The pirate leader could no longer afford to conduct a systematic search; after all, their lives were hanging by a thread. He hurriedly ordered his men to scramble for lifeboats and small dinghies, needing to evacuate immediately before the ship exploded again.
However, their escape equipment was limited, and they were desperate to salvage some daily necessities along with the wealth they had accumulated. They were truly loath to let go of their loot. Yet, as stateless pirates, survival on the high seas without a large vessel was nearly impossible. The pirate leader steeled himself and declared to his men, "Our ship is completely totaled. We have one last gamble: if we can seize a ship from them, we can all survive."
With weapons in hand, they prepared to charge toward Jiang Nanzhou’s fishing boat. To borrow Jiang Nanzhou’s words, "They were courting death."
Chapter 383