Their prey was right in front of them, but they couldn't do anything about it. This wasn't a common situation for pirates.
Currently, the Quidah was the strongest, followed by the Jackdaw, and the unknown pirate ship was the weakest. However, this was only relative. In fact, the latter's ship and firepower were considered the best among the pirates. It was just that they were unlucky today, encountering two more powerful pirates. Now, none of the three parties had the ability to monopolize their prey.
No matter who made the first move, they would definitely be surrounded by the other two ships. Moreover, the sailors of the Goddess' Spear would not sit still. So five minutes later, the Quidah took the lead and signaled for the captains of the other two ships to negotiate the distribution of the spoils.
As the pirate ship that first discovered the Goddess' Spear, the Quidah obviously didn't want to drag this on any longer. Although the Goddess' Spear's cargo was valuable, it wouldn't be as profitable if the three ships were to split it among themselves. If more people joined the fray, they wouldn't be able to get anything out of this trip. They might as well rob a passing merchant ship and try their luck.
"The Black Prince has a good reputation in Nassau. He's a loyal man. That's why his men are willing to follow him," said Billy. "Although he's on the black-market alliance's side, he won't do anything to us. It seems like there's no other solution other than negotiation. Let's talk about it first."
Zhang Heng nodded, agreeing with Billy. "Send a message to the Quidah. I'll be there."
On the other side, the unknown pirate ship was in a dilemma. Although they had heard of the Black Prince, this was the first time they came into contact with him. They didn't know how many of the rumors were true. However, seeing that Zhang Heng and the others had already lowered their boat, they were worried that the two parties would form an alliance to kill them first. In the end, they had no choice but to send their boat.
Since it was a negotiation, Zhang Heng didn't bring many people with him. Only Dufresne and another pirate came with him. To prevent any accidents, Billy and Anne stayed on the Jackdaw.
The reason why Zhang Heng agreed so decisively was not only because Black Prince Sam had a good reputation, but also because he had the Shadow Moment with him. If anything were to happen, even if he couldn't return to the Jackdaw, he could still escape to somewhere nearby.
On the other hand, the captain on the other side was very nervous. He had brought eight men armed to the teeth with him, and they looked as if they were facing a formidable enemy.
For some unknown reason, Black Sam didn't attend the banquet at Terrance Manor. Hence, this was the first time Zhang Heng met him.
To his surprise, this pirate captain, who was as famous as Blackbeard, did not look much older than him. He looked to be about twenty-six or twenty-seven years old. He had blue eyes and a head of long black hair that was tied into a ponytail. If Teach was like a mountain in the night, then Sam was like the first ray of sunlight in the morning.
His smile was contagious and could make people forget all their troubles. No wonder he had the word "prince" in his nickname. It had nothing to do with his attire or even his occupation. Some people were born to be kings and would make people around them willingly follow them.
The pirate crew led by Sam was also the most stable in Nassau. Ever since he became the captain, no one had ever challenged his position. No one had even thought of challenging him.
There were many legends about him. It was said that he often used his share of the spoils of war to subsidize the wounded and the dead. He didn't have his own place on the shore, and he would wake up in a different place every day. He was also very generous to his captives. When he first became a pirate, he would give his old ship to the poor people so that they could escape. Sometimes, he would even share the money he stole with the poor on the island. That was why his pirate crew often called themselves the Righteous Pirates.
While Zhang Heng was observing Black Prince Sam, the latter's eyes fell on him as well. Zhang Heng wasn't sure if it was an illusion, but he felt that Sam's attitude toward him was surprisingly friendly.
"Captain Zhang Heng, I've heard a lot about you. Recently, the streets of Nassau have been talking about you and your Jackdaw. I should've met you earlier. Fortunately, it's not too late now." Sam smiled and extended his hand.
Another group of pirates noticed that something was amiss. Obviously, they did not expect Zhang Heng and Sam to be from the same place. Seeing that the two were about to continue their conversation, the captain quickly interrupted, "Time is precious. I don't think we want anyone else to join us. If that's the case, let's start the negotiation quickly."
Black Prince Sam nodded and asked politely, "May I know your name?"
"I'm Captain Hutcheson of the Harsh Winter. My crew and I have been chasing this whaling ship for more than a month. It's our prey. If the two of you are willing to return it to me, you will gain the friendship of the Harsh Winter," said Hutcheson.
"There's no such thing as first come, first served in these waters," sneered the black helmsman of the Quidah.
"Based on the strength of our three parties, I think four-four-three is a more reasonable division." Black Prince Sam didn't want to beat around the bush, so he directly proposed what he thought was a reasonable distribution plan.
"I have no problem with you taking 40% like us. After all, I've heard of the Quidah. But forgive me for being blunt, but why does this guy deserve 30%? I've been in these waters for so long, and I've never heard of this Jackdaw. Is it because he's from the same place as you?"
"The other 40% that I'm talking about is for him, not you. The reason is simple: he owns a warship."
"Heh, since when did the strength of a pirate group be measured by the quality of a ship? In the future, we don't have to fight anymore. We can just compare ships every time we meet." Hutcheson's eyes widened.
Black Prince Sam frowned. "Watch your words, Captain Hutcheson. We respect you, and that's why we invited you here. If you don't know how to respect others, we won't be able to continue this negotiation."
"Fine, 30% it is. But I want to pick two items first. After that, we'll divide the rest according to the same ratio."
"We all know that the most valuable thing on the ship is the ambergris. If you pick them first, what are we going to divide?" The black helmsman of the Quidah couldn't help but speak up again.
"I'm sorry. I thought this was just a discussion between the captains," complained the captain of the Harsh Winter.
"Eric." Black Prince Sam looked at his helmsman, who shrugged. "I'll go see if the boys on the second deck are slacking off."
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