When the storm finally calmed down, the Jackdaw was the only ship left in the vast sea.
"I can't believe we actually made it out alive!"
Dufresne looked around until he could no longer see any enemies. Finally, he heaved a sigh of relief and plopped down on the deck.
Ever since he found Harry and learned about Jarvis's betrayal, he had been in a state of extreme stress. Now that the danger was over, his body felt like it had been sucked dry, and he could no longer feel the slightest bit of strength.
The navy had the absolute advantage in firepower, and the port was almost completely locked down. Yet, under Zhang Heng's leadership, they managed to steer the Jackdaw out of the blockade. After that, they managed to shake off their pursuers and survive the terrifying storm.
Every step they took was fraught with danger, and everyone gave it their all. Even so, a lot of luck played a part in making it this far, especially when the storm came at the perfect time. If they had been any later, the Jackdaw would have been sunk by the two warships. Considering the state the Jackdaw was in, it was even more incredible that they managed to survive the storm unscathed.
As the sky grew brighter and brighter, the drunken crew finally woke up from their slumber. Dufresne's eyes scanned the area, and finally, his gaze landed on a figure standing silently at the stern of the ship.
When the man said that he would bring everyone home, Dufresne thought that he was just trying to appease the sailors. After all, Zhang Heng was the captain of the ship, and it was his job to stabilize the situation. Dufresne didn't expect that the man would actually fulfill his promise and lead the Jackdaw out of a hopeless situation.
What he did last night was impossible for anyone else to do in his position.
It was beyond the capabilities of a human being, and it could be considered a miracle. Dufresne could tell from the admiring gazes of the sailors around him.
However, Zhang Heng didn't look too happy. After resting for a while, Dufresne regained some of his strength and walked to Zhang Heng's side. He followed Zhang Heng's gaze and saw that he was looking in the direction of Parrot Island. However, he couldn't see anything anymore.
"Do they still have a chance?"
"The navy is well prepared this time, and they have Jarvis as their mole. This time, we've suffered a great loss. If Black Sam and the others want to survive, they have no other choice but to retreat to the center of the island. But that's exactly what the navy wants. They don't have to do anything. All they have to do is wait for two weeks. By then, all they have to do is face a bunch of weak pirates."
Dufresne was speechless. In fact, he already knew this would happen. This was also the reason why Zhang Heng wanted to bring the Jackdaw away no matter what. The outcome of this battle was already decided before the battle even started.
Although the two sides were similar in terms of numbers and firepower, it was not a fair contest at all. The pirates on the island were ambushed in the middle of their revelry. They were far away from their warships and were unprepared. Their brains were also paralyzed by alcohol. Forced to fight in such a state, the outcome was obvious.
While the two of them were talking, the newly recruited bookkeeper on the ship hurried over.
"Captain, Mr. Dufresne, you better come and take a look," the latter said nervously.
Zhang Heng, Dufresne, and the bookkeeper went down to the cargo hold together. By then, the seawater inside had almost been pumped clean. Other than being a little damp, it was almost back to normal. However, everyone looked very serious as they gathered around a bucket of fresh water.
Dufresne scooped up a mouthful of water and brought it to his mouth. When he tasted the salty taste, he quickly spat it out. "How much?"
"We were unlucky. Two cannonballs landed in the area where we store fresh water. Seven or eight buckets of water were destroyed, and some of the wooden barrels were damaged. At first, they were fine, but when the water flooded the cabin, they were finished. Also, there's not much rum left on the ship. We took out thirty buckets during the banquet."
"Anything else?" The quartermaster frowned when he saw the bookkeeper gulping.
"The biscuits stored here were soaked in seawater as well. We managed to salvage some of them, but the rest are probably inedible."
"So, how long can the ship's food and water supply last us?"
"Food is fine. Even if we don't have biscuits, we still have potatoes and bacon. We can also organize people to fish. If we eat sparingly, we should be able to last until we reach Nassau. As for fresh water, we can only drink it for another four days."
"Four days?"
"At the current rate of consumption, yes."
Dufresne immediately realized the severity of the problem. It took the Jackdaw almost two weeks to reach Parrot Island from Nassau, and that was when the wind was with them.
The Jackdaw had just gone through a huge battle. Fortunately, the mast did not suffer any serious damage. As for the damaged sails, they had already organized people to repair them. However, the direction of the wind was not in their favor, and it would take them a long time to get back.
"Are there any islands nearby where we can replenish our water supply?" Zhang Heng, who had been silent all this while, suddenly asked.
"There is … a small island nearby. It's only a quarter the size of Parrot Island, but there's no water source on it," a sailor answered.
"Then, from now on, we will have to strictly control our water supply. Everyone will be allocated according to their daily quota," Dufresne said.
"Go to the captain's cabin and bring me my nautical chart," Zhang Heng said to Harry, who was standing beside him.
The latter was eavesdropping on the conversation, wondering when Dufresne would tell Zhang Heng about his contribution. When he heard Zhang Heng's words, he was stunned. Then, he thought of something, and his face lit up with joy. Immediately, he dashed to the captain's cabin.
Unfortunately, Zhang Heng's cabin was in trouble. Harry was unfamiliar with the place, and it took him a long time to find the nautical chart on the top of the bookshelf.
Zhang Heng spread out the chart and found Parrot Island on it. Then, he found the nearest island, and he seemed to be calculating something.
Dufresne was puzzled. "Isn't there no water on that island? What's the point of us going there? "
"We've been chased by those guys for so long. If we just leave without asking for some interest, they'll be letting us off easy. Besides, if we want water, we have to rely on them," Zhang Heng said.
Little Adorkable said.
I'm sorry, it's late. I'll try my best to update it next time. Even if I do, it'll be very late.
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
