It wasn't until the gunshot rang out that everyone remembered the incident that shook Nassau not long ago.
The night Zhang Heng clashed with Wilton, he led his men to attack the latter, killing more than two hundred people on two ships. Not a single one of them was spared.
According to those who boarded the ship, the forecastle was covered in blood like a slaughterhouse.
However, Zhang Heng kept a low profile during this joint hunt. Many people had forgotten that he wasn't just a reasonable man.
Zhang Heng wasn't interested in playing a werewolf game with Jarvis. He had done his part by informing Black Sam and the others. Whether or not they believed him was out of his control.
Jarvis could read Zhang Heng's determination from the gunshot. He cursed loudly and ordered the Warrior's crew to step aside and let Anne have the boat.
He accepted the pardon because he had accumulated enough wealth as a pirate. However, no matter how rich he was, he couldn't return to civilized society. He was a wanted criminal in all the colonies, and he had to hide. Even if he wanted to sneak back to his hometown, he had to be on tenterhooks all the time. Now, he finally had the chance to kill all the famous pirates on Nassau. Then, he could return to his hometown in glory. However, he had to survive first.
Jarvis never doubted Zhang Heng's determination.
Zhang Heng's gun never left his head throughout the entire process. No matter how Black Sam and the others tried to persuade him, Zhang Heng refused to budge.
His determination finally raised the alarm in the others. Black Sam planned to arrange for someone to set up an observation point in the forest to monitor the movements of the ships outside the island. At the same time, Brook's expression changed. Because of what happened earlier, he was the one who didn't trust Jarvis the most. Now, he was the one who was most willing to believe Zhang Heng.
However, if he chose to leave now, the gold that was right in front of him would no longer have anything to do with him. The Swordfish had paid such a huge price to get nothing in return. More importantly, its hull was severely damaged in the previous battle, especially the broken mast, which wasn't easy to repair.
In the end, Jarvis made up his mind. No matter how valuable the gold was, it wasn't as important as his life. He followed Zhang Heng's example and sent someone to inform his crew. However, Jarvis didn't plan to go too far. He wanted to check out the situation first.
As for the other two captains, they were still hesitating, especially the drunk one. Even if he wanted to leave, he didn't have the strength to do so.
Time ticked by, and everyone had their own thoughts. To prevent a riot, the captain did not reveal the truth to the crew on the beach. Other than that, Black Prince Sam did a lot of things. He pulled out the cannons that were previously set up on the beach, and at the same time, he picked a few sober men to pass through the forest and set up observation points in another direction.
However, this method was better than nothing. During the day, because of the good visibility, the target could be found from far away, and the people at the observation point could also have time to inform the port. But now, it was late at night, and visibility had plummeted. Even if they saw a ship, they might not have time to pass the message over.
The terrain of Parrot Island had helped them a lot when they ambushed the Spanish treasure ships, but now, it had become a problem. Because of the rocky walls, it was impossible to see what was going on outside the port from the beach.
Deep down, Black Prince Sam was inclined to believe Zhang Heng. It wasn't just because they had worked together before. If either Zhang Heng or Jarvis was lying, all he had to do was keep an eye on the Jackdaw's gold, and he wouldn't be able to escape. However, if Jarvis was lying, the problem would be much more serious.
Less than half of the people on the beach were still able to move, and half of the people who could move were basically unable to think normally. Moreover, they had just experienced a fierce battle. All the pirate ships were more or less damaged, and they did not have enough ammunition. Under such circumstances, if a naval warship suddenly appeared, the outcome of the battle would be no suspense at all.
Zhang Heng must have seen through this, so he chose to leave decisively.
Black Sam didn't blame Zhang Heng for abandoning the others. With the Jackdaw's current condition, Zhang Heng's remaining men could barely sail it. There was no one else to fight. So, he had no other choice but to leave.
On the other hand, the Jackdaw's crew had finally boarded the ship in batches. Other than Harry, the cook, Ramsey, had done a great job this time. In just ten minutes, he managed to locate most of the crew on the chaotic beach. In the end, there were only two that he couldn't find no matter how hard he tried.
Zhang Heng didn't wait any longer. He was the last to leave the beach. After pushing Jarvis into the ferry, he boarded the ferry himself.
Anne and a few other sailors rowed the ferry, while Dufresne temporarily took over Billy's position. He ordered those who were still conscious to lower the sails, retract the anchor, and get ready to leave the port. Everyone was racing against time.
When the ferry left the shore, Jarvis finally removed his disguise and spoke.
"Did you find my men in the woods?"
"No. Strictly speaking, your men found my men in the woods," said Zhang Heng.
"What an interesting coincidence. But you know you can't run away forever, right? Even if you manage to escape this time, what about the next time? Not many people in our line of work have a good ending. Even Honegg, who owns the fort on the island, doesn't have to risk his life to plunder. But if the English Sequoia Army arrives one day, he won't be able to escape either. "
"To a certain extent, I agree with you. However, this isn't a reason for you to betray those people on the beach. Many of them treated you as a friend and a brother."
"It takes a little courage to start a new life. I need to say goodbye to the past. Only then can I have a better life in the new world. You haven't seen them, but you've seen the way they look at us. They look at us like we're some kind of beast. You see, the pardon isn't the whole point. I need to wash away my past and leave everything behind. Only then can I truly become a … human," muttered Jarvis.
"Then I hope you get what you want." The ferry had arrived at the Jackdaw's side. Zhang Heng put away his musket and grabbed the rope beside him.
Just as the Jackdaw was about to sail away, a shadow appeared not far from the port.
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