Caribbean cruise ship, cockpit.
Wearing an invisibility cloak, Yu Hanjiang slipped inside the cabin the instant the door was blown open by the wind.
The captain and first mate were frantically checking the ship's equipment when the piercing alarm kept beeping in their ears. The young first mate said in a trembling voice, "Captain, there's no signal. We can't contact the shore!"
The captain said grimly, "Keep calling the rescue center; we need urgent support!"
A red warning icon appeared on the LCD monitor in front of me. The ship was listing severely, and the mechanical voices were frantically warning: "Navigation system failure!" "Communication system failure!" "Warning: The cruise ship's center of gravity is too low, and the listing angle exceeds 40 degrees. There is a risk of capsizing. Please correct the course immediately!"
The elderly captain's face had lost all color.
Outside the window, a nearly 50-meter-high wave was getting closer and closer to the cruise ship. If the ship couldn't be stabilized quickly, the wave would crash down, making matters worse and potentially capsizing the already precarious cruise ship.
The first mate said, "This ship is doomed, Captain, let's run!"
The captain gritted his teeth, staring at the giant waves in the distance, his fists clenched tightly.
The first mate grabbed him by the collar and roared, "Think of your wife and children! They don't want to see your dead body! The cruise ship is malfunctioning, and we've just been caught in a typhoon. This ship is beyond saving! Abandon ship and get out of here! Do you hear me?!"
The captain was startled for a moment, then immediately ordered, "Organize the tourists to evacuate immediately!"
The gray-haired captain ordered the cruise ship to sound its horn. Short, continuous blasts indicated that the ship was in danger. He then picked up the microphone and spoke rapidly: "Dear passengers, our cruise ship has experienced equipment malfunction and is also encountering extremely severe typhoon weather. Please put on your life jackets as soon as possible and follow the arrows marked on the ship to the stern to find the lifeboats for evacuation..."
The captain's announcement caused the still confused crowd to erupt in screams!
The crowd fled towards the stern like madmen, with many people losing their shoes, hats, and sunglasses in the chaos. Yu Hanjiang, wearing an invisibility cloak, simply went to the less crowded third floor, grabbed the railing, and quickly climbed up to the stern.
Just then, a hurricane struck, accompanied by towering waves—
The giant wave, over 50 meters high, crashed down like a collapsing building, smashing against the ship!
All the tourists still in the aisles and on the decks were thrown to the ground by this giant wave. Some were swept off the railings and fell into the sea, while others clung tightly to the railings with one hand, their bodies blown away by the wind, crying out loudly, "Help me!"
However, the tourists were too busy with their own problems to help him up. The man hanging on the railing was quickly overturned by another wave and fell into the sea. He thrashed around for a couple of moments before disappearing from sight.
The cruise ship continued to tilt, the flagpole on the deck had been blown down by the wind, and the Royal Caribbean flag, representing the ship's identity, was blown away and fluttered far on the sea. The angle between the entire ship and the sea level was now less than 30 degrees, and the tourists could not even stand on the ship. Screams and heart-wrenching cries echoed all around.
Yu Hanjiang's pupils contracted slightly—this is bad!
The cruise ship's complete capsizing was an inevitable outcome.
His body moved faster than his brain could process; without hesitation, he jumped into the sea—
Almost the instant he jumped, the seven-story behemoth crashed into the sea with a loud "boom"!
Many passengers who didn't have time to escape were pushed into the sea by the cruise ship, and their desperate screams came to an abrupt end!
The capsized cruise ship was gradually submerged by the sea, and some passengers were injured, turning the once clear seawater red with blood.
The Challenger team, who managed to grab a lifeboat, were scrambling to avoid the giant waves.
However, some people clearly didn't know how to drive, and the lifeboats swam aimlessly on the sea like headless flies, being lifted high by the oncoming waves and then suddenly capsized.
The Challenger team was thrown into the sea like dumplings being dropped into a pot. Those who could swim rushed to rescue their teammates. Swearing frequently broke out from the crowd, with shouts of cursing Ace of Spades echoing everywhere. One loud male voice even roared at the sky: "Fuck Ace of Spades, I'll dig up your ancestors' graves for eighteen generations!"
The surrounding Challengers: "..."
This guy has clearly lost his mind. Does the Ace of Spades have ancestral graves?
Xiao Lou had no time to pay attention to them. Lao Mo was focused on steering the boat. His skills in piloting the escape boat were top-notch. Under his control, the escape boat shot out of the sea like an arrow, making a few clever turns and avoiding the giant waves without any danger!
He parked the lifeboat some distance away, and Xiao Lou said nervously, "Old Mo, Captain Yu is still on the ship!"
Mo Xuemin said, "I know. The waves over there are too big, it would be too dangerous to go back. Let's wait for him in a safe place."
Even the usually calm Xiao Lou trembled slightly as he looked at the horrific scene in the distance. He knew rationally that Lao Mo's actions were correct, but Xiao Lou still couldn't help but worry.
Seeing that Xiao Lou was in a bad mood, Shao Qingge quickly reached out and gently pressed Xiao Lou's shoulder, saying, " Professor Xiao, don't worry. With Captain Yu's abilities, it's impossible for him to drown in the sea. I believe he will definitely come back safely."
