#684 - Chapter 484 The Aftermath of the Battle

The battle's lingering aura still hung in the air. Though the sea had long returned to calm, the smoke, explosions, and tragic cries of the past were now distant echoes.

A new naval fleet docked in this once war-torn sea, the ships floating steadily on the water, undisturbed, as if the winds and clouds between heaven and earth had been swallowed and turned into silence.

On the sea's surface, fragmented pirate ships drifted sporadically, broken hulls, snapped masts, and scattered planks gently rocking in the waves.

Countless pirate corpses floated on the water, their clothes faded, blood and oil intertwined in a gruesome tableau.

The sea swallowed everything. All the once-ferocious pirates were now reduced to silent remains, as if telling the world that their flamboyant laughter and violence were nowhere to be found.

The new marines busily cleaned up the battlefield. On the fleet, soldiers methodically cleared away the remaining spoils and enemy wreckage.

Everyone looked solemn, their eyes full of fatigue, their faces devoid of any hint of relief.

The brutal battle they had just experienced was still vivid in their minds. Although the final victory belonged to them, this kind of cruel victory also left everyone feeling somewhat heavy.

Jin An stood at the bow of the ship, his back to the sea, gazing into the distance.

Even though everything had settled, the heaviness in his heart lingered.

War is ultimately cruel. No matter the outcome, the scent of death always lingers after every battle.

His gaze swept over the busy soldiers beside him, a trace of helplessness and contemplation flashing in his eyes.

"Clean up the battlefield..."

He murmured softly, his tone tinged with weariness.

"Even in victory, there is no joy of victory."

He sighed softly, turned around, and walked towards the fleet's command deck.

In the distance, a soldier was walking towards him, a document in hand.

"Sir, the post-battle assessment report is out."

The soldier bowed slightly, respectfully handing over the document.

Jin An took the document, his eyes quickly scanning the words on it.

The report clearly listed all the casualties, every detail of the battlefield, and the remaining strength of the pirate crew.

Although victorious, the navy had still paid a considerable price, especially the deaths of several excellent commanders, which made the victory in this battle somewhat somber.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"The fallen soldiers will forever be engraved in our hearts."

He whispered, as if speaking to them.

Then, Jin An placed the document aside and turned to walk towards the deck of the fleet.

His steps were steady and powerful, but his heart was incredibly complex.

The outcome of the battle was decided, but he knew that this war was not over, and new challenges would continue to come.

And for the new navy, this kind of situation was the future they could foresee.

"The battle is over, but the cycle of war continues."

Jin An's lips curled into a slight, almost imperceptible, wry smile.

He knew that this was just the tip of the iceberg, and the road ahead was still full of thorns.

The soldiers on the fleet had already hauled most of the pirate ship wreckage onto the ship, handling the post-battle debris.

Several new navy soldiers were cleaning up the bodies on the battlefield, their faces full of determination and resolve. They did not show a trace of a smile because of the victory, but instead were even more calm.

A young soldier carefully picked up a pirate flag, trying to tie it up and put it into a military box.

Just as he lowered his head, his gaze suddenly lingered on the flag. The patch of bloodstains on it seemed to mock death, causing him to shudder.

He hurriedly tied up the flag, but the bloody marks were like a brand, forever imprinted in his memory.

Jin An looked at this scene, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

He knew what the victory in this battle meant, but behind every battle, there were countless indelible pains and sacrifices.

He hoped that this victory could bring true peace to the new navy, but he also knew that the road to peace would never be easy.

"Keep moving forward."

Jin An said to himself silently.

He turned and walked towards the command deck, preparing to prepare for the next action.

The sea was still calm, but he knew that the storms of the future could come at any time.

And they will still face the wind and move forward.

The wind on the sea gradually picked up, carrying a hint of coolness.

The new navy fleet remained in place, solemnly awaiting new orders.

......

The pirates were defeated on the sea, the wreckage of ships and corpses floating on the water, telling of the tragedy of their failure.

