Chapter 274 - 273: The Killing Game Started Again and Again and Again?

Chapter 274: Chapter 273: The Killing Game Started Again and Again and Again?

"You’re awake?" Asher turned his head. When he saw I was awake, all the hostility in him vanished instantly.

’I felt a little awkward. The way Asher looked a moment ago... Anyone who didn’t know better would have mistaken him for a mob boss. It was a bit scary.’

"Cece..." He slumped into my arms, his voice hoarse and laced with a hint of vulnerability.

’He’s... completely different from a moment ago.’

I lifted my hand and ruffled his hair. "What happened? Lucas Grant was cursing up a storm."

"Did he disturb you? I’ll go sew his mouth shut." Asher started to get up, about to walk out.

I reached out and grabbed his wrist, knowing he was trying to change the subject. "What happened?"

"Nathan Lawson died, right under their noses," Asher answered my question.

I was stunned. "But there were so many police officers guarding her..."

"They calculated everything, but they never expected Nathan Lawson to kill herself." Asher turned to look at me. "Nathan Lawson knew the organization wouldn’t let her go, and she also knew the police would want to learn the organization’s secrets from her."

The fact that Nathan Lawson was willing to commit suicide proves how terrifying the organization is.

She would rather die by her own hand than fall into police custody.

It was as if I’d already guessed this would happen. I let go of Asher’s wrist.

"Nathan Lawson said you slept with Ace." I didn’t want to think about all that other stuff right now; I just wanted to know if they had.

"You were by my side, weren’t you..." Asher suddenly seemed to latch onto something important, his hot breath on my skin as he cupped my face. "I wasn’t just imagining it... you were there with me, right?"

I froze for a second, then it hit me. When Ace said her name, I was still in my spiritual form.

I had no idea how to explain something like that. "Maybe I heard you talking while I was unconscious?"

’Science can’t explain this.’

Asher smiled, rubbing my cheek. "See? I told you... I’d recognize you even if you turned into a dog."

I frowned. "You’re the one who’s a dog..."

"Don’t change the subject! Sebastian Lancaster, I’m still your wife. Did you or did you not sleep with someone else?" I gave Asher a warning look.

"Are you using it as a verb or an adjective?" Asher asked with a grin.

I felt like he was asking for a kick.

"The verb!" I said through gritted teeth.

"No." Asher kissed my forehead. "But I did let her into my room. It was an act for Nathan Lawson."

"Oh." I huffed, still feeling a little jealous.

"Cece... are you jealous?" Asher asked me quietly.

The tips of my ears flushed, and I felt a little awkward.

’I guess I am jealous.’

BANG! The hospital room door was thrown open. Felix Foster stood there, looking innocently at the two of us who had been about to kiss. "Something’s happened..."

Asher’s eyes darkened as he shot Felix Foster a warning look. "This had better be important."

"The lab’s been exposed. Too many of the organization’s criminal experiments have come to light, implicating a number of Meridia’s wealthy families, including... your Lancaster Family, the Fletcher Family, the Lynn Family, and several others. Their records for commissioning custom gene-edited babies weren’t destroyed in time, and the police found them." Felix Foster sounded nervous as he spoke again. "The organization won’t put itself in a dangerous position, so they’re cleaning house—eliminating everyone who knows."

"What do you mean?" I asked, frowning.

"They’re eliminating anyone who knows anything, of course." Killian Lancaster walked in, smiling at me. "We meet again, sister-in-law."

"News just broke," Felix Foster said, pulling out his phone. "Tonight’s Meridia charity gala is on a cruise ship, and now hundreds of tycoons and their families have been taken hostage. It’s a major incident, and the higher-ups are paying close attention. The ship is about to enter international waters."

"Julian Fletcher’s mother is on board, along with Jude Lynch and his wife. Julian and Erin Whittaker are on there too."

Felix Foster suspected this was the organization’s way of cleaning house—a desperate move to eliminate all insiders and survive.