Xiao Lou took a deep breath and nodded stiffly.
In the distance, the cruise ship had completely capsized, and blood was visible on the surface of the sea.
The screams and cries continued to spread, and Xiao Lou stared intently in the direction of the cruise ship, searching everywhere for that familiar figure.
A deafening rumble of thunder echoed overhead, and bolts of lightning cleaved through the dark clouds. Xiao Lou was drenched, a chill running through him. His vision was blurred by the water, but he still strained to see into the distance, afraid of missing Yu Hanjiang.
Perhaps it was because of "concern that one loses composure," but even though he knew that Yu Hanjiang wouldn't be so foolish as to drown in the sea, Xiao Lou was still extremely nervous when he couldn't find Yu Hanjiang in the crowd. He clenched his fists so tightly that even breathing became difficult.
Those few minutes felt like centuries.
Liu Qiao released a kongming lantern, the same one she had placed in Liuxi Village. It could rise up to pinpoint location, and she did this so that Captain Yu, amidst the chaos, could quickly locate their boat.
After an unknown amount of time, Xiao Lou suddenly heard a familiar voice in her ear: "I'm back."
Xiao Lou suddenly turned around—
Yu Hanjiang scrambled onto the lifeboat, his hands and feet moving with incredible speed. His black hair was soaked and clung to his forehead, and his clothes were drenched in seawater, making him look somewhat disheveled. Yet, his expression remained calm, and his deep, dark eyes still shone with unwavering confidence.
Xiao Lou was overjoyed and didn't know what to say for a moment.
Shao Qingge said with a smile, " Captain Yu, hurry up and let us know you're safe. Professor Xiao was so worried."
Yu Hanjiang looked at Xiao Lou and met his bright eyes.
Xiao Lou's ears burned at the words, but his gaze towards Yu Hanjiang was earnest, his eyes filled with obvious joy. He smiled and said, "It's good that you're back! Captain Yu, why were you gone for so long? Are you alright?"
Yu Hanjiang felt a warmth in his heart and said gently, "It's alright. I went to the cockpit and checked. The reason the ship suddenly tilted was due to equipment malfunction. Normally, this kind of giant cruise ship can withstand typhoons, but unfortunately the equipment failed, and the captain couldn't save the ship. The broadcast told everyone to evacuate. I saw many warning lights on the control panel. Obviously, capsizing was inevitable."
He went back to check if the cruise ship was still usable. If it could withstand the typhoon, there was no need for everyone to rush to escape in the lifeboats, since the cruise ship was more stable and safer. But now, capsizing was inevitable, and everyone had no choice but to choose the second option.
Ye Qi couldn't help but complain: "Does this mean we're supposed to sit in lifeboats and drift at sea?"
Old Mo smiled wryly and said, "You'll get used to it." Weekly routines are never easy.
Xiao Lou asked with concern, " Captain Yu, how did you find us from such a long distance?"
Yu Hanjiang said, "I'm a very good swimmer and can hold my breath underwater for up to 12 minutes. I saw your position a long time ago. Before the boat capsized, I jumped into the sea and swam over following the kongming lantern that Xiao Liu was hanging."
Seeing that he looked calm and unharmed, Xiao Lou was finally relieved.
After yesterday's diarrhea incident, 20% of the passengers left on the "Starship Caribbean," so the number of lifeboats on board is sufficient. As long as you don't panic when encountering a typhoon, stay calm, grab a lifeboat, and avoid the center of the storm when the giant waves come crashing in, and don't blindly drive the lifeboat into the sea whirlpool, the probability of surviving this storm is not low.
Xiao Lou looked around. The Challengers were prepared, and most of them managed to grab a lifeboat and survive.
The nearly one hundred tourists who were completely unaware of all this were simply on a cruise ship for fun, yet they encountered such misfortune.
Nearly 60% of the tourists perished in the shipwreck. It was afternoon, and most of them were at the amusement park or watching a play at the theater. When the disaster struck, they had no time to escape and were swept to the bottom of the sea by the capsized cruise ship. Only a few tourists who reacted quickly managed to grab a lifeboat in the first moments.
The rain poured down. Yu Hanjiang looked into the distance—behind the lifeboat, a sudden whirlpool in the sea had swept away many lives; to his right was a ship that had just been capsized; they could only keep moving forward.
The surrounding sea was littered with broken railings and planks, as well as girls' scarves, life jackets that hadn't been put on, plastic bags of food, and shoes and bags that had been lost during the escape... and the bodies of drowned people that had floated to the surface.
The typhoon left a trail of devastation in its wake.
Many people, seeing such a horrific disaster scene for the first time, couldn't bear to look away.
Yu Hanjiang asked in a low voice, "Are you all alright?"
Everyone shook their heads.
Yu Hanjiang said, "This typhoon capsized our cruise ship, forcing us to drift at sea in lifeboats. We still have five days until customs clearance. Do we have enough fuel for the lifeboats?"
Upon hearing this, everyone's hearts leaped into their throats.
