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The Spratly Islands are made up of more than 200 islands and reefs, and the complex hydrological conditions and dense reefs have also become a paradise for pirates. Many pirate groups have chosen their nest here. Of course, it is also very difficult to produce in this area. There are also many battles between pirates, and incidents of black eating black are even more frequent. The two largest pirates in the South China Sea, Sha Wu Tsai and Cui Apu in Cui Apu, have set up their nests here!

Cui Apu was originally Sha Wu Zai's horse boy, but later set up his own door. However, these two groups of pirates have always echoed each other, opposing the Qing Navy and the Western Navy. This also makes these two pirates have a great influence among the many pirates in the South China Sea!

After entering 1839, Xinhua strengthened its crackdown on pirates in the South China Sea. The Xinhua Coast Guard fleet began to organize escorts for merchant ships, and more than a dozen merchant ships departing from Manila were often assembled together, and the coast guard fleet sent two or three warships to escort them. Under such tight protection, the pirates simply could not succeed. In addition, the Marines of the Xinhua Kingdom still hide on merchant ships from time to time, and once the pirates attack, they will inevitably suffer heavy losses. What's even more serious is that a total of 24 'Shark-class' cruisers of the First Fleet and the Fourth Fleet of the Xinhua Navy sailed into the South China Sea and began to cruise in a wide range, and once they encountered a pirate ship, they were immediately sunk! As a result, many pirate groups had to stop their operations at sea. Otherwise, they will be wiped out by the Xinhua Kingdom! But even so, the lives of the pirates have been severely affected.

The pirates though powerful have a lot of wealth. But they also have a lot of overhead. In addition, such a life is full of dangers, and the pressure of pirates is also very high. Often every time ashore. These pirates will vent fiercely, whether it is gambling or prostitution, it costs a lot of money. As a result, most of the pirate groups don't have much money either. After Xinhua strengthened its crackdown on pirates, these pirate groups were almost unable to survive.

A small island in the Spratly Islands near the middle of the South China Sea, this small island is not large. Not less than two square kilometers. But the island is lush with vegetation and, most importantly, has a spring that provides the island with valuable fresh water. This is also the reason why Cui Apu chose this island as his lair. Cui Apo's pirate group. There were thousands of pirates, a total of more than 20 pirate ships, large and small, the largest of which was robbed of armed merchant ships, with a displacement of more than 1,500 tons. At the same time there were ten breech guns on board. Cui Apu's family has a big business. But in this blow of Xinhuaguo, it also suffered heavy losses. When three pirate ships were robbed, they encountered the Xinhua Marines who were in ambush, and suffered heavy losses. At the same time, because the robbery was unsuccessful, the consumption on the island was not small, especially food, eat a little less. They're running out of it!

Inside a cave on the island. Cui Apu convened a dozen or so leaders in the group to discuss. The situation we are facing now is very critical. If they don't survive this trouble, their group of pirates will probably be wiped out.

"Everyone knows that the business at sea is getting worse and harder now! Those guys from Xinhuaguo have strengthened the protection of merchant ships, and even insidiously sent officers and soldiers on merchant ships, trapping many of our brothers! Many pirate groups have been attacked by Xinhuaguo! The colleagues of the entire South China Sea are about to die! Tell me, what should we do? Cui Apu asked with a dark face.

"The big boss, if you want me to say, we fought with those officers and soldiers! Those puppies in Xinhuaguo, this is completely not giving us a way to live! A big man with a beard on his face said that his status as the second leader on the island was second only to Cui Apo.

"Fight, can we fight Xinhuaguo? In the past few days, Xinhua's navy has been roaming around the South China Sea. Those ferocious 'shark-class' battleships have defeated the great fleet of foreign devils! Even if all of us are combined, it is estimated that it is no match for a 'shark-class' cruiser in Xinhuaguo! A middle-aged man with sharp-beaked monkey cheeks said.

"Yes! The new China is no better than the Qing Dynasty in the north! Although there are many sailors in the Great Qing Kingdom, their combat effectiveness is very rubbish! Those small boats can only go around the estuary, and if they go into the sea, they can only capsize! But Xinhua is different, they have been able to develop from a weak and small country to a big country that dominates the entire South China Sea in just a few years, how can they not have any strength! Last year, they beat the Spaniards and the Dutch, taking their prestige to the next level! Now, they're targeting us. From now on, life will not be easy! A long, Svenven pirate leader said. His surname is Wu, and his real name is no longer known, everyone calls him Wu's name, and he acts as a military advisor in Cui Apu's group.

