Suddenly, a rapid and alarming warning sounded in the passageway outside.
The guard's scheduled communication was interrupted, triggering the highest alert.
"Woo-woo-woo-woo-"
A piercing, high-pitched alarm suddenly blared throughout the underground passage, and the red warning lights overhead flashed wildly, casting a crimson glow on the two men's faces.
In the distance, heavy alloy gates were rapidly descending.
"They discovered that the guards have lost contact!" Qin Ye said in a deep voice, without the slightest sign of panic.
"Everything is proceeding according to plan," Su Tang said calmly.
Qin Ye nodded, quickly walked to the innermost corner of the vault, and following the structural diagram provided by K, kicked a seemingly ordinary floor tile hard!
"Bang!"
The floor tiles shattered with a crack, revealing a dark hole, and a stench of rust and sewage instantly wafted out.
"Jump!" Qin Ye said succinctly.
Without the slightest hesitation, the two quickly jumped into the cave entrance.
Inside the pipes, it was pitch black and reeked of foul odors, with sticky, slippery filth underfoot.
Su Tang grabbed him, and with a thought, two sets of lightweight diving equipment and a small oxygen tank appeared out of thin air.
"Put it on."
The two quickly changed into their gear and put on oxygen masks to block out the stench.
Su Tang took out a miniature communicator and held it to her ear. The cruise ship's internal communication frequency provided by K was playing, and the guards' chaotic shouts could be clearly heard.
"...Sector A is locked down! Sector B is locked down! They must still be upstairs!"
"...To the vault! Everyone, to the vault!"
“They’ve all searched upwards, let’s go downwards,” Su Tang said, pointing to the depths of the pipe.
The two moved swiftly through the darkness, navigating the complex network of pipes. Just then, a burst of rapid footsteps and harsh shouts came from above.
"Search! Search every inch of the ground! Dig three feet into the ground if you have to, find them!"
The two stopped abruptly, pressing themselves tightly against the cold tube walls, holding their breath.
Qin Ye held Su Tang protectively in his arms, clearly feeling the vibrations of the metal plate above their heads from the heavy pounding of his military boots.
He could even imagine that if the other side opened any of the access panels at that moment, they would be caught red-handed.
Fortunately, the group quickly ran away.
They continued downwards and eventually reached the ballast tanks at the very bottom of the cruise ship.
It was damp and dark here, with the huge water pumps emitting a dull roar, making it the weakest point in the ship's security.
Su Tang took out a palm-sized, disc-shaped object from her spatial storage.
"This is?"
“A small high-energy laser cutter.” Su Tang said succinctly, attaching it to the thick steel plate of the ship’s hull and pressing the start button.
"Sizzle—"
A beam of pale blue light, no thicker than a hair, shot out, without a loud bang, only a slight hissing sound. A whiff of ozone from burning metal filled the air.
In just over ten seconds, a circular opening, just big enough for one person to pass through, was silently cut open.
"Splash—"
The icy seawater rushed in from the cave entrance, crashing against their bodies.
However, just as the two were about to crawl out of the hole...
"Buzz—" A muffled roar of a propeller churning the seawater grew louder as it approached.
A blinding beam of light suddenly shone in from outside the cave, illuminating the cramped ballast tank as bright as day.
Su Tang's heart sank: "Oh no. The patrol boat has spotted us..."
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