Chapter 99 A Deadly Situation at Sea: Who is the Prey?
A few days later, in the morning, at the Huangpu River dock.
A luxury cruise ship named "Oriental Pearl" sounded its horn to signal its departure, and the massive ship slowly left the port, heading into the boundless deep blue.
Inside the penthouse suite, Bai Shu laid out a diagram of the cruise ship's interior structure, which she had obtained from Du Kangnian, and a nautical chart side by side on the large desk. Her slender fingers slowly traced across the surface, deducing various possible contingencies and the best course of action.
Lu Jingyan leaned back on the opposite sofa, his wounds healing at an abnormally fast pace, and he was now able to move freely.
He wasn't wearing a military uniform, just a simple white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, revealing his strong wrists.
He did nothing but stare at her intently.
It was as if it were glued to Bai Shu's body, from her slender, fair neck to the breathtaking curves of her waist and hips outlined under her cheongsam, without any attempt to conceal it.
Su Wantang felt extremely uncomfortable under his gaze, as if ants were crawling all over her body.
That bastard, now that his injuries have healed, he's become increasingly arrogant.
She forced herself to ignore that scorching gaze, but a voice belonging to Su Wantang screamed in her heart: He definitely knows! He absolutely knows!
"cough."
She cleared her throat and spoke in Bai Shu's icy tone.
“Bodyguard Lu, if you’re bored, you can go up on the deck for some fresh air instead of being here… getting in my way.”
Lu Jingyan chuckled softly, his voice deep and magnetic.
"Mr. Bai is joking."
He shifted to a more comfortable position, crossing his long legs, exuding a lazy yet aggressive aura.
“I was just doing my job, observing everything around the employer, including…the employer himself.”
His words were perfectly succinct, yet the admiration and amusement in his eyes were palpable.
Bai Shu cursed him inwardly as a "scoundrel," too lazy to argue with him anymore, and instead asked, "Have you found out who's responsible?"
Lu Jingyan's lips curled up slightly: "You can rest assured when Li Hu handles things."
Even before boarding the ship, he obtained the list of all crew members and key passengers on the "Oriental Pearl" through internal military channels.
Li Hu, accompanied by two scouts disguised as a sailor and a mechanic on the ship, had thoroughly investigated the spies that Huo Sanniang had planted.
This net had already been tightened before the enemy even made their move.
As night falls, the sea breeze becomes gentle.
The cruise ship was brightly lit, resembling a crystal palace floating on the sea. A grand masquerade ball was being held in the banquet hall on the first floor.
Amidst the melodious strains of a waltz, elegant women sway in the breeze, and glasses clink and toasts are exchanged.
When Bai Shu appeared arm in arm with Lu Jingyan, the air in the entire banquet hall seemed to freeze for a second.
She changed into a pure black fishtail dress, the hem of which swayed like inky waves as she walked.
That figure, with its defined waist and hips, is simply a masterpiece sculpted by God himself; any more would make it too plump, any less too slender.
On her face, an exquisite silver butterfly mask covered the upper half of her face, revealing only a pair of captivating peach blossom eyes and perfectly shaped red lips.
Lu Jingyan was still wearing a black suit, the tailored fit making his shoulders appear even broader and his legs longer. He wore only a simple black mask, covering the upper half of his face, revealing his sharply defined jawline and tightly pursed thin lips.
He stood quietly beside Bai Shu, like a drawn sword, silent yet no one dared to ignore his presence.
Immediately, many self-proclaimed extraordinary men became eager to make their move.
A man wearing a golden lion mask strode over, carrying a wine glass. He was tall, dressed head-to-toe in designer brands, and exuded the arrogance of a nouveau riche.
"Beautiful lady, would you do me the honor of dancing with me?" The man spoke in broken Mandarin, but his eyes lingered on Bai Shu without any attempt to hide it.
Su Wantang recognized him; he was the son of a famous shipping magnate in Hong Kong, known as Young Master Zhou, a notorious playboy who changed female companions more often than he changed clothes.
Just as she was about to refuse, a warm, large hand took hers first.
Lu Jingyan stepped forward, subtly shielding her behind him, his deep eyes peering coldly at Young Master Zhou through the mask.
"I'm sorry." His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable force.
"My female companion only dances with me."
The smile on Young Master Zhou's face froze; he hadn't expected anyone to dare to embarrass him in public.
He was about to lash out, but when he met Lu Jingyan's eyes, that chilling killing intent that seemed to have crawled out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, his words caught in his throat.
He awkwardly touched his nose and slunk away.
Several socialites who had been watching the scene closely let out a few suppressed laughs.
Ignoring the noise, Lu Jingyan took Bai Shu's hand, pulled her into his arms with a little force, and slid into the dance floor.
His hands remained firmly clasped around her waist, his palms burning hot.
Su Wantang froze, instinctively trying to struggle, but he used an irresistible force to spin her around.
This guy definitely did it on purpose!
She had to admit that Lu Jingyan was an excellent dancer. Although it was their first time working together, their chemistry was as if they had rehearsed a thousand times.
Every spin, every slide, was precise and elegant, instantly making her the focus of the entire arena.
After an elegant spin, Lu Jingyan pulled her into his arms, his hot breath tickling her earlobe.
"There are twelve of Huo Sanniang's people on the boat." His voice was very low, in sync with the rhythm of the dance music, like the most intimate whispers between lovers.
"Three were in the kitchen, four were waiters, and five were thugs disguised as passengers."
Su Wantang's body stiffened slightly.
She remained calm, matching his dance steps, and responded in a very low voice, "Understood."
With another turn, she looked up, her peach blossom eyes meeting his unfathomable gaze through the gaps in her mask.
"The moonlight is beautiful tonight." Her red lips curved into a cold smile.
"Perfect for watching a 'fireworks' show."
Lu Jingyan chuckled softly and tightened his grip on her arm with satisfaction.
As the song ended, the two left the dance floor amidst the audience's amazed applause.
After the ball, Bai Shu did not linger and went straight back to his suite.
As expected, the young master Zhou, wearing a golden lion mask, couldn't resist and silently followed. He looked at the swaying figure ahead, his eyes flashing with greed and murderous intent.
Just as he reached the corner of the corridor where the Baishu Suite was located, preparing to make his move...
Two dark figures, like ghosts, emerged from the shadows of the fire escape.
Before Young Master Zhou could react, his mouth was tightly covered with a towel soaked in ether, while another person delivered a swift and decisive chop to the back of his neck.
He didn't even have time to groan before he collapsed limply to the ground.
Zheng Kai emerged from the shadows and waved to his two subordinates.
The two men lifted the unconscious Young Master Zhou and dragged him silently into the nearby storage room, like a dead dog.
The entire process took no more than ten seconds, and was clean and efficient.
Inside the suite.
Su Wantang took off her high heels and stepped barefoot onto the soft carpet. She walked to the wine cabinet, poured herself half a glass of red wine, and gently swirled it.
Lu Jingyan had already appeared behind her without her noticing.
"Your injury," Su Wantang asked without turning her head, looking at the red liquid swirling in the glass. This was the first time she had taken the initiative to care about his health.
"Are you really alright?"
A soft laugh came from behind.
Lu Jingyan walked to her side, took the wine glass from her hand, and took a sip himself.
He looked at her, a mischievous smile in his eyes, and deliberately dragged out the last syllable, asking slowly and deliberately:
"Don't you know best whether I'm alright, Dr. Su...?"
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