Chapter 564: The Black Pearl’s raid
Translator: Translation Nation Editor: Translation Nation
Strictly speaking, some of the storyline characters weren’t fools. Including Norrington, some definitely heard of Sheyan’s illustrious reputation as a pirate captain before. As for the reason they closed an eye towards his operations in Port Royal, there were two.
Firstly, they acknowledged that this Seaman had indeed contributed meritoriously to Port Royal and didn’t harm the port. The second reason was due to present time ideologies.
Even the Queen accepted contributions from pirates, and allowed armed merchant ships to become privateers. People who conducted businesses fairly and honestly in this current era was as rare as a phoenix feather or unicorn horn. Even a lawful armed merchant ship could be granted the authority to become privateers. Thus, why couldn’t a pirate renounce his evil ways and become a privateer ship for the government instead?
Following that, Sheyan managed to seek out an alchemist within Port Royal. Regrettably, the services provided by that alchemist wasn’t as thorough as compared to the one in Turtuga.
The main reason wasn’t because the standard of both alchemists varied. Instead, it was due to the blooming state of witchcraft throughout the world. Even materials required for alchemy magic that were common ten years ago, had now became preciously scarce. As for those previously exceptionally precious alchemy materials, they were long extinct.
Thus, the trio only managed to upgrade the attack of their weapons by 1%, and their damage absorption defence capability by 1%. Even after that measly upgrade, it still caused Sheyan’s capital to shrink once again.
Of course excluding those, Sheyan continued to carry out investigations pertaining to Mr Shawen; ferociously tossing out his guineas to gather loads of intelligence.
Although some of those intelligence contained excessive overstatements and some were even phony, there remained a handful of pleasant and exploitable discoveries.
Finally, Sheyan expended much and managed to procure a sacrament from a roman merchant – Holy water, that was said to have been blessed by the Pope personally. Of course, that roman merchant managed to acquire a antique china porcelain from the Governor’s mansion. Thus, it was a win win situation.
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The moon shone fully in the night sky once again.
Presently, it was approximately ten in the night. The entire Port Royal was submerged in darkness and tranquility, a state not different from other nights.
All of a sudden, the port was quietly enshrouded by mist; masking away the reflection of the moonlight from the sea.
The billowing of winds crescendoed, where the port buildings were seemingly incapable of blocking them off. The winds carried a recklessness as it bluntly extinguished countless of flickering candles by the windows.
A scrawny black cat exposed its bony ribs as it slowly wagged its tail while strutting across the broad streets. Its pur resonated with the beckoning of souls.
Still hard at work at this moment, Will Turner seemed to be sensing something. He halted his laborious smithing activities, before pushing open his windows to scour around. Yet, there was nothing worthy of attention.
Meanwhile, by the bedside of Elizabeth Swann, where her Aztec gold medallion had slipped within her cleavage, the candle flames flickered before extinguishing. Lady Swann peeped outside her window suspiciously before going back to bed.
"They’re here." The trio led a group of battle adept subordinates as they laid low by a hillside outside of Port Royal.
They were presently witnessing…....under the shade of the hazy mist, an enormous and graceful black warship slowly gliding in from afar, releasing an impression of ruling over the winds and the seas. Even the rippling correlation around it was obediently gentle.
Yet the most terrifying part was, the ship sailed in a seemingly slow and leisure fashion, yet in reality, they had traversed hundreds of metres nearer within a flash!
Such was their velocity!!
A terrifying speed that could unexpectedly remove the feeling of ‘fast’ from people’s senses!
It was still fine before they actually managed to catch a glimpse of it in close proximity. Yet right now, the thought of engaging in battle with that ship on the sea truly caused Sheyan to feel a tremendously insurmountable pressure.
When his gaze fixated onto the black sails of the ship, it emanated a chilling and compelling shudder that swept through his entire body.
Just by merely witnessing…...the pressure emitted from the Black Pearl was already so astronomical!
Sheyan paused for a while before he deeply exhaled, and ordered unhurriedly.
"Let’s proceed with our original plan."
All of a sudden, a thunderous cannon boom resounded within the distant Port Royal, seemingly as a footnote to Sheyan’s recent command!!
Soon after, a glaring blaze was ignited within the tranquil serenity of Port Royal! A splendid scenery of smoke and fire erupted, burning with berserking intent to destroy and engulf all life!
Struck with a surprise raid, the marines under Norrington was thrown into panic.
Coincidentally that night, Norrington was current discussing the topic of marriage with Governor Swann. Norrington himself, had already solemnly asked for the gorgeous maiden’s hand in marriage.
Therefore, this commanding officer fearlessly organized his forces to retaliate at first notice. Furthermore, he harshly ordered for Governor Swann to rush down the city walls.
Although new forts remained under construction, a dozen plus 7-pounder cannons had already been installed. The marines rapidly unleashed their counter bombarding against the Black Pearl that had anchored by the port.
