Yet, there were exceptionally rare cases: the "Da Yong Sha" possessed immense strength, a hide so thick and insensate to pain that even after being riddled with spears and left bleeding by fishermen, it would often survive, break free, and flee into the sea. The fishing net draped over its exterior was specifically meant to prevent such an escape. The three-masted ship we encountered bore unmistakable features; any seasoned sea wolf familiar with the underlying reason would instantly recognize it as a flagging vessel used for sacrificing the Yuan'ao to the Dragon King. Since there was no escort vessel—and no escort could possibly brave these perilous waters—it was evident the sacrificial ship had been abandoned far out at sea. The recent days of unnervingly calm seas and exceptionally fine weather had kept it afloat, allowing it to drift all the way near the Coral Spiral.

Though taking on water, the three-masted ship remained afloat amidst its staggering undulations, repeatedly smashing into our own vessel. Uncle Ming, though a man of questionable character, had traveled the entirety of Nanyang and possessed vast sailing experience, having witnessed all manner of strange occurrences at sea. Seeing the situation, he knew immediately it was bad; it was highly likely the "Da Yong Sha" inside the ship hadn't fully perished and had breached the hull, but its sheer bulk had wedged it fast in the lower hold. These Yuan'ao creatures were immensely powerful, capable of carrying mountains across oceans. They disliked deep water; it must have been trying to find something on the surface to scrape off the inescapable rigging strapped to its back, which is why it was so persistently entangled with the Trident.

Visibility was low in the sea fog, and our ship dared not accelerate, lest we be struck head-on. Although the Trident was protected by copper plating on its sides, that offered no absolute guarantee. The most perilous factor was that this blood-soaked ship was attracting hordes of sharks; if it drew the monstrous leviathans from the deep, the resulting commotion would surely churn the seas upside down. Uncle Ming had experienced such an event before and still shuddered at the memory. When I questioned him now, he swiftly relayed the most critical details.

Because the Da Yong Sha only appeared in island regions with unique natural environments, the custom of using such flagging rituals to placate the Sea Dragon King was not widespread. Let alone me and Fatty, even the ship’s captain, Ruan Hei, was unaware of it; only sea merchants like Uncle Ming, who constantly engaged in illicit trade in the outer oceans, braving violent storms and tidal waves, knew such lore.

However, Fatty and I were skeptical. Seeing the three-masted ship about to drift into the firing arc outside the blind spot of the Water God Cannon, Fatty couldn't help but press Uncle Ming: "Is this story true or false? Feeding the Dragon King? Is there truly a Dragon in the sea? And does the Dragon Palace then require Shrimp Soldiers and Crab Generals, along with a Turtle General wielding a big hammer?"

Uncle Ming kept his eyes locked on the three-masted ship, afraid to miss the opportunity to fire, saying to Fatty, "Are you serious? Anyone who has actually seen the Dragon King would still be standing here talking? If you want to know, you’ll have to swim down and see for yourself. If that blood-soaked ship doesn't sink soon, it will inevitably draw up the behemoths from the seabed. By then, it will be too late; even our fast ship won’t escape... Quick... Fire the cannons..."

Amidst Uncle Ming’s shouting, our flagship and the three-masted blood ship maneuvered back into parallel alignment, separated by only fifteen to sixteen meters—the perfect moment to utilize the Kumbhira Water God Cannon. Since the range was so close, there was no need to account for leading shots or parabolic trajectories; it was almost direct-fire artillery.

The Kumbhira Water God Cannon was a modified design based on old naval artillery, named after the Indian water deity, Kumbhira. The reason for using older, smaller naval guns was that the so-called Water God Cannon was not primarily a weapon for naval combat aimed at inflicting casualties; it had to serve multiple functions during voyages. Older shells were easier to modify, allowing for the creation and use of shells for various purposes as needed.

The barrel resembled the ancient "Xin Pao" (Fontanel Cannon), but the Xin Pao was short and thick, requiring a firing angle of forty-five degrees or higher for a parabolic trajectory. In ancient China, the Xin Pao was commonly nicknamed the "Tiger Squat" or "Frog Mine," names derived from its shape. In Japan and other countries, it was called the "Curved-Trajectory Xin." The firing principle of the Sea God Cannon is similar to the Xin Pao, but its caliber is much smaller, and the barrel is longer, allowing for a lower firing angle. Under the control of three well-trained and coordinated gunners, the loading and firing speed are significantly increased.

Shell types included canister shots; the shell casing was hollow, filled with lead pellets and explosives. The internal structure was specialized, featuring front and rear sections, allowing it to burst in the air. After the mother shell exploded, the smaller projectiles scattered, covering a very wide area. These projectiles contained crushed Bolo Algae; its fine debris could blanket a certain area of the sea surface. Bolo Algae is a peculiar aquatic plant from the Indian Ocean; its inherent properties create a system of restriction and neutralization. Most fish, Yuan'ao, whales, newts, and other aquatic life fear this seaweed. In situations where an Ao creature creates waves to overturn a boat, this algae can force it to temporarily retreat to the seabed.

Furthermore, the various ammunition types for the Kumbhira Water God Cannon included fragmentation shells. Fragmentation shells were also composed of two internal layers, made of either copper or iron, exploding into deadly shrapnel upon impact—a destructive shell designed for attacking reefs or structures. There were also solid steel armor-piercing rounds: solid cores encased in steel plating, possessing immense penetration power, specifically designed to attack ironclad pirate ships. Grapeshot exploded within the barrel, scattering immediately upon exiting and failing to travel far. There were countless others. Precisely because of its multitude of uses at sea, serving as the guardian deity of the vessel, it was named Kumbhira. The British called it the 'Sea-Shaking Cannon.' It was first invented by the British Navy before being widely adopted in Nanyang.

The three-masted ship was visible, rocking violently within the effective range of the Kumbhira Water God Cannon. Uncle Ming repeatedly urged us to fire. I had Gu Cai bring a canister shot and load it into the breach, using the speaking tube to instruct Ruan Hei to keep the ship’s speed steady. With a wave of my hand, I signaled, and Fatty had already ignited the fuse. After a brief hiss of white smoke, the muzzle of the Sea-Shaking Cannon flashed, and amidst the spreading smoke, the shell slammed into the hull of the three-masted ship. Then came the sharp crackling sound of the sub-munitions from the canister, and as the explosion sounded, Bolo Algae fragments scattered everywhere, coating the inside and outside of the ship in green-brown particles.

I intended to order everyone to continue firing, but the "Bolo Algae" proved remarkably effective. Forced by its presence, the Da Yong Sha beneath the blood ship, despite its aversion to deep water, had no choice but to dive and seek refuge in the sea. Even the sharks that had been drawn by the scent of blood fled the surface.

Watching the three-masted ship fail to sink but instead fracture under the pressure of the water bearing down on its weak hull, only the layers of fishing nets wrapped around a massive, dark-green object sank into the depths. The blood dyed the entire sea surface crimson. It was presumed that the Da Yong Sha, a black mass like a small mountain, was wounded and, now free of the wooden hull's constraint, would surely be hunted down by the vicious fish on the seabed, either annihilated or forced to flee, posing no further threat to us.

The crew cheered in unison. I told Uncle Ming and the others, "The forties relied on combat, the fifties on slogans, the sixties on recalling past hardships, the seventies on criticism, and now, in the eighties, we must rely on methods. Method is tactics. I believe that as long as we flexibly employ similar tactics in the future, we will surely succeed in retrieving the Moonlit Pearl and the Qin Emperor’s Bone-Revealing Mirror."