"Whoosh!" The Ironclad Octopus violently flung its tentacles, hurling the bound gunboat away as if it were a toy. Whether the Ironclad Octopus had intended it or it was mere coincidence, the gunboat spun through the air and crashed into another gunboat a kilometer to the right. Gunboats were meant to provide powerful long-range fire support. In that confused collision, shells scattered throughout their cabins, and with a thunderous blast, both gunboats exploded.
"Roar, roar, roar!" The Ironclad Octopus howled excitedly and turned toward another gunboat.
The surrounding Alvin soldiers stared at the Ironclad Octopus's might with mouths wide enough to fit a salted duck egg. The pilots of the gunboats approached by the Ironclad Octopus immediately turned their vessels around and fled for their lives.
Unfortunately, gunboats were positioned in military operations as mobile artillery platforms. Their firepower could not compare to warships because they had never been designed to fight warships. Their mission was to intercept bombers attacking warships, as well as fighters escorting those bombers. At the same time, they were highly effective against landing craft employing ship-capturing tactics.
Against fighters and bombers, gunboats did not need great speed to keep up with their targets, because their role was to lie in wait. If you did not attack their warships, they could not be bothered with you. But if you dared to come, their extreme range and outstanding firepower would make you understand just how formidable Lord Ma's third eye was. Thus, gunboats were even slower than ordinary fighters.
How fast was an Ironclad Octopus? In the starry sky, an Ironclad Octopus was like a squid or cuttlefish in the sea. With a sweep of its eight limbs, it could flee a thousand miles. If the gunboats had held their ground and coordinated with the warships' main