"The name list you asked for. Basically, all the appraisers in Nassau are on it." Marvin handed Zhang Heng a piece of paper and added, "Two of them are on vacation, and one of them has been at the trading house since morning. So, these two are the ones worth paying attention to." Marvin pointed at the two names circled on the list.
"Thank you. You did a good job this time." Zhang Heng's compliment made the farmer's son smile.
Considering that time was of the essence, Zhang Heng had no choice but to gather as many helpers as he could. Other than Marvin, the other two pirates he had rescued volunteered to help. When the four of them gathered in front of the tavern, Zhang Heng spoke.
"Okay, here's the plan. After Jacob gets the bag of pearls, he will definitely try to figure out the value of the bag of pearls. That way, he will be able to offer a price to the buyer. He will definitely find an appraiser to help him …"
"Wait a minute. You said that the pearls were lost in the morning. What if he had already gotten someone to appraise them in the morning?" The farmer's son raised his hand.
"The appraisers on the island are very busy. They will need to make an appointment at least half a day in advance. Of course, if you are willing to pay more and offer them a price they can't refuse, they will gladly give you a blowjob on the spot. But trust me, a man who has been poor for a long time and relies on stealing to survive will not be able to afford that kind of money." The other pirate, Sylph, was a descendant of the first batch of immigrants. He grew up in Nassau and was very familiar with the place. He could be considered as a local tyrant.
"If that's the case, everyone on the list is a possibility. But there are only four of us now. Even if each of us takes one, we won't be able to keep an eye on all of them."
"Don't worry about the others. Focus on the two appraisers who are on vacation at home." Zhang Heng made up his mind after some thought. "If that guy has a brain, he should know that someone might be targeting him through the appraisers. So, the best option is not to ask the appraisers out but to pay them a visit. Even the appraisers who are on vacation will find it hard to refuse money that is delivered to their doorstep."
"I think this will work," the remaining pirate agreed. The remaining pirate chimed in. Seeing that no one else had any objections, the four of them split up and headed for the two appraisers' residences.
Zhang Heng and Marvin were in a group. Their target was named Randall, only twenty-nine years old. He was considered young in the appraiser industry, but he was quite famous. He was good at appraising a wide variety of items, and his estimates were accurate. He had a lot of appointments every day, but he would spare one day every week to spend time with his family.
Zhang Heng and Marvin squatted in a straw shed opposite him, casually placing some conches, oysters, and the like, pretending to be selling them.
Marvin looked at the sun outside the straw hut and said cautiously, "Um, if there's a fight later …"
"Don't worry. If there's a fight, I'll take care of it. You just stay on the side."
The farmer's son looked a little awkward. "I was going to ask how I could help you …"
"That guy is probably armed. Going up against him would just be suicide. Trust me, you staying here is the biggest help you can give me," Zhang Heng said calmly.
Marvin knew that he was weak in combat, but he still blushed when Zhang Heng said it out loud.
Zhang Heng then added, "Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. It's not shameful to face up to your own weaknesses."
Marvin's eyes lit up when he heard Zhang Heng's words. His cowardly reaction to a fight had earned him a lot of mockery from the pirates on the ship. Now that he heard Zhang Heng's words, he felt like he had finally met someone who could understand him.
Zhang Heng and Marvin chatted casually, and time passed without them noticing.
In the afternoon, two groups of visitors came to Randall's house. One of them was the island's black merchants, and the other was Randall's wife's sister. Clearly, neither of them was Jacob. The sun was about to set, and the agreed half-day time was getting closer and closer. Yet, there was no progress, and there was no news from Hilford either. Zhang Heng couldn't help but question his earlier judgment.
Could it be that the guy named Jacob wasn't as smart as he thought and had made an appointment with the three appraisers who were working? Or maybe his judgment was right, but the other party was worried about being caught, so he wasn't in a hurry to sell the pearls, and planned to sell the pearls after the news died down? If that was the case, it was almost impossible for him to catch his target before the agreed time.
No, that couldn't be right. With that guy's financial situation, he wouldn't be able to wait that long. The sooner he sold the pearls, the sooner he would be safe. Even if the owner found him, there was nothing he could do.
While Zhang Heng was hesitating, he saw Randall's sister-in-law come out of the house again. She looked around with a basket in her hand, and then walked to the other end of the road.
Zhang Heng knew he had to make a choice. In fact, it was pointless to think about other possibilities now. If his previous judgment was wrong, there was no time for him to correct it. Instead of letting his imagination run wild, he might as well follow the original path and go all the way to the dark.
Zhang Heng pulled out a dagger and a pistol from under the straw mat. "I'll leave this stall to you. If I see anyone suspicious after I leave, look for Hilford and the others."
Marvin's brain worked fast, and he immediately understood what Zhang Heng said. "Do you think the cunning guy is afraid to show himself? Instead, he asked Randall's sister-in-law to bring the pearls here for appraisal?"
"I don't know. At this point, this is the most realistic guess. This is the only way I can get the pearls back before sunset." Zhang Heng then followed the young woman in the distance.
If he wasn't sure at first, after following her for a while, Zhang Heng became more confident. The woman in front of him was obviously more vigilant than the average passerby. From time to time, she would stop and look around. With his excellent observation skills, Zhang Heng didn't have to follow her too closely, and he didn't have to worry about being discovered.
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