Late Ming Dynasty: The Counterattack Begins with Sea Pirates

Instructor Lang, holding a rapier in one hand, dodged the two men by sidestepping.

He then used the back of his sword to slash horizontally at the man's knee joint, causing the man to slide a few steps, his knees barely touching the sand, like an ox plowing the ground.

Fortunately, the sand on the training ground had been cleaned up, so I only suffered some minor scratches and was otherwise unharmed.

The other person should come over and continue charging back with a knife.

After a few exchanges, Instructor Lang seized an opportunity and struck his wrist with the back of a knife.

He suddenly lost his grip, and the knife slipped from his hand like a broken rope and fell to the ground.

Just as he was about to step forward and pick up his weapon again, he was stopped by the blade two inches away from his neck. If he hadn't tightened his grip, his neck would have slammed into it.

The man who almost went to report to the King of Hell ahead of schedule was so shocked that he was covered in sweat and his face turned ashen.

Chi Honghai glanced sideways at Liu Qingjiang.

"What do you think of Instructor Lang's kung fu?"

"In reply to your question, sir, they are no less capable than I am," Liu Qingjiang replied.

"Master, why don't you ask me, Pang San? I'm no worse than Instructor Lang!" Pang San said urgently, standing to Chi Honghai's right, even forgetting some manners, and grabbed Chi Honghai's arm.

"Look at my body, sir," he said, showing off his biceps to Chi Honghai.

Chi Honghai and Liu Qingjiang smiled helplessly at Pang San's appearance.

"Alright, alright, Pang San, you've been with me for so many years and you've trained in martial arts. I trust your skills."

Chi Honghai patted Pang San, as if comforting a jealous child and giving him a piece of candy.

Just as Instructor Lang was about to put away his rapier, the one who was kneeling on the ground made a move to rush forward again.

Chi Honghai walked to the center, clapping his hands and cheering repeatedly.

Upon seeing the master arrive, the group bowed deeply and addressed him as "Master."

Hearing everyone calling him "Master," the man stopped making a sound, bowed to Chi Honghai, and weakly called out "Master."

Chi Honghai first walked up to Instructor Lang and helped him up.

Then she turned around to face the crowd.

"Everyone, stand up straight. This isn't necessary on the training field."

After everyone stood up, the two men stood together, bending over and not daring to straighten up. Their eyes darted around, but they dared not look at Master Chi.

People who have done wrong naturally feel guilty and uneasy.

Master Chi walked a few steps to them, opened his arms and helped them both up, patting them on the shoulder.

Then he put his hands behind his back.

"It's a good thing that the men in the camp have backbone and spirit. We're not doing ordinary things. At that time, we're risking our lives. If we don't have that kind of drive, how can we fight them?"

"Are we just waiting for someone to steal all our money and grain? Are we just going to live like this again, not having enough to eat one meal and not having enough to eat the next?"

"Think of your family, think of what happened back then."

After Chi Honghai finished speaking, a heated discussion broke out in the room.

Liu Qingjiang took the lead and said, "Master is right! We are where we are today because we follow Master and benefit from his good fortune! We practice these things so that we can have enough to eat and so that no one will bully us! Everyone agrees, right?"

The crowd echoed Liu Qingjiang's words.

Chi Honghai silenced the voice with both hands and changed the subject.

"However, everything has rules. You can't just respect me as your master. In this camp, besides me, the only people in charge are Instructor Lang and Brother Qingjiang. One of them is your instructor for firearms and naval operations, and the other is your instructor for combat."

"No matter what, arbitrarily contradicting the instructor is a serious offense! If you have any objections, you can raise them with the instructor. If that doesn't work, I'm here for you."

"Instructor Lang is a distinguished guest I invited. If you don't respect him, do you also disrespect me?"

As Chi Honghai spoke, a ruthless glint appeared in his eyes. He turned and stared at the two men through gritted teeth.

The two men were trembling uncontrollably, visibly so.

He knelt on the ground with a thud, begging the master to spare his life.

"Get up. Did I tell you two to kneel?"

The two men shakily got up from the ground.

"Considering this is your first offense, we will not punish you severely this time. Each of you will go to Qingjiang and receive ten lashes."

"Thank you, sir! Thank you, sir!"

"Aren't you going to apologize to Instructor Lang yet?"

The two of them ran to Instructor Lang in a disheveled state, apologizing profusely.

Although Instructor Lang couldn't understand what they were saying, he could still tell what they meant from their actions and expressions, so he went over and helped them up.

"Pang San, when you go back, ask Ai Si to get some medicine for them to apply to their wounds."

Chi Honghai turned to face the crowd again, about to say something, when Instructor Lang walked over, speaking in Portuguese.

"Sir, I also bear responsibility for what happened with them today, so we can't just punish them."

As a Portuguese, Instructor Lang certainly couldn't be whipped like the other two, especially since this was a matter for the two of them to decide.

Chi Honghai was somewhat embarrassed and replied in Portuguese, "Instructor Lang, it was indeed their fault, and it has little to do with you. I have already told them that you represent me in training them, so I hope you won't take it to heart."

"No, no, no, sir, that's not what I meant. I've been eating and living with you all these days, and I feel very good. I admire you very much. Especially during your festival a few days ago, your generosity towards everyone was the most lavish I've seen since I came to the East."

"I believe that as one of you, I have made a mistake in this matter. Please punish me accordingly and suspend my salary for half a month."

Looking at the Western instructor in front of him, Chi Honghai felt a sense of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a complex feeling of mixed emotions, including admiration and awe).

He nodded heavily and slowly, agreeing to Instructor Lang's request.

Addressing the crowd, he said, "Instructor Lang voluntarily withheld his salary for half a month because of what happened today. Everyone, is there anyone else who has complaints about Instructor Lang?"

The crowd was silent; no one objected, and there wasn't a single whisper behind their backs.

After a brief silence, Chi Honghai left the training ground with Shen Er and Pang San.

While walking down the street, he came up with a new training method through this incident.

Indeed, training can improve a team's organization and proficiency in using equipment.

However, this was ultimately an era where cold and hot weapons clashed.

Even if one is skilled in using firearms, it is difficult to avoid close combat.

Since we're going to train, we need to fight, to fight in a competitive way.

We need to truly align training with real combat situations; otherwise, we'll be shooting at thin air during training, and in the long run, it will just be a showy display that won't be of any use when it matters most.

As he approached the shore, Chi Honghai realized the necessity of this matter.

He then had Pang San turn around and call over Liu Qingjiang and Instructor Lang, and told them what he had been thinking all along the way.

Although Liu Qingjiang and Instructor Lang agreed, both of them had concerns.

Will the competitive training cause unnecessary injuries?

In response, Chi Honghai first proposed using wooden weapons to simulate real swords and guns.

Then he blurted out a sentence.

If you're capable, stab someone; if you're not, lie on the ground and beg for your mother's forgiveness.

If there's real blood, the master has plenty of medicine and money to treat his wounds.

After giving his instructions, Chi Honghai boarded a boat and returned to the south.

Shen Er looked south and suddenly seemed to remember something.

"Sir, that man you kidnapped from Guangzhou last time has been here for a few days now. He keeps complaining that you broke your promise. What do you think?"

Chi Honghai's lips were turned up high.

"This person is a good piece of work, very useful, very useful."