The sonorous rumbling of cannons shook incessantly, as both parties engaged in a devastatingly intensive artillery war.
Meanwhile, a professional was currently displaying his expertise.
Sheyan had fully perceived that this night, would be the best opportunity to acquire first hand information pertaining to the Black Pearl. As such, he specifically mustered the artillery expert, Redbeard. After observing the artillery bombardments of both sides, Redbeard hastily offered Sheyan his deduction.
"The shootin’ range of ze Black Pearl’s cannon isn’t far, but their gunning frequency be swifter by several notches; which be related to their incredibly skilled gunners. Instead, those scurvy marine gunners be rookies, whose accuracy and shootin’ frequency pale in comparison."
"That is to be expected." Sheyan deeply sighed.
"The members of the Black Pearl are undying. Even if they are pig minded, I reckon the countless experience of firing cannons over the years would definitely perfect their proficiency. Instead, Norrington’s marines had already suffered severe casualties against the bloody contention with Chevalle’s fleet. Although training could solve some problems, new rookies will remain as rookies without experiencing the suffocating trials of smoke and death. Truthfully, it will be hard for them to mature."
Very quickly, the firepower of the navy started to become stifled in accordance to Sheyan’s predictions.
A semi-completed fort crumbled, as cannons repetively blasted against the marines on the other forts. The already shaky morale of the marines collapsed while the casualties multiplied gravely. More and more marines became fearful of surfacing out from cover.
Of course cannons struck the Black Pearl during this period as well. In spite of that, their defences remained observantly impressive. Yet more crucially, the pirates on board demonstrated an abnormally rapid speed of repairing their ship.
The holes that had been blasted through their ship was presently being mended with astonishing pace. It was as though the Black Pearl was a colossus that possessed its own vitality, and blessed with an defiantly impregnable regeneration ability.
In this present era, whenever the casualty rate of a party scaled beyond 30%, it would be extremely easy to observe a state of waning morale. Eventually, a violent explosion erupted from the final standing fort as flames and smoke engulfed it. Four marines were blasted out by the powerful shockwave and flames.
At present, Port Royal resembled a pretty maiden that had her skirt ripped apart; utterly losing its resistance as its legs were spread apart.
Splash! Splash! Several tens of jolly boats descended from the Black Pearl, fully loaded with crude pirates that were yelling rampantly. They brandished hatchets, torches and broadswords as they pedalled towards the prosperous Port Royal.
Stirring the hazy mist as they passed, those pirates appeared like demons of the mist, as they frenetically trampled and ravaged through the fertile island.
Houses were being lit on fire, while the common folk shrieked in fear of losing their heads. What remained of the port was now unquenchable chaos and infernos that soared towards the sky.
The marines commanded by Norrington continued to organize themselves, as they mounted a bare resistance. However, the Black Pearl continued to offer its pirates long distance firepower support. Hence, the marines could only rigidly safeguard their navy camps, and were incapable of retaliating against those pirates running amok in the streets.
Fortunately, those navy camps offered seemingly no enticement to the pirates.
What they loved was gold, silk and other valuable goods. As the Black Pearl incessantly bombarded the different areas of Port Royal in haphazard fashion, the gunners shied away from the plundering districts of their fellow pirates; purposefully suppressing and intimidating the few resistance still in existence.
Meanwhile, Sheyan observed the rapid proliferation of chaos and pillaging breaking out throughout the island.
The rumbling cannons was now sufficient to mask away the sound of movements. Thus, he led his group of combat-adept subordinates as they rushed towards the prison cells of Port Royal.
Of course, they didn’t forget to mask their faces to prevent awkward scenarios of encountering familiar faces, whereby the reputation they painstakingly earned in Port Royal would be washed down the drain.
As it turns out, the initially heavily guarded prison cells of Port Royal was now seemingly devoid of a single individual.
Not a single marine remained dedicated to their obligations of supervising the prisoners; the scourges of society – swindlers, bandits, thieves and pirates. Of course, not forgetting the main lead, Jack Sparrow.
Peculiarly, the iron gates of the prison was opened widely. A solitary chain bolt had been pried open, with its semi broken lock swaying in mid air.
Two marines who couldn’t escape the prison in time had sprawled to the ground with their arms stretched out. The mauser rifles by their side depicted traces of being recently fired. Houseflies were currently circulating around their bodies, before finally perching onto their round eyeballs. Two trails of bloodied footprints could be traced from their bodies, directly into the prison.
Big beard Davies trudged forward, as he dipped his finger into the viscous blood before twirling it. Then, he muttered.
"15 minutes might not have passed since the two marines died. Blimey, what be the pirates o’ the Black Pearl be runnin’ to the prison for? I haven’t heard of any Black Pearl Pirates being locked in Port Royal, aye?"