บท 146: Setting Sail

It was a beautiful day when the Jackdaw unmoored and left port.

The skies were painted a light blue hue; the sea calm and its breeze gentle. Flocks of seagulls hovered above the masts.

A crowd had gathered at the port to watch the ship's departure, a rarity for a new pirate gang.

In the past few days, Zhang Heng overheard about the happenings on the island. Some of the gambling houses had apparently set up a pool specifically for the Jackdaw's maiden voyage, betting on how much he could loot during his first sail. Most had put their bets on him coming back empty-handed, meaning that many were less-than optimistic about his debut.

After all, a ship's performance and firepower did not represent everything. An excellent captain could win a headwind battle regardless of his equipment at hand, and the probability of an inexperienced newcomer like Zhang Heng losing even in the best of situations was very high.