Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction Group 2 - 2 | Page 161

BAM! BAM! Zheng He woke up to a strange noise. It was still night, the sky as dark as obsidian. Zheng He opened the door of his cabin and saw a wet, panting crewman. In fact, it was Chin Hong. “Sir… Sir… the pirates… coming...so much…….” and then he collapsed on the floor, panting and unable to move. It was no doubt that the pirates were coming, so Zheng He gathered up all the troops and prepared them for an attack. But he had a trick up his sleeve… KABOOM! That was the first sound of battle. Fire and lanterns were equipped on the pirate ships, making it look like a dragon. The sound of cannons pierced through the air, and smoke was steaming everywhere. Finally, Chen Zuyi came on aboard. “Ha Ha! I fooled you, Zheng He! Now China will bow to the pirates! We will own the best ships in the world! No bow for mercy or be killed!” he teased as almost 20 huge pirate ships confronted Zheng He’s Commanding Junk and Treasure Ships. But Zheng He showed no sign of surrender because this was his plan. A sudden blast shook everyone’s ears. Chen Zuyi looked around and saw hundreds of boats. Most of them were cruisers, but there was a handful of huge junks and battleships. The royal red mast was on every single ship, the commanding one with a golden phoenix emblem on it. The pirates were outnumbered, but they kept on fighting, so Zheng He fought back. He was a blur of silver, he leaped like a leopard, it was like he was invincible. The pirates were brave, but they were no match for Zheng He. Zheng He was getting braver and braver. He expanded his forces into a semicircle, surrounding the pirates. Now his ships and the reinforcements had cornered Chen Zuyi. Suddenly something struck Zheng He’s forehead. Everything went black as he fell down to the ocean. “Hello? Wake up, wake up!” a voice said. He saw a pirate in a cage. Some of the crewmen fixing the poles. A crewman tap-dancing with a pirate. Hmm… perhaps he had just imagined the last one. Then, someone pulled on his hair and yanked him back to life. “ Huzzah?” mumbled Zheng He. “ Wait… is Chen Zuyi captured? We had specific orders to!” “ Yes, yes, he is captured, and all is well.” assured Chin Hong. A wave of relief spread over Zheng He. We walked to the deck, feeling the cool, sea breeze. The aquamarine water glistened under the setting sun. Near the horizon, he saw a line and a dot, and he swore it was China.