Only now did he rule out the possibility of an empty-fort bluff.
That night at Torturer's Deep, Crab Claw had seen through Liu Qian's plan but still let Liu Qian and his men enter before ambushing them.
First, Crab Claw was confident that the ambush would kill Liu Qian and his men.
Second, Liu Qian had brought only five ships' worth of men into Torturer's Deep, giving him no advantage in numbers.
But the third and most crucial reason was that Crab Claw had not known Liu Qian possessed a Dragonbone Bow capable of firing flaming arrows.
Unlike Crab Claw, however, Kago had tasted the Dragonbone Bow's power. He knew all too well what happened when Liu Qian targeted him in the open.
With the Main Harbor fleet and a sturdy fortress at his command, he would never abandon those advantages and throw open the gates.
There was only one explanation: an upheaval far beyond his control had erupted inside the fortress.
Liu Qian reached his conclusion at once. "Kago is either dead or has lost control of the situation. This is a heaven-sent opportunity, and we can't let it slip. Storm the fortress immediately."
He needed speed. He needed to exploit the chaos on Cleftjaw Island and crush the last foundation of Kago's power with overwhelming force, leaving him no chance to catch his breath or regroup.
At Liu Qian's command, the oars of every Oared Ship churned, driving them toward the Main Harbor docks at full speed for an assault landing.
The well-trained pirate infantry swiftly formed ranks under their officers' barked orders.
The battering ram was unloaded from a transport ship.
The pirates shouldered crude but serviceable scaling ladders.
The Dragon Spirit Guardians once again spearheaded the assault.
They charged silently up the steep slope beneath the