"If the organization really wanted to cut its losses, it wouldn’t make such a huge scene. All this does is confirm for the police that the organization is tied to these tycoons, which can’t be a good thing for them." Even if all the wealthy hostages were killed, the organization would be completely exposed.

"This doesn’t feel like something the organization would do. It seems more like the work of the Resistance," I said quietly.

Asher nodded, clearly agreeing with me.

"The police are negotiating with the hijackers to ensure the safety of everyone on board. There are thousands of people on that ship. Besides the hundred or so tycoons, there are also singers, celebrities, dancers, servers, chefs, sailors..."

A luxury cruise ship gala for more than a thousand people had turned into a real-life horror game.

Those rich people probably never imagined that attending a charity gala on a cruise ship would turn into such a dangerous ordeal.

"You’re a member of the chamber of commerce too. How come you didn’t go?" I narrowed my eyes, looking at Killian Lancaster warily. "Could it be you had some inside information?"

"I suppose it’s because I’m just so kind-hearted. I was worried about your health, sister-in-law, so I decided to come visit you and missed my chance to get on the ship," Killian Lancaster said with a smile.

No one would believe a word of that.

"If you’re not going to tell the truth, then please leave." I pointed to the door.

"Don’t be so heartless, sister-in-law." Killian Lancaster walked over to my bedside. "Fine... I figured it out ahead of time. I am, after all, very clever."

Seeing my expression darken, Killian Lancaster smiled and spoke again. "All the chamber of commerce members received an invitation, and attendance was mandatory. I figured that where there’s smoke, there’s fire..."

"Someone hacked the chamber of commerce’s website and used the internal member database to send the invitations to every single member in Meridia." Killian Lancaster’s voice grew somber. "The people in the Resistance... they’re getting more and more unhinged."

’They even hacked the chamber of commerce’s website.’

"Heh... I guess none of those other people are as smart as you," I sneered. "What’s that got to do with us? Not our problem."

I said lazily, lying back down on the bed.

"I heard the president of Metropolis Group is on board tonight, too," Killian Lancaster said with a sly grin.

I shot up and looked at Asher.

’I’d almost forgotten about that.’

’Asher is supposed to be working with the president of Astraeus Group, right?’

’He can’t die yet, or we’ll lose our chance of getting to the head of the organization.’

Killian Lancaster seemed to see right through me, a sly grin on his face.

"What are you looking at? It’s not like we can get on the ship now anyway."

I couldn’t stand that smug, punchable look on his face.

"The fresh water and food on board are enough to last everyone for half a month. After that... imagine the tragic state of that ship." Killian Lancaster said thoughtfully. "By then, there won’t be any gap between the rich and the poor. What good will their money be?"

I froze. ’What kind of game are the Rebels playing this time?’

"They’ve given the police one condition: exchange the people on this list for the minors on the ship." Felix Foster tossed the list to Asher. "Lucas Grant sent it. You, me, her, Madeline Quinn, Zeke Shaw, Lucas Grant, Ace... we’re all on the list."

I took a deep breath, my fingers trembling with rage. ’What the hell is wrong with these Rebels?’

’Why do they always have to drag us into their damn games?’

"This game is much more interesting now that I’m in it." Killian Lancaster’s eyes narrowed into a smile. "I’m actually looking forward to it. So, big brother... sister-in-law, shall we all get on board together?"

I felt my breath catch in my throat. "I’m sick. I’m not going."

’I just barely escaped with my life.’

"If Cece’s not going, neither am I," Asher said simply.

"If you don’t go, the president of Astraeus Group will die... Sister-in-law, don’t you want to know who the president of Astraeus Group is?" Killian tempted me.

"The other problem is, Zeke Shaw is going to come begging for your help," Felix added. "Because... there are twenty young dancers on that ship. They were guest performers for the gala. Those kids are innocent. We have to get on board to get them out."

Felix Foster sighed.

A death cruise... ’I was starting to get really angry.’

’Who the hell is the leader of the Resistance? What kind of psycho, what kind of sick freak, comes up with these twisted plots?’