Hiding in the pitch-black server room for about an hour…
Risking exposure, I sneaked back into the ship’s main hall. Time had silently crept into the dead of night.
The hall was no longer the bustling scene it was when the finals first kicked off earlier that evening.
Only a scattered few guests and gamblers were still fighting it out at the late-night gambling tables, relying on the combined effects of alcohol and cigarettes to keep their minds stimulated.
The drama of life and death, of rise and fall, was repeatedly playing out on every gambling table.
After observing from a corner of the hall for a while, and confirming that no one was paying attention to me, a lone wolf, I quickly headed towards the restroom.
Aside from the guest rooms, the strongest satellite network signal on Ying Baolin’s luxury cruise ship should be in the main hall.
Moreover, I had managed to contact Yun Luo in the restroom earlier.
Therefore, hiding inside to call Cheng Minglang and the others would be the safest option.
Unexpectedly, as soon as I entered the restroom and took out my phone, the moment the signal recovered, my phone suddenly vibrated.
Taking it out, I saw it was a call from Fan Yixin.
Earlier, to give me space to escape, Fan Yixin had exposed herself in front of Ying Baolin and Shen Lingyu.
Now, she was calling me. Could it be that she…
With that thought, I quickly pressed the answer button.
As soon as the call connected, I heard Fan Yixin anxiously ask, "Chen Xiang, where are you now?"
"Outside."
Although Fan Yixin had indirectly saved me, as the saying goes, survival of the fittest.
It was possible that after being cornered by Ying Baolin and the others, she might choose to compromise with them to protect herself.
Therefore, I didn’t dare to reveal my location.
I had expected Fan Yixin to press further, but to my surprise, she directly said, "Find a place to hide quickly!"
Hearing this, my heart immediately sank with a sense of foreboding. I quickly asked Fan Yixin what had happened.
I heard her say in a rapid tone, "I helped you earlier, and immediately after, Ying Baolin took control of me!"
"But just as Ying Baolin was about to take me away, your two companions rushed into the room and started fighting with them."
"In the chaos, an insider I had arranged for rushed in and rescued me, but your companions…"
"Outnumbered, they were subdued!"
"When I finally escaped, I think I heard Ying Baolin say that he planned to use your two companions to lure you out, so I quickly contacted you!"
"Listen, Chen Xiang! No matter how Ying Baolin plans to deal with you later, I’ve already been exposed, and your companions have been captured…"
"The safest plan is to find a place to hide until the cruise ship docks, and absolutely do not get caught by Ying Baolin!"
"Otherwise, the consequences will be unimaginable!!!"
As I heard the last sentence, my scalp exploded.
I never expected that the time I had agreed upon with Cheng Minglang and Han Jinlun would ultimately lead to their downfall!
Although Cheng Minglang was a skilled fighter, his individual performance would be greatly limited in a confined space.
Being subdued so quickly could only be due to two reasons.
First, Ying Baolin must have brought a considerable number of men.
Second, weapons!
This was international waters, where killing someone was as simple and brutal as slaughtering a chicken.
And it was possible that the group of people Ying Baolin brought… were all carrying guns!
As I thought of these potential possibilities, I inexplicably developed a subtle sense of fear towards the sea.
But no matter how fearful or unwilling I was, hiding as Fan Yixin suggested was out of the question.
Because brothers are not meant to be sold!
My mind gradually calmed down. After hanging up with Fan Yixin, I immediately dialed Ying Baolin’s phone number.
When the call connected, without any pleasantries or unnecessary chatter, I got straight to the point and asked, "Are my two brothers in your hands?"
"What? You want to rescue them?" Ying Baolin asked with a cold laugh.
"Yes! Where are you?"
"Zone A, on the top floor of the cruise ship."
"I'm coming, wait for me!"
After saying that, I quickly hung up the phone.
Before heading to Zone A, I called Fan Yixin to thank her, and also to bid farewell.
Because this time, I had no certainty in my heart whether I could escape this danger.
Therefore, I could only thank Fan Yixin in advance over the phone for her help, lest I never have the chance again.
Having done all this, I headed straight for Zone A on the top floor of the cruise ship…
Brothers, I’m coming! Wait for me!
………………
As soon as I stepped into the corridor of Zone A, I saw from a distance that seven or eight people were guarding the door of a room ahead.
Without guessing, I knew they must be there.
As I walked slowly towards the door, the group of people stationed outside the door didn't seem to recognize me.
As soon as they saw me stop, they arrogantly shouted, "Get lost!"
When I said, "I am Chen Xiang," they all froze in shock.
After regaining their senses, one of them, who looked like a leader, sneered at me, "Yo! Brother, you’ve got guts!"
"You know there’s a tiger in the mountain, yet you insist on going to the mountain!"
"How dare you provoke our boss Ying, this fierce tiger descending the mountain! You’ll have hell to pay!"
"Come! Come in with me!"
I remained silent and followed his lead.
After following the man into the room, I was led to what appeared to be a conference room.
Clearly, the guest rooms in Zone A were all business suites.
However, I had no inclination to admire them.
Because the conference room was packed with people!
With their hands and feet firmly bound, Cheng Minglang and Han Jinlun were squeezed into a corner of the conference room by Ying Baolin’s subordinates.
As for Ying Baolin, he sat comfortably on the only sofa in the conference room, surrounded and protected by a group of people, leisurely smoking a cigar.
Seeing me being brought in, a cold smile flickered across Ying Baolin’s lips.
"Heh heh~ Long time no see, Chen Xiang!"
"The last time we met, you were still my man, charging forward for me at the gambling table!"
"I didn't expect that this time, you would actually stand on my opposite side!"
"However, since you’ve chosen to be my enemy, you should at least bring a couple of helpers with you!"
"Isn't it a bit too presumptuous for you to come alone?"
As he spoke, the cigar in Ying Baolin’s mouth glowed intermittently, the smoke rising and falling, exuding an air of a big boss.
I didn’t respond to his words, but said coldly, "Name your terms!"
"As long as you release my two brothers, I’ll let you do whatever you want with me!"