through Chen Baomu's chest.

Chen Baomu felt pain and swung his tail like a scorpion, kicking towards Zhang Shi's head. However, before his attack landed, a powerful crossbow came through the air and shot through his thigh, sending his body flying.