Old Mo quickly glanced down at the gauges on the dashboard and said, "The fuel tank is full."
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief— they were terrified of being tricked by Ace of Spades. What if they finally managed to snag a lifeboat, only to run out of fuel after traveling a few kilometers? That would be utterly hopeless! Fortunately, Ace of Spades wasn't that bad; the lifeboat's fuel tank was full.
Looking at the gradually brightening sky in the distance, Yu Hanjiang said, "There's a whirlpool behind us that we can't cross for now. We can only move forward. Everyone, gather yourselves and get ready to set off."
Xiao Lou calmed down, sat back down, and said, "Let's take stock of the supplies first."
Ye Qi, Long Sen, and Qu Wanyue were in charge of the supplies. They quickly checked their backpacks and replied, "We have all the food!" "We also have all the medicines." "We have enough mineral water."
Xiao Lou said, "Thank you for your hard work, Lao Mo. You can steer the boat now."
Mo Xuemin smiled and said, "Don't worry, I've specifically learned how to operate an escape boat, leave it to me!"
Old Mo drove the escape boat quickly eastward.
After observing the surroundings, many Challengers also decided to "continue eastward".
Dozens of lifeboats gradually sailed out of the area.
Behind him, the " Caribbean " cruise ship had completely disappeared above the horizon, leaving only some wooden debris floating on the surface. Xiao Lou didn't know what had happened to the crew, nor how many lives this sudden disaster had claimed... He had no time to think about it, nor the ability to save anyone else. The only thing he was grateful for was that his teammates were safe.
Yu Hanjiang and Xiao Lou sat side by side in the second row.
The lifeboat had already traveled some distance when Yu Hanjiang noticed Professor Xiao's pale face. He gently reached out and grasped Xiao Lou's hand, whispering in his ear, "Just now, I left the team alone, did I make you worry?"
Yu Hanjiang still can't forget the bright look in Xiao Lou's eyes when she first saw him.
Professor Xiao's concern for his safety surprised Yu Hanjiang. Meeting Xiao Lou's bright eyes, he was immediately enveloped in a warm feeling. The two had known each other for some time, and Yu Hanjiang had always thought that Xiao Lou only saw him as an ordinary teammate, much like CEO Shao and Ye Qi —but at that moment, Xiao Lou's eyes couldn't lie.
He suddenly realized that Xiao Lou treated him differently; their relationship was deeper than with his other teammates, and they had more trust and understanding with each other than with his other teammates.
Remembering Xiao Lou's concern, Yu Hanjiang whispered a reassurance: "Don't worry, I won't put myself in danger. We agreed to go back together."
Having just been soaked by the downpour, Yu Hanjiang's palms were full of rainwater.
As Yu Hanjiang's wet hand gently grasped the back of his hand, Xiao Lou's heart pounded. He dared not look Yu Hanjiang in the eye, and said softly, trying to sound calm, "It's good that you're alright. I wasn't particularly worried about you. I believe Captain Yu will definitely come back safely."
Yu Hanjiang's lips curled up slightly as she squeezed his hand and said, "From now on, we'll try to act together as much as possible. I won't leave alone again and make you worry."
Xiao Lou knew that Captain Yu was simply expressing their trust in each other by holding his hand, but he just couldn't control his heartbeat. Yu Hanjiang's fingers were long and strong, and holding them would make him feel very safe. Xiao Lou didn't want to struggle, nor did he dare to hold back, so he could only stand there frozen.
Yu Hanjiang, however, realized that his actions were too intimate and took the initiative to let go of his hand.
Xiao Lou's ears burned slightly, and he lowered his head without saying a word.
Sitting in the back, Shao Qingge watched this scene with a smile, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
In the front row, Old Mo suddenly pointed to the distant sky and said, "The rain is about to stop. Look, the dark clouds are dispersing."
Everyone looked up—the dark clouds that had been covering the sky were gradually splitting open in the middle.
The sunlight, like a sharp sword, cleaved through the sky and drenched the sea.
The clear blue sky unfolded slowly in everyone's view like a ribbon of azure, the dark clouds completely dispersed, and the bright sunshine shone down, casting a warm glow on everyone.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Long Sen said, "It was a close call! Luckily, Lao Mo knows how to drive a boat."
Mo Xuemin said helplessly, "I've been in Secret Room World for more than half a year and I've become a veteran. Not only can I drive an escape boat, but I can also fly a plane. I paid money to learn how to fly one. And I can also use a parachute."
Long Sen laughed and said, "Then you really are an all-rounder!"
Mo Xuemin sighed softly: "There's no other way. What if we encounter a plane crash and need to parachute in the future? It's never a bad thing to be prepared in advance. Never underestimate how insane the Ace of Spades is."
Qu Wanyue smiled and said, "We've made it through the typhoon without any real danger, haven't we? Everyone has worked hard."
Ye Qi took out a bottle of Mineral Water from his backpack and said, "Here, have a drink to calm your nerves!"
Everyone looked much more relaxed.
However, everyone knows that this is only the second day.
Even after the typhoon has passed, other disasters may still be waiting for us.
The vast ocean stretched as far as the eye could see, and their sea voyage had only just begun.