Chapter 276 - 275: Ace Treats Sebastian Lancaster and Julian Fletcher as Prey

Chapter 276: Chapter 275: Ace Treats Sebastian Lancaster and Julian Fletcher as Prey

"The children? Let them go," I said, eyeing the leader warily.

"The children have already been released," the leader said in a low voice.

I glanced back and saw a group of children in little floral dresses being carried off the ship.

"That’s not right! We confirmed a total of twenty-seven infants and children under fourteen. There are only twenty-six here. One is missing."

Below the ship, a police officer named Shawn Carter shouted out. The numbers didn’t add up.

The oldest child, a fourteen-year-old girl, was not among them.

"She’s not here. Then she must be hiding. If she doesn’t want to leave on her own, that’s her fate." The leader sneered, showing no intention of helping to find her.

"Find that girl and bring her back safely." Below the ship, the captain shouted to Zeke Shaw and Lucas Grant.

"Alright," Zeke Shaw nodded.

The Rebels pushed all of us into the ship’s interior.

"Everyone is here. The game begins."

The moment we stepped into the cabin, all the lights on the cruise ship flashed on. The previous calm and cheerful atmosphere returned, filled with music and the sounds of a DJ.

The deck was also opened up. It was as if everyone returned to their posts and resumed their duties.

And with that, the cruise ship began heading out into the deep sea.

Meanwhile, there were no escape routes or boats.

Some of the leaders moved toward the bridge, while the others hid among the crowd, possibly disguised as servers or dancers.

"I want to get out of here!" One of the tycoons, who had been trapped in his cabin for days, had lost it. Seeing no guards around, he angrily tried to leave.

But after leaving his cabin and searching the deck for a long time without finding any lifeboats, he had no choice but to trudge back.

"Let the carnival continue." That eerie voice came over the broadcast, a strange sound distorted by a voice changer.

The music grew louder and more chaotic, but most people were in no mood to party.

Threatened by someone, the dancers returned to the stage to perform for the tycoons.

Everything seemed to be back to normal, but a sense of panic hung over everyone.

"What kind of trick are they playing at?" Zeke Shaw asked.

"Party while you can, enjoy what you can... When all the supplies are gone, that’s when everyone will go mad." Killian Lancaster said with a smile as he walked into the crowd, glass in hand, and began to mingle with the dancers.

I watched that madman. ’He’s a little too confident, isn’t he?’

"According to the police investigation, this ship has enough fresh water and food for several thousand people for two weeks. We’re already halfway through that time, which means... soon, the supplies won’t be enough to support this many people," Asher whispered.

’So that’s why Killian Lancaster said to enjoy the party while it lasts.’

I looked around, then pulled a very large plastic bag out of my pocket. "Speaking from experience, let’s stock up on water first."

Asher smiled and helped me grab unopened bottles of mineral water from the buffet table, stuffing them into the plastic bag one by one.

’We’re on the ocean, surrounded by an endless expanse of water, but without fresh water, people will die.’

’You can survive a few days without food, but you can’t last three days without water.’

As the tension eased, someone took the lead and started partying, and the atmosphere slowly livened up.

The cruise ship was massive, with its interior divided into many different areas. Now that all the restrictions were suddenly lifted, everyone started acting as if everything that had happened was just a prank.

Once people let their guard down, they began to indulge themselves frantically.

"From now on, everyone is equal. Whether you’re a worker or a tycoon, you can enjoy all the resources on this ship equally."

As we were secretly hoarding water and food and hiding it in a place no one knew, that voice came on again. "Party to your hearts’ content."

And so, the regular passengers stormed the areas reserved for the tycoons, helping themselves to their gourmet food and top-shelf liquor.

The hundred-plus tycoons, who had been brooding, instantly grew alarmed and angrily ordered their bodyguards to block the way.

"Who let you in? This isn’t a place for the likes of you," one of them said, stepping forward.

"The broadcast said so! All restrictions have been lifted, and everyone is equal! We can go anywhere on the ship, enter the VIP areas freely, and we can also eat the air-freighted food and drink the wine that costs hundreds of thousands a bottle!"

And so, the first conflict between the rich and the poor began.

Asher, Madeline Quinn, Zeke Shaw, and I stood at the back of the crowd, watching the farcical scene.

"I heard this ship is worth tens of billions. Besides the ship itself, there’s also all the supplies on board, the top-tier luxury air-freighted ingredients, over a hundred million worth of liquor, and the lavish decorations. The entire cruise ship has sixteen decks, with everything from amusement facilities, entertainment venues, medical centers, to... all sorts of amenities you can’t even imagine."

Killian Lancaster’s lips curled up.

"Why would they let so many commoners onto such a luxurious cruise ship for a top-tier tycoon gathering?" I couldn’t understand. ’Aren’t they just asking for trouble?’

"Do you know where the pride, sense of honor, and twisted tastes of the rich come from? From class differences. They see themselves as a class above the common people, so when they’re enjoying the privileges of the wealthy, they absolutely must have a spectacle of the poor to watch..."

Killian Lancaster sneered.

"How else are the rich supposed to feel all-powerful?"

"By comparing themselves to the poor, of course."

"That’s why this luxury cruise ship was also open to the public."

"Oh, then they deserve it," I said flatly, watching everyone storm the VIP area. "The supplies will last them for a while longer. Our goal right now is to find that fourteen-year-old girl."

The only little girl who didn’t get off the ship.

"She’s not on the deck. We’ll have to search the ship starting from the first deck. We have sixteen decks to cover." Lucas Grant shrugged. "This is a huge undertaking."

"Why make it so complicated? She’s just a kid. She’s probably scared and hiding. When she gets hungry, she’ll definitely come out to eat, right? Seeing that everyone has let their guard down, she’s bound to come out for food." I looked at Lucas Grant. "There are five free buffet restaurants on this deck. Let’s split up."

"I want to go with Asher," Ace spoke up, walking over to Asher and reaching for his hand.

I watched Ace warily, stepping between her and Asher and slapping her hand away. "He’s my man. Don’t touch him."

"What are you afraid of?" Ace asked me.

"I’m afraid you’ll act like a bitch," I warned her.

She didn’t say anything, her face devoid of expression.

"I’ll go with her to the sixth deck," Felix Foster offered, telling Ace to follow him.

Ace looked at Asher. "Sebastian Lancaster, you need to protect me. I am the only identical clone of Cecilia