Global colonization began with Ming Dynasty pirates.

"This is indeed a troublesome matter. Thank you for informing me, Uncle Shen," Lin Hao said with a smile.

"Oh, it's nothing, as long as it can help my nephew." Shen Wangshu's tone was sincere, as if he were truly concerned for his junior. Unfortunately, his anxious expression betrayed his true thoughts.

Seeing this, Lin Hao smiled and then said casually, "I'm very satisfied with Uncle Shen's information. Zhou Daye's head is yours."

"Really? That's great!" Shen Wangshu stood up excitedly, rubbing her hands together. It was truly a case of "after all the mountains and rivers seem to have no way out, a new village appears amidst the willows and flowers."

I thought I was doomed this time, but unexpectedly, things took a turn for the better and I suddenly had hope of turning things around. As long as I get Zhou Daye's head, I can lie and say that the ship was damaged by a storm, and then bribe some people. Maybe I will not only be innocent but also be credited.

Lin Hao was also very satisfied. In fact, he had never intended to kill the other party. He had already gained a lot by getting so much information out of him.

This is the best situation for Lin Hao right now. If he were to actually kill the opponent, the news of the annihilation of the entire navy would have a huge impact. The government would then be under pressure and would have no choice but to try every means to suppress him. Although he wouldn't be afraid, his development speed would be greatly affected. It's best for him to remain invisible at this stage.

After sending the excited Shen Wangshu away, Lin Hao personally interrogated Zhong Gui.

This guy was much tougher than Shen Wangshu. He refused to surrender and wouldn't tell Lin Hao anything, so Lin Hao had no choice but to take him back.

However, Lin Hao didn't care. As long as someone returned, that would shut the government up and at least give them a way out. If they didn't surrender, so be it. They had already gained enough; they didn't need another centurion.

As for killing him, Lin Hao wouldn't. What a valuable workforce; killing him would be such a waste.

......

Day two.

As evening fell, the setting sun, like blood, dyed the coastline outside Xishan Village a crimson gold.

Lin Hao stood on the hill, gazing at the peaceful mountain village in the distance.

After obtaining information about Xishan Village from Shen Wangshu and Steward Shen, Lin Hao repeatedly compared the information and confirmed that it was not a trap.

The very next day, they brought in people to prepare for the robbery.

This time, a total of five ships were dispatched, along with all the sailors of the Lin family, plus twenty young arquebusiers, thirty new guards, and Lin Hao also brought out all the pirate prisoners, since these people were the professionals when it came to robbing.

Before setting off, Lin Hao made a special promise to these people that as long as they performed well this time, they could immediately become official Lin family guards upon their return. These people were all excitedly shouting.

Having stayed in the Lin family for so long, how could they not know what kind of treatment the guards received? In their eyes, it was like living the life of gods—no worries about food or clothing, a monthly allowance, immediate cash rewards for meritorious service, and even a death sentence with a pension. Where else could they find such a good place?

Upon hearing the news, the prisoners immediately patted their chests and assured the prisoners that the robbery was their job. They would be at the forefront, tearing apart all the enemies. No one could stop them from becoming the Lin family's guards; they would all face certain death.

Lin Hao left more than fifty men on Dongluo Island to suppress the new government troops prisoners. This was all the force he could muster. If the enemy's defenses were too tight, he would have no choice but to give up this prize.

"Young Master, we've investigated everything." A capable-looking figure silently approached Lin Hao from behind. "There are twenty-three guards in the village, scattered across five warehouses and the entrance to the dock. The warehouses are filled with silk, cotton cloth, tung oil, ironware, porcelain, and some other goods that we haven't been able to identify."

The speaker was Lin Qi. Before being adopted by Lin Hao, he was a petty pickpocket employed by a gang in the city. Orphaned, he had a younger sister to care for. One day, he made a mistake and stole from someone he shouldn't have, resulting in severe injuries. The gang abandoned him, leaving him half-dead in the wilderness. Lin Hao happened to be passing by, heard his sister's cries, treated her injuries, and took her in.

This guy has been familiar with all sorts of petty theft since he was a child, making him perfect for this kind of thing. So even though the other person had a minor shoulder injury, he still brought him along.

"Is it reliable? Don't be fooled." Lin Hao didn't turn around, continuing to observe from a distance through his binoculars.

"Reliable. I stayed by Li Bandou's side the whole time, paying close attention to his expression. I also chose who to question. Unless they knew we were coming beforehand and were putting on an act, it couldn't be fake. Besides, I checked from a distance, and the number of guards was roughly the same."

Li Bandou, whom Lin Qi mentioned, was one of the pirate prisoners. He happened to be a villager from Xishan Village, so he volunteered to lead a group of people to gather information.

Lin Hao immediately announced that he would be promoted to a full-fledged employee as soon as he completed the mission. Subsequently, Lin Qi, posing as a distant relative of Li Bandou, accompanied him into the village to investigate.

"In that case, let's gather everyone for a meeting and launch a surprise attack on Xishan Village after nightfall."

Shortly after the last rays of sunlight disappeared below the horizon, groups of dark figures appeared at the foot of the mountains to the east of Xishan Village.

Each of them had a wooden stick in their mouth to prevent anyone from accidentally speaking. They all held onto a long rope and, following the guidance of the person at the front, kept making their way towards Xishan Village.

Xishan Village is surrounded by mountains to the east and north, faces the sea to the south, and is bordered by farmland to the west.

Therefore, the south and west sides are the main areas of activity for the people of Xishan Village, while the northeast sides, which are blocked by mountains, are rarely visited, and even the houses are basically facing away from this side.

In the afternoon, Lin Hao led his men around to the bay behind the mountain to the east of Xishan Village. Then he led them to the top of the mountain to observe the situation of Xishan Village from a high vantage point.

As soon as night fell, Lin Hao gave the order to proceed along the mountain pass between the two mountains to the foot of the eastern mountain. Once it was completely dark, the group made their way towards the western mountain village in the dark.

It was around 7 to 9 pm, which is roughly between 7 and 9 pm. On Earth, the oxen and horses that work are still at get off work, but in this era, everything was quiet. The villagers didn't have much entertainment at night and went to bed early.

Only the five warehouses at the very front of the village had lights on, and Lin Hao and his group used these as a reference point to stealthily approach.

Thanks to the recent whale catch, everyone had a good boost of Vitamin A, which enabled them to barely make it through the darkness. Even so, many people tripped and fell along the way, and six people injured their feet and could no longer go down the mountain.

Lin Hao could only leave them by the roadside and wait to come and meet them after the raid was completed.

The warehouses were located far away from the houses of other villagers, surrounded by a wall. Inside the wall were three large warehouses and the guards' quarters.

There are two watchtowers on each side of the wall, with people on duty. If an alarm is detected, the guards will immediately sound the alarm.

Lin Hao gestured to Lin Yi, and then the team split into two groups and carried out their actions according to the prior agreement.

They proceeded cautiously, and along the way, someone fell down and made a noise, which startled Lin Hao quite a bit. They were not far from the observation platform, and if the enemy happened to notice this place, then he would have no choice but to launch a direct attack.

Fortunately, nothing happened. It's unclear whether the sound of the waves drowned it out or whether the people on the observation deck simply didn't hear it.

When they were fifty paces away from the observation platform, Lin Hao stopped, and the others also crouched down on the ground, waiting quietly.

Lin Hao raised his bow, the arrow already nocked. He silently counted the numbers in his mind until he reached the number he had agreed upon with Lin Yi. Then, he suddenly exerted force in his arm, and the bowstring was fully drawn in an instant. With a whoosh, the wooden arrow disappeared from sight.