Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne Chapter 1003 - 88: Crossbow and Triple-Bow Crossbow

The final two hundred participants were navy officers, dressed in black battle armor just like the others.

Leading the group was the navy general, who clutched a long sword in his right hand. In the sun's rays, the blade flashed with a cold, piercing gleam. His face was serious, eyes piercing, and frame imposing, as he marched the troops ahead with firm strides. Still, the focus of all onlookers shifted away from him to the massive 'big fellow' positioned right behind.

This 'big fellow' resembled a bow and arrow somewhat, or more precisely, like multiple large bows pieced together.

What could this be?

A bow and arrow?

An enormous bow and arrow?

Such thoughts raced through everyone's minds.

This 'big fellow' was entirely unfamiliar to them.

Next appeared another 'big fellow' that also evoked a bow and arrow. Unlike the first one, this featured two bows at the front and a single one at the rear.

As these two bow-shaped giants came into view, all viewers found them extraordinary. The locals of Swamp Prefecture, distant traders, and even overseas merchants along with royal kin failed to spot their unique traits, yet the protective guards and troops around the foreign royals detected the formidable presence of these devices.

A chilling wave of killing intent radiated from the pair of big fellows, causing the foreign guards and soldiers to feel their hairs rise in alarm.

Uncle Gao and He Lianfang were encountering these two big fellows for the very first time too. Despite the initial sight, they quickly recognized the exceptional nature of these machines.

'General, this...' Uncle Gao appeared stunned, 'Did His Highness mention it to you?'

He Lianfang gave a subtle shake of his head, 'No.'

'Is this some kind of bow and arrow?' Uncle Gao felt unsure; these big fellows bore strong resemblances to bows yet differed in subtle ways.

He Lianfang shared the uncertainty, 'They're probably far more complex than that. The armaments crafted by Xiao Shi are always exceptional; these can't be mere bows and arrows.'

'His Highness kept it from us entirely; it must be a hidden weapon.' Uncle Gao hadn't anticipated Zhao Yao holding yet another surprise. 'His Highness excels at secrecy. We've had numerous parade drills, but these two big fellows never showed up.'

While Uncle Gao and He Lianfang conversed, the navy troops halted abruptly. Moments later, a few soldiers proceeded to arm the initial 'big fellow' with arrows. These projectiles dwarfed those from the earlier bow squad. Relative to standard arrows, the ones for the big fellows qualified as colossal arrows.

The trio of massive arrows tore through the atmosphere with ferocity, and the crowd seemed to catch a sharp whistling noise. In an instant, the three arrows streaked away like bolts of lightning. Soon, a resounding 'boom' echoed. Tracing the noise, observers noted the masts of three berthed warships struck by the giant arrows.

'Splash,' the masts of those three warships toppled into the water, sending up massive splashes.

This display left every spectator's face etched with astonishment.

What had they just observed?

Arrows shattering the masts of three warships?

Those masts were robust, thick, and unyielding, but the arrows had pierced and felled them; what immense force lay behind such shots?

The navy bellowed: 'Long live Great Zhou! Long live Prince Han!'

The cheers from the navy officers roused the crowd, who joined in the cries. Though they grasped little of the event, they had clearly seen the big fellows' arrows demolish the ship's masts.

Terror gripped the foreign visitors' hearts. They had guessed the bow-like contraptions held power, but not to this degree! What in the world was this device?!

Now, the navy troops turned to arming the second big fellow with arrows. Scores of soldiers collaborated to draw back the mechanism. The sight left the entire audience in utter disbelief.

Once the second big fellow was drawn, the soldiers fitted it with iron arrows, unleashing the enormous projectiles with a fierce whistle.

The huge iron arrows surged toward the ocean with unstoppable force. As they hurtled over the waves, they churned up enormous swells, making the pier's docked vessels sway wildly. Then, they struck a massive ship some two hundred zhang distant. In the next moment, all eyes watched as that large ship cleaved apart into halves.

Silence enveloped the scene abruptly, with everyone gawking in shock, jaws dropped, features twisted in dread.

What had they just seen—a large ship torn asunder?!!!!