Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!

The sunlight was like fire, slanting down onto the azure surface of the Caribbean Sea. The waves shattered into light, shimmering layer upon layer like silver scale armor. In the distance, clouds surged, where sea and sky met and hung low. A deep blue arc, as if ignited by fire, formed a magnificent and profound dawn.

"Swish! Swish!..."

The wind howled, swelling the high-hanging sails and pushing the sailboat constantly westward. Two fleets chased each other among the waves; the leading ship was a light sailing ship with gray sails slightly unfurled. It skimmed the sea like a fish, incredibly nimble.

Behind it, three ships hoisted white sails, billowing like an eagle’s wings. The three ships spread out, forming a net, closing in at full speed, hunting the "Portuguese Golden Ship" ahead.

"Demonios! These Portuguese people sure know how to run! We’ve been chasing them for three or four days now..."

"Haha! Boss! Their speed isn’t as fast as it was yesterday. I reckon their supplies are running low, and their sailors are exhausted!"

"Exactly, exactly! We set out fully stocked, and they’ve been out at sea for who knows how long, without resupply in between... this fat fish won’t get away!"

"May the Holy Mother bless us! We’re going to hit the jackpot!"

"By the way! Once we seize this ship, we can’t leave any survivors... if word gets back to the Kingdom of Portugal, it could be troublesome."

"Don’t worry! Boss, we’re all familiar with this kind of work!..."

"Hahaha!"

Captain Vicente stood at the bow, gazing at the distant silhouette of the western ship while chatting with the sailors. This sea chase had lasted for a full four days!

The Portuguese on the opposite side really knew how to handle their ship. Their vessel was light and small, and it seemed to have an extra triangular sail, running faster than any of the three Castilian ships! Ordinarily, if the Portuguese were fully committed to escaping westward, after four days and nights, they would have vanished. However, every time they lost them at night, by morning, the Portuguese ship would reappear to the northeast or southeast, trying to sneak east!

Such an obvious intention couldn’t possibly fool the wise Captain Vicente? This undoubtedly proved that the Portuguese... um, the Portuguese base was to the east! They were low on supplies, eager to flee eastward back to their lair. Therefore, the pursuing Castilian fleet couldn’t let them have their way and had to force them westward!

Initially, the captains were concerned about a potential Portuguese ambush ahead. But the Portuguese’s repeated returns and attempts to break the blockade dispelled everyone’s doubts. Now, the three captains, eyes gleaming green, were just waiting to trap the Portuguese, kill them, and loot the goods!

"Haha! This miserable bunch of Portuguese! Our supplies are full; let’s see how long yours can last?..."

Captain Vicente clenched his captain’s sword at his waist with grim determination. The sailors and soldiers on the ship were also eager, ready for a good, decisive fight!

The sea chase continued from dawn to noon, and then the sun began to slant westward. A green coastline suddenly appeared from the west, revealing a vibrant large island. As they chased and chased, they found that from San Juan Island, they chased for dozens of leagues, all the way to what the natives called Haiti Island!

"Hm? Have we really chased this far already?"

Seeing the endless island, Captain Vicente frowned, showing a wary expression.

The well-connected Captain De La Cosa had once informed all the Castilian captains that beyond this calm island of Haiti, lay the "Cuba Cipangu Island," where natives were very barbaric and would attack proactively. The island before them was enormous, and the native tribes on it must be frighteningly numerous.

However, considering the natives’ combat power and their canoes, which couldn’t even reach the ship’s railing... Captain Vicente’s face showed a hint of disdain.

"With those small boats... even if a hundred came, they’d still be no match for our three large ships! Even if we ran out of ammunition and had to turn and leave, they wouldn’t be able to stop us! But indeed, we must be cautious, lest the Portuguese use the chaos to escape..."

Captain Vicente was pondering as such when he suddenly saw, in front of the western coast, a narrow waterway appear, leading who knows where. The Portuguese ship ahead wanted to escape north or south, but the Castilian large ships had already closed in. Forced and helpless, they had to flee into the narrow waterway, barely five or six kilometers wide!

"?! Hm? This kind of narrow bay terrain?..."

The three pursuing Castilian medium-sized sailing ships gradually halted, blocking the entry to the waterway. The captains, all with sailing experience, recognized this terrain at a glance as very similar to a dead-end. Even if it wasn’t, in such a bay, if ambushed by enemy ships, it would mean trouble. Even a slight blockade by a few ships, and getting out would require a head-on confrontation!

Of course, the natives’ small boats were no real concern. It was just that this terrain seemed dangerous and somewhat ominous...

"Almighty, bless us! Boss, should we continue the chase?"

Captain Vicente hesitated, and the other two ships were also somewhat hesitant. These Castilian noble captains, though greedy, were bona fide noble officers with lineage and had naval battle experience and common sense.

However, seeing the Castilian ship behind not catching up, the Portuguese ship pulled away and suddenly began to approach the shore. Then, several dozen steps away from the shore, they halted, lowering a canoe from the ship. After that, a native sailor with something golden and glittering jumped from the sailing ship onto the canoe and began to escape towards the shore...