Chapter 78: Lost Song of the Deep (5)
The sun rose slowly from the horizon, casting a gentle glow across the sea. The deep blue water sparkled under the sunlight, and the sea breeze brought with it the soothing sound of the tides.
It was the fourth day of the game.
After breakfast, Ye Nianchu and Qin Mubai arrived at the port with their suitcases. VIP customers had a special channel and didn’t need to queue for inspection.
Ye Nianchu glanced around at the throngs of tourists.
A young man in uniform brightened upon seeing them. He quickly took Qin Mubai’s suitcase and whispered, “Bro, looking good.”
Just two days ago, they had been working together, and now he was serving VIP customers. He couldn’t help but feel envious. Despite thinking he was good-looking himself, he couldn’t compare to the man next to the rich girl.
“Do you know each other?” Ye Nianchu asked, looking at Qin Mubai.
The young man answered casually, “Of course! I saw you at the port a couple of days ago, Ms. Ye.”
Ye Nianchu studied him for a moment, but his face didn’t ring a bell. She had difficulty remembering faces.
“Not really,” she replied.
Qin Mubai, appearing indifferent, led Ye Nianchu past him.
The young man thought to himself, That aura doesn’t match someone who just handles goods. He always had a sense of danger about him.
---
The Goni cruise ship was enormous, equipped with a water park and over 2,000 cabins.
With thousands of people aboard, there were probably only a dozen players among them.
As the coastline gradually disappeared from view, the cell phone signal deteriorated until it was nonexistent.
The turquoise-blue sea reflected a magnificent array of colors in the sunlight, and the sky was clear and calm.
Ye Nianchu opened the balcony door to welcome the sea breeze and the sense of relaxation it brought.
But all this was merely an illusion.
The luxury cruise ship was heading toward a perilous journey.
Before setting off, Ye Nianchu had gathered information about the sea area.
The cruise route avoided dangerous zones, and no extreme weather was expected during this period.
Yet, the songs from the deep were unsettling.
As the sky darkened and the sea remained calm, Ye Nianchu prepared a pot of tea on the balcony after dinner in her room.
On the table lay the conch she and Qin Mubai had listened to several times without any clue.
The scientific explanation for the sound in the conch was simply the surrounding noise. However, in special games, science didn’t always apply.
The sound of fish leaping from the sea, accompanied by the silvery moonlight and rolling waves, was eerily beautiful.
The wind picked up.
Beneath the deep blue sea, a faint glow emerged as a creature swiftly swam by.
Late into the night, the sea breeze stirred the waves, and a faint, haunting melody seemed to float in from afar.
It was beautiful yet unsettling.
The entire cruise ship was enveloped in an eerie silence.
The cockpit door slowly opened.
Precision equipment emitted a soft electric hum.
Yet, no one seemed to notice.
---
Day five of the game.
The cruise ship sailed steadily across the sea, white splashes bouncing in the sunlight.
When Ye Nianchu emerged from her room, she found a note from Qin Mubai and her breakfast on the table.
It seemed something had happened last night, and Qin Mubai had gone to gather information.
Ye Nianchu took a sip of milk and put the cup down.
She had a vague sense that something was wrong.
Though she was always alert in the game, she had slept unusually deeply last night.
She blinked and realized it was already ten in the morning, which felt abnormal.
There was nothing wrong with the food on the ship. Was something affecting her?
Ye Nianchu walked to the balcony. The only noticeable change was that the sea water appeared even bluer, and the weather wasn’t as clear as the day before.
Just then, the door opened, and Qin Mubai returned.
Ye Nianchu walked over. “What happened?”