Chapter 151 - Let’s Begin (2/2)

That could only mean one thing. The merchant vessel was carrying something precious. Even if it wasn’t spices, it could be something else that was equally valuable. After trying to get away from the Jackdaw for a while, they realized that they couldn’t shake them off. Instead, the two vessels had now crept up to each other.

By then, the merchant vessel discovered that a navy battles.h.i.+p was the one after them. Considering that they were armed and heavily loaded with cargo, they could only move at a modest four to five knots at the fastest. There was no way that they could outrun the speeding Jackdaw. So, in desperation, they decided to slow down and arm all their cannons, preparing to open fire.

Under normal circ.u.mstances, they were no match to the battles.h.i.+p. However, the night had become their best cover, and besides, luck was the critical factor in this fight. If they managed to land their cannonb.a.l.l.s on the Jackdaw’s armory, they might just be able to turn the tide around.

The crew of the merchant s.h.i.+p knew that this was their last chance to attack their pursuer. Once the sun was up, there was no way that they could beat them anymore. To their surprise, Zhang Heng slowed down the Jackdaw as well. She still followed them closely but kept outside their shooting range. Despair hit the merchant crew when they realized that time was quickly drifting away from them. There was nothing else they could do about the Jackdaw, as they could not fire, nor could they flee.

At the same time, the Jackdaw made her final preparations for the upcoming war. The helmsman carefully executed every order given by Zhang Heng, ensuring that there was at least a nautical mile between them and their prey. Similarly, the merchant s.h.i.+p attempted to fire, but alas, it failed miserably. Eventually, they gave up and decided to stop the pointless attacks.

When the sun came up, Zhang Heng confirmed through his binoculars that the merchant s.h.i.+p was hauling a grand load of nutmeg. From the size of the s.h.i.+p, their flag, and the number of cannons, it almost precisely matched the information provided by Carina. All of a sudden, the sorrow and despair of the Jackdaw’s crew was replaced by an elated sense of happiness. Finally, they got to reap what they had sowed. This boosted the pirates’ spirits in an unprecedented manner. Zhang Heng was at the bow with Anne and Billy to discuss the final battle plan.

“First, we will fire at them twice. Our primary targets are their masts and main deck. We need to make sure that they lose their mobility and kill as many as their crew as possible. We do not want to damage the structure of the s.h.i.+p. The spices will become worthless if water floods into the hull. Once they surrender, we’ll close in and start organizing our people to plunder them.”

It was at that time that Carina finally woke up. With a terrible hangover looming over her head, she remembered bits and pieces of what she told Zhang Heng last night and was worried that Zhang Heng’s impression toward her had changed for the worse.

“Your ident.i.ty is somewhat sensitive around here. You should head to the captain’s quarters and stay there. Remember to close the windows. You don’t want anyone from the merchant s.h.i.+p to spot you.”

Zhang Heng needed her help to sell off all the spices that he was about to loot later. It was risky enough for her to get on the Jackdaw and chase down the merchant s.h.i.+p. She was sincere enough about sealing the deal, and Zhang Heng had no doubts about it. There was no reason for her to reveal herself to the merchants on the s.h.i.+p later. If she was exposed to the customs officers, she would be left with no other options but to become a pirate. Carina did not insist on lingering on, clearly understanding the decision Zhang Heng made. She quickly thanked him and left the deck.

“Ask the cannoneers to get ready. It’s time to fight,” proclaimed Zhang Heng to Billy.