A cannonball grazed the side of the Jackdaw and landed in the water, creating a splash. Unfortunately, it did not cause any substantial damage to the target.
The cannoneer on Miranda slapped the bow cannon in frustration. This was the fifth time he had missed his target. This had never happened before. On the other hand, not only did the Jackdaw dodge all the cannonballs, but it even managed to hit Miranda with its stern cannon.
Ford could feel that the Jackdaw had become more difficult to deal with than before. They were as slippery as a loach.
As expected of the famous pirate group in Nassau. They were indeed capable. Even under such circumstances, they were still so tenacious.
However, some things could not be solved with courage alone. For example, the distance between the Jackdaw and Miranda was shrinking.
Once Miranda caught up to the Jackdaw, it would be time for the cannons to fire.
When that happened, the Jackdaw would have nowhere to run.
That was why Ford wasn't too anxious when he missed the opportunity to hit the enemy with his cannon.
The rest of the crew gradually relaxed. Coral Island was different from Parrot Island. Coral Island was small, and it did not have a natural harbor like Parrot Island. Coral Island had a clear view of the surroundings. After circling around the island, the chief officer was sure that there were no other ships lying in ambush.
It seemed like the Jackdaw had been forced into a dead end. That was why they had no choice but to risk their lives by sailing into the reef area.
Just like Ford said, as long as they held on to the Jackdaw and did not try any other routes, they would not be in any danger.
There were many old sailors on Miranda who had experienced many battles with pirates before. There was no lack of sinister and cunning fellows among them. Pirate hunters who could continuously win and make a name for themselves in these waters were not ordinary people. They also had a keen sense of danger.
So far, none of them had noticed anything out of the ordinary. Victory had never been so close to them before.
Ford was still immersed in the joy of taking down the Jackdaw. Suddenly, the ground shook violently. Many of the crew who had lost their footing fell to the ground.
Ford's expression changed. "What happened?"
"Captain, I'm afraid we've hit the rocks," the first mate said anxiously.
"Of course I know we've hit the rocks. Do I need you to tell me that? I'm asking how is that possible!" Ford was both shocked and furious. He no longer had his usual demeanor as he roared in exasperation.
He pointed at the Jackdaw not far away. "They just passed by here. Why are they fine?!"
"This …" The First Mate was also at a loss when he heard this.
While the two of them were talking, seawater began to pour into the cabin, and the hole created by the reef couldn't be plugged at all. Soon, Miranda's hull began to tilt, and it only stopped when it was at a thirty-degree angle.
Before the people on the ship could breathe a sigh of relief, they heard the roar of the cannons again. The cannoneers on the island could not wait any longer. Miranda's grounding was the signal for them to launch an all-out attack.
Ford's luck was not very good today. In the first round of attacks, at least a third of the cannoneers hit their target. The sailors who had just managed to get back on their feet were thrown off their feet again before they could regain their footing.
The first mate shouted in the midst of the gunfire, trying to rally the cannoneers to launch a counterattack. However, with Miranda's current tilting angle, the cannons could only reach the beach at best. There was no way they could hit the enemy hiding in the forest.
At this time, Ford was also loudly ordering the sailors on the ship to adjust the sails, hoping to escape from the state of being stranded, but the results were not good. His eyes were wide open, and the veins on his neck were bulging. But no matter how hoarse he screamed, he could not stop the fate of Miranda from being destroyed.
That was until the first mate hugged him and cried in his ear. "Captain, we can't do it anymore. Let's abandon the ship."
Ford still could not accept what had just happened. He could not understand why Miranda was so close to victory just a few minutes ago. In the blink of an eye, the situation had changed drastically. The second time the two sides clashed, the Jackdaw was at an absolute disadvantage. However, the result was even more unbelievable than the first time.
If the first battle was because they were cautious enough to let the enemy escape, the second battle was a complete humiliation.
They did not even manage to take a single piece of the Jackdaw's stern, and Miranda was already on the verge of sinking.
How did the Jackdaw pass through the reefs unscathed? Where did the cannoneers on the shore come from? Who was working with the Jackdaw to ambush them? Ford could not find the answers to these questions.
He had lost the battle in an inexplicable manner. Everywhere he looked, he saw terrified and dejected faces. The sailors could not stand the one-sided beating any longer, and they scrambled to jump into the sea.
Ford could not remember how the first mate dragged him off the ship and all the way to the beach. When he regained his senses, all he saw was muskets pointing at them.
The survivors on Miranda huddled together on the beach, seemingly trying to find some comfort in each other's presence. Their heads were lowered, like a flock of lambs waiting to be slaughtered, waiting for their fates to be pronounced.
When the battle ended, Zhang Heng rowed his boat to Coral Island.
Billy was the first to greet them. He could not hide the joy in his eyes. He said from afar, "We've won a great victory this time. Other than a sailor who suffered some scratches while collecting the captives, there were no casualties. However, we've consumed a lot of ammunition. I've asked those guys to control their strength, but it seems like they've been holding back for the past two days. Fortunately, they stopped in time, and the ship wasn't completely sunk. I've already sent people to the ship to count and collect supplies."
"Very good." Zhang Heng glanced at the dejected Ford. He was not surprised by the outcome. The moment Miranda took the bait and chased after the Jackdaw, its fate was sealed. The battle wasn't complicated at all. The difficult part was the setup.
After the battle, the Jackdaw would be able to solve its food and water shortage. However, Zhang Heng did not expect to capture the captain and the first mate this time.
With this, he might be able to find out the specific arrangements of the enemy's commander. He might even know how many ships they sent out, which direction they went, and where they met up. This would also provide more assurance for the Jackdaw's smooth return journey.
"Find me a quiet place. I want to interrogate them," Zhang Heng said to Billy.
"Understood."
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