Countless pirates lost their lives in the battle, and the rest could only retreat with their heads down and faces covered in dirt.

Those great pirates stood on the deck, their eyes dull, their faces pale, their mood even heavier than this dead sea.

"Damn it!

We lost again!"

A strong man in a leather jacket clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles almost making a harsh cracking sound.

His face was full of anger and unwillingness, and the annoyance rising from the bottom of his heart made him almost unbearable.

He kicked the deck hard, and the wooden planks under his feet made a muffled sound, as if even the ship was venting his emotions.

A pirate next to him, who was equally angry, took a deep breath, his voice low and hoarse:

"Those new marines are just too strong, we can't deal with them at all..."

His words were filled with a deep sense of powerlessness, and the feeling of being overwhelmed had already made him a little numb.

As soon as he finished speaking, another pirate stood up suddenly, his voice angry and rough:

"They're just a few new soldiers!

How can they suppress us so easily!

How did these 'navies' do it?!"

He waved his fist hard, and the fist collided with the air, making a gust of wind, as if he wanted to vent all his anger.

But even so, there was still an inescapable shadow suppressed in his heart.

The anger on the faces of the great pirates became more and more obvious, but more of it was helplessness and confusion—they realized that they had almost no power to fight back in this battle.

First, they faced the fierce firepower of the new navy, and the pirate fleet was almost instantly suppressed. Then, coupled with the super combat power shown by Jin An and the other leaders, the pirates had no chance to organize an effective counterattack.

The situation on the battlefield was almost that they were completely suppressed and fell into desperation.

They recalled the previous situation, the pirate ships were almost unable to resist under the fierce attack of the firepower network.

The fierce artillery fire was like a hammer hitting their hulls, and countless pirates were blown to pieces by the artillery fire, their bodies flying.

The pirate ships in front were almost blasted into broken wreckage in a few minutes, and the fire and explosions almost swallowed the entire sea area.

"The ships in front have simply collapsed."

A pirate muttered to himself, his eyes full of fear and anxiety.

"They are too strong, there is no chance to fight back at all, and there is not even time to retreat."

The current situation was like a nightmare for them. As great pirates, they had never felt this kind of powerlessness.

Although some pirates attempted to fight back and rush to the rear of the enemy army, Jin An's command was precise, and every step of the layout made their counterattack impossible.

Those pirate ships intercepted by the new navy did not even have a chance to resist.

Shamlock watched all this from a distance, with a sneer on his face. He had long lost interest in the performance of these pirates.

As a member of the world government, he had long believed that these people were just pawns to be used.

He had seen countless wars, but every one of them had the same ending:

The arrogance and self-confidence of the pirates eventually led them to fall into the pit they dug themselves.

However, although he was not surprised by the failure of these pirates, he still had a trace of dissatisfaction in his heart.

"These pirates..."

He murmured in a low voice, with a hint of disdain in his eyes,

"They have enough resources and strength, but they always lack the spirit of a strong person."

"It seems that we need to use special methods to turn these guys into 'daredevils'."

He shook his head, a sneer appearing on the corner of his mouth.

The great pirates were still unable to get rid of the shadow of failure at this time. Their anger was only a brief vent, and more of it was a deep sense of loss and self-blame.

The result of the battle did not allow them any room to struggle. They were just forced to retreat, and finally had no choice but to retreat.

However, on the way back, they felt more unspeakable shame and unwillingness in their hearts.

All along, the pirates have been proud of their freedom and believe that they are the masters of the sea, but in this battle, they were forced to the point where they did not even have a chance to resist.

Faced with the powerful firepower and elite troops of the new navy, they were simply unable to compete with them, and ultimately could only end in failure.

They couldn't help but ask themselves in their hearts:

"Where did we go wrong?"

The pirates' sense of loss was like a deep vortex, swallowing their mood.

Although they have not completely given up yet, they have begun to wonder in their hearts, how long can this situation last?

...