Chapter 168 - Marine Product and Loot (1/2)
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
A month had pa.s.sed. After the Jackdaw’s pirates had more than enough fun in Na.s.sau, most had spent off a large portion of their earnings. Some were even in debt. It baffled Zhang Heng as to how they managed to spend all their money, considering that they were each given at least 40 gold coins before they left the s.h.i.+p. That amount was enough for an ordinary person to live comfortably for two to three years. On the bright side, though, they were starting to miss life out at sea.
Coincidently, Carina provided Zhang Heng with some valuable intel. After getting a minor refit and going though a recruitment drive, the Jackdaw was ready to set sail again. At the same time, Carina and Laeli started to work on their Na.s.sau operation as well. Before the black-market alliance began to deal with Carina, she had decided that she would do whatever it would take for her plan to succeed. First, she rented a storage facility near the pier. Then, she spread the news to Na.s.sau’s small-time pirates, telling them that she was willing to offer them a higher price than the black-market alliance.
Upon hearing the news, a large number of pirates on the island started to pay attention. Though Carina was a woman, the fact that she managed to help the Jackdaw earn a huge amount of money had spread around the entire Na.s.sau. Her reputation soon skyrocketed. It was great news to the small-time pirates that someone was willing to buy their loot at a higher price. If that was so, they wouldn’t need to rely on the black-market alliance anymore. After all, the alliance wasn’t as friendly to them as they were to the powerful pirate crews because it was hard for them to valuable loot. The alliance would only offer them a meager price for whatever they had.
Since they did not sign any contracts with the alliance, they could choose to stop selling to them anytime they wished. With the opportunity for better prospects, they would naturally choose to sell their plunder to Carina. The captain of the Gentle Breeze was left speechless when he saw a group of pirate-wannabes lining up in front of the storeroom that Carina rented.
Their clothes were in tatters and they wielded all sorts of non-lethal weapons, which made them look more like beggars and thugs instead of pirates. One could only imagine the quality of the items sold to Carina.
An elderly pirate slowly approached the table. Malone suspected that he must be older than his great grandfather that he buried some time ago. The old pirate then put a basket of crabs on the table as Jim, the records keeper stared at him in a confused manner. Immediately, he pointed at the signboard behind him.
“I’m sorry, sir. We do not accept any marine products here,” said the records keeper politely.
“Watch what you say to me, kid. Everyone knew me when I was your age. Even Henry Morgan had to pay his respects to me when he came to Na.s.sau. This is what I acquired when I sailed out earlier.”
“Still…. it does not change the fact that your loot is a marine product, sir.”
Malone had personally recruited Jim last year. It was not easy hiring someone who knew how to count and read in this era. Not too long ago, almost half of the sailors from the Gentle Breeze left the s.h.i.+p when they heard that Mr. Fegan had been sent to jail. To Malone’s surprise, Jim had chosen to stay with the s.h.i.+p. A better job would have awaited him if he’d left.
After selling off all the spices, Malone suggested to Carina that she should increase the pay of the kid hailing from North Carolina. There was nothing Malone could do when he saw Jim trying to explain the difference between marine products and loot to the old pirate.
“I robbed this basket of crabs from a fisherman. So it’s considered loot, not a marine product. Your boss told us that you are buying the loot that we got, right? This is my loot. What’s your problem?!”
“Sir, I think there’s been a misunderstanding.”