She's skilled in medicine, martial arts, and even understands animal language—the abandoned dau

Chapter 376 The Death of Zilu

As they approached the warship, Zilu waved her hand, and the Japanese soldiers quickly scattered and launched a surprise attack on the warship.

However, Chu Zhiyi and Shen Man had anticipated this and had sent scouts to keep watch day and night in shifts.

Just as the Japanese figures began to emerge on the horizon, sharp-eyed scouts shouted at the top of their lungs, "Enemy attack!"

Immediately afterward, he swiftly pulled the rope, and the alarm on the warship sounded shrilly, its sharp sound piercing through the waves and echoing across the sea for a long time.

Upon hearing the alarm, the Crimson Flame Navy soldiers grabbed their weapons and rushed out of the cabins to prepare to meet the enemy.

Shen Man moved with agility, like a black lightning bolt weaving through the crowd. The long sword in her hand was like a nimble white snake, each swing bringing a flash of cold light. Wherever it went, Japanese soldiers fell with screams, their blood splattering and drawing eerie arcs in the moonlight.

Seeing Shen Man's valiant figure on the battlefield, Zi Luo felt a chill in her heart. She knew that Shen Man was the biggest obstacle to breaking through this strong defense.

So, she gritted her teeth, raised her knife, and charged towards Shen Man like a cheetah. The knife in her hand was like a venomous snake poised to strike, each move carrying a deadly aura. The wind from the knife howled, as if it would tear the surrounding air apart.

Shen Man noticed Zi Luo's attack and turned around to meet it without fear.

The two instantly engaged in a fierce battle, their swords flashing and the sounds of metal clashing filling the air.

Zilu's swordsmanship was ruthless; each slash carried immense force, with the intention of cutting Shen Man down with her blade.

Shen Man, on the other hand, skillfully maneuvered around the enemy with her superb martial arts skills and abundant stamina.

She moved with the agility of a cat, skillfully dodging Zilu's fierce attacks while looking for an opportunity to counterattack.

Clad in silver armor, Chu Zhiyi stood atop the warship, resembling a war god. His gaze was piercing as he calmly surveyed the entire battlefield, methodically directing the battle.

He watched as the Japanese soldiers struggled and their attacks became increasingly disorganized. He knew that they were exhausted and wouldn't last much longer.

Then, he suddenly drew his sword from his waist, swung it towards the sky, and roared, "Pass down the order: a full-scale attack! Don't let a single Japanese soldier escape!"

With Chu Zhiyi's order given, the soldiers on the warship were greatly encouraged and their offensive became even more fierce.

The Japanese gradually lost their resistance and began to retreat in defeat.

Zilu felt despair. She watched as the soldiers around her fell one by one, knowing that all was lost.

But having suffered such a defeat in the Crimson Flame, even if she manages to escape, she will only have one path left to take upon returning: committing seppuku.

Rather than die in humiliation, I'd rather fight to the death here.

Her eyes instantly became bloodshot, her face contorted into a hideous grimace, and a shrill roar burst from her throat: "Blessed by the Emperor, even if I die in battle today, I will make you Crimson Flame people pay the price!"

With that, she brandished her long sword, ignoring the blood gushing from several wounds on her body, and charged towards Shen Man again like a ghost.

Seeing this, Shen Man dared not relax and immediately focused all her attention on fighting back. The two were soon locked in combat again.

It's unclear how long they fought, but eventually, Zilu was exhausted and was stabbed in the abdomen by Shen Man's sword.

"Yamaguchi Shiro, you killed so many of my Akatsuki people, and you just die like this? You're getting off easy!"

Shen Man twirled her sword inside her body, and only when she was completely silent did she pull it out, wiping the bloodstains off her body as she did so.

With Zilu's fall, the remaining Japanese soldiers were instantly leaderless and plunged into even greater chaos.

The Red Flame Navy, with its morale soaring, charged like tigers descending a mountain, launching a final encirclement and annihilation of the Japanese. Amidst shouts of battle, Japanese soldiers fell one after another, their blood staining the decks of the warships and seeping into the sea through the gaps, turning the water a dark red.

Not long after, the last Japanese soldier was also killed, and this fierce naval battle finally came to an end.

The warship was in complete disarray, with broken weapons, tattered flags scattered everywhere, and corpses lying haphazardly.

Shen Man sheathed her longsword, the blade still bearing traces of warm blood. Her face was splattered with blood, but her eyes were filled with the joy of victory.

Chu Zhiyi descended from the high place and addressed the crowd: "Soldiers, survey the battlefield and treat the wounded!"

The soldiers immediately sprang into action. Some carried their wounded soldiers in pairs to the ships that were being used as makeshift medical points; others began clearing the corpses from the battlefield, gathering the Japanese bodies in one place in preparation for throwing them into the sea later.

Chu Zhiyi walked straight to Shen Man's side, looked her over carefully, and asked with concern, "Man'er, are you injured?"

"No, the blood on my body is from the Japanese!"

Chu Zhiyi reached out and tucked a strand of her hair, which had been ruffled by the sea breeze, behind her ear. "Man'er, you've worked so hard. If it weren't for your bravery in fighting the enemy and holding back Zilu, this battle wouldn't have gone so smoothly."

Shen Man smiled shyly: "Your Highness is too kind. This is all thanks to the soldiers' concerted efforts."

Just as the two were talking, Zi Luo, who had already fallen, suddenly sprang up from the ground with a burst of strength. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she looked like a madwoman. She gripped the long knife in her hand and pounced straight at Shen Man and Chu Zhiyi.

"Ding Man, Chu Zhiyi, you can both die!"

Chu Zhiyi sensed the strong wind coming from behind and his heart tightened. Without hesitation, he took a step forward and shielded Shen Man behind him.

His movements were swift and decisive, as if he had been prepared for it all along.

Chu Zhiyi's gaze was firm and calm. He stared intently ahead, fully focused on dealing with the impending danger.

At that moment, he had only one thought in his mind: to protect Shen Man. He wanted to use his own strength to build a solid barrier for her, keeping her away from any harm.

His gaze was sharp and intense, fixed on Zilu, his eyes revealing confidence and composure.

Zilu rushed forward, her long sword whistling through the air, and slashed fiercely at Chu Zhiyi's neck, as if she wanted to cut him in two.

Chu Zhiyi's lips curled up slightly, revealing a disdainful smile. He dodged Zi Luo's fierce attack with a swift movement.

At the same time, he swiftly reached out with his right hand, like an eagle swooping down on a rabbit, and precisely grabbed Zilu's wrist holding the knife.

Zilu was startled and tried to pull her hand back, but found that her wrist was as if it were being clamped by an iron clamp and she could not move it.

Chu Zhiyi exerted a little force on his arm, and Zilu felt a tremendous force coming from her, causing her to stagger forward a few steps involuntarily.

Chu Zhiyi snorted coldly, clenched his left fist, and gently struck Zilu's chest.

This seemingly light punch contained enormous power. Zilu flew backward like a kite with a broken string and crashed heavily onto the deck.

She struggled to get up, but found herself in excruciating pain and unable to muster any strength. She looked up at Chu Zhiyi, her eyes filled with fear and despair.

Without the slightest hesitation, Chu Zhiyi drew his sword from his waist, flicked his wrist, and severed Zilu's neck, ending her short but sinful life.