Zhang Heng didn't expect that there would be one more person on board when the Jackdaw came back, and he looked at Billy on the side.

The latter shrugged, "It's not my idea, it's her own way back." ”

Leah carried her luggage and said politely, "Can you take me in?" I do a lot of things. ”

"Yes, yes, but why don't you stay with your tribesmen? Didn't you escape from that manor with great difficulty just to live a free life? ”

"I ...... I have great respect for Laeri, who united us in the most difficult moments, who led us out of a life of misery, and who was a greater chief than his father, but on some things I disagreed with him, and I did not feel that the way out for me and my countrymen was on those deserted islands. ”

"Huh?" Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows.

"We may be able to live a peaceful life on that island for a while, but sooner or later the slave traders will find us again, as they did in my hometown, and they will still kill the old and infirm first, and separate the brothers and sisters and the mother and son, and if we can't find a real way out, these things will happen over and over again until all the black people become slaves."

Zhang Heng was a little surprised, he didn't expect Elia's age and knowledge to be able to say such a thing, although she was still limited by the times, but in a sense, she had seen farther than Laeri, Zhang Heng asked, "Then where do you think the way out?" ”

"I don't know," Leah shook her head, "I'm still looking for it, but what I'm good at isn't of much use on a desert island, so I want to stay here, stay in civilization, and play my part." ”

"This is not a civilized world, and my crew has basically completed recruitment, you are not a sailor, and you are a female ......" Zhang Heng thought for a while and asked Karina on the other side, "Are you still short of people over there?" ”

The businesswoman nodded, and said to the black girl, "I heard that you can read, and it just so happens that my grocery store in Boston is about to open, you go there and help me keep the accounts, I will provide you with room and board, and the salary will be one pound a month for the time being, and then I will give you a salary increase according to the situation." ”

Leah's face showed a touch of joy when she heard this.

After settling the black girl, the businesswoman continued the topic that she had not finished talking about before, and briefly talked to Zhang Heng about the previous individual meetings with Raymond and the agreement reached by the two so far, and then said, "Can you go out for a walk with me?" ”

Zhang Heng nodded, walked out of the house with Karina, and came to the ridge.

Today's weather is good, the sun is shining, and there is a gentle sea breeze, which is very suitable for walking, Karina didn't have any clear direction, so she casually found a direction and walked down, and the businesswoman didn't open her mouth along the way, and Zhang Heng also remained silent.

It's not that there's nothing to say between the two, it's just that they're both enjoying the rare calm, and now it's been three weeks since the riots at Terence Manor, and a lot has happened in those three weeks, but so far, the situation has largely stabilized, and Malcolm's defeat is assured.

The latter was also happy, and immediately began to sell his various assets on the island, while on the other hand, without Malcolm's strong execution, the elderly Raymond could no longer maintain the operation of the Black Merchant Alliance, although no official statement had been issued, but everyone knew that the dissolution of the Black Merchant Alliance was inevitable.

Soon the power of the black marketeers on the island will usher in a major reshuffle, returning to the previous fierce competition, and recently the black marketeers of Nassau have begun to move on to contact the pirate ships they have worked with before, looking for new partners, and spying on other people's offers.

This means a loss of income for some, but it also means an opportunity for others.

Malcolm took advantage of the collapse of the first generation of black merchant alliances to rise rapidly, and now there are many eager people who want to replicate his previous success.

In this incident, Malcolm was the undoubted loser, and although Raymond lost the nominal position of president of the Black Merchants Alliance, because of the justice for Normand and Fagan, his reputation rose to a new height, and he was faintly catching up with Norman back then.

With a good reputation and strong connections, many of the several powerful pirate groups in Nassau have already announced that they are willing to continue to cooperate with Raymond after the dissolution of the Black Merchants Alliance, but the latter will not be able to respond to these rumors as long as he is still in power for one day.

But everyone believes that after the disintegration, Raymond will have more pirate ships than before.

The beneficiary next in line is Karina, who has been on the island for the shortest time, but in the face of the huge pressure given by Malcolm and the Black Merchant Alliance, she coped well, showed her extraordinary business talents, and her second-hand goods trading office also won her a lot of praise among small and medium-sized pirates, plus Malcolm deliberately sent her a wave of very powerful pirate ships before, if she can digest it smoothly, after the disintegration of the Black Merchant Alliance, she will become a big black market merchant second only to Raymond.

But that's all for later.

Now she doesn't want to think about it so much, she just wants to enjoy this stage of victory first.

The two of them made their way to the beach, and Karina finally made up her mind to speak, "I'm sorry, but I actually have something to hide from you. ”

"That private conversation between Malcolm and you?" Zhang Hengdao.

A look of surprise appeared on Karina's face.

"Don't get me wrong, I didn't send someone to spy on you, but after all, it's the day of the operation, I'll definitely be paying attention to Malcolm's movements, in fact, I can probably guess what he told you." Zhang Heng said, "If you think about Eugene's matter carefully, there are a bit too many coincidences, and his own attitude is too cooperative, I didn't doubt Raymond, and then your dejected appearance also confirmed my conjecture from a certain aspect." ”

"Since Eugene's matter is related to Raymond, then there is a high possibility that Raymond also played some role in your father's affairs, we had a preconceived idea before, and when we saw the letter that Leah stole out, we thought that Malcolm was doing it to your father, but in fact, from the content of that letter, it can also be understood that Malcolm was investigating that matter, and the reason why you didn't tell me was because I was afraid that you would have no choice after telling me, Because from my point of view, I will definitely advise you to use this opportunity to take out the most threatening Malcolm first, so that you lose the possibility of joining forces with Malcolm to avenge your father. ”

"Why, why didn't you warn me then, since you had already guessed?"

"Because it's your choice." Zhang Heng said, "Although I have a stake in the second-hand goods trading office, in the final analysis, this is your career, and it is your father who was framed and imprisoned, this should be you, and it must be the choice you have to make." ”

"Then do you think that I am a very cold-blooded person, let go of my father's revenge, and turn my head to form an alliance with the enemy." Karina asked again.

This time Zhang Heng didn't answer the question, but said, "One day you will defeat Raymond and become the most powerful black marketeer on the island, just like you defeated Malcolm today." ”

"But when that day comes, will I not even know myself?" The businesswoman smiled wryly.

"Maybe you've never really known yourself."