"Big boss, I heard that the founder of Xinhua was originally our counterpart? Is this true? One of the pirates asked. Flying Fish Island also has a certain status among the pirates in the South China Sea, although it is not as good as Sha Wuzai and Cui Apu, but it also belongs to a relatively large group of pirates in the South China Sea. But Flying Fish Island disappeared a few years ago. At first, everyone thought that the pirates of Flying Fish Island were served by the navy of foreigners. However, when Xinhua became famous in the South Seas, some pirates recognized some of the high-ranking officials of Xinhua as pirates from Flying Fish Island. Of course, this is just speculation and has never been confirmed. After Xinhua became stronger and stronger, the pirates on Flying Fish Island have also undergone earth-shaking changes, and many of them are very different from when they were begging for a living at sea.

"This is just gossip! And it hasn't been confirmed! However, it is unlikely! At the beginning, the pirates of Flying Fish Island were inferior to us, how could they build such a powerful country in just two or three years? This is nothing but a rumor! Cui Apu said. He didn't believe much in this rumor. Pirates are also capable of building powerful states, which, in his opinion, is complete bragging.

"It's not impossible! We don't know the location of Flying Fish Island. However, according to my estimate, Flying Fish Island should be in the Sulu Sea! And the place where the new Chinese kingdom rose was on the southern island of Mindanao in the south of Sulu Sea! If the pirates from Flying Fish Island had started an incident in Mindanao, it was entirely possible! Wu Ming, a military advisor, said.

"Holy shit, since those guys in Xinhua are also pirates, how can they kill us all? Are they really still ignoring the morality of the rivers and lakes? Some of the pirates began to curse. It is too immoral to think that Xinhuaguo is doing this!

"Alright, everyone be quiet! This is nothing more than our own inference! Don't talk about those useless ones! Cui Apu said.

At this time, someone came to report that a pirate who had been captured by the Xinhua Army had returned.

"What's going on? Xiaoliu, weren't they arrested by Xinhua Guo? How did he come back? Could it be that he took refuge in those guys from Xinhuaguo? Cui Apu's face suddenly changed!

"Big boss, let's take a look first!" Military advisor Wu Ming persuaded.

Soon, a young pirate was brought in. His name is Xiaoliu, and when he participated in the attack on a merchant ship of Xinhua Kingdom, he encountered the marines of Xinhua Kingdom who were ambushed on the ship, and as a result, the pirates did not suffer heavy casualties, and he was also captured.

"Big boss, I'm back!" After Xiao Liu saw Cui Apu, he lowered his head and said.

"Little Liu, weren't you arrested by the Xinhua Army? How did you get back? Military advisor Wu Ming asked with a smile.

"Strategist, it was the Xinhua Army who let me back." Xiao Liu replied truthfully.

"What? Have you really taken refuge in the government? Cui Apu stood up all of a sudden, looking at Xiao Liu with an unkind gaze.

"Big bosses, I didn't take refuge in them! They just asked me to bring you a few words, that's why they let me back! Xiao Liu hurriedly said.

"Come on, go and see if the Xinhua Army is coming!" Cui Apu said.

Soon, however, someone came back to report that the Xinhua Army had not been found. This made Cui Apu breathe a sigh of relief, but it was also a little unbelievable. I don't know what the Xinhua army will give up this opportunity to find their lair!

"Little Liu, what did Xinhua ask you to bring me?" Cui Apu asked.

"The big boss, Xinhua Jun said, now the whole of Nanyang is their territory! They would not allow pirates to jeopardize the maritime trade of the new country. Next, the Xinhua army will launch a larger-scale attack. For the sake of everyone being the descendants of Yan and Huang, Xinhua Huajun hopes that we can accept their recruitment! The Xinhua Army assures us that if we accept Zhao'an, they will not be guilty of the past! If the brothers want to join the army, as long as they pass the examination, they can join the Xinhua Navy. The ordinary soldiers of the Xinhua Navy have a salary of 5 taels of silver every month! If you don't want to join the army, Xinhuaguo can also give us a piece of land so that we can live a stable life! Xiaoliu said.

"5 taels of silver per month, the salary of the Xinhua Army is really not low!" Some of the pirates exclaimed. Although, if they rob once, if they succeed, it is often thousands of taels of silver. However, if you fail, your life will be lost, and the risk is too great!

"What else did the Xinhua Army say?" Cui Apu asked with a dark face.

"Xinhua Army gives us half a month to think about it! If we don't accept their offer within half a month, they will attack by force! When the time comes, we pirates will not end well! Xiao Liu continued! (To be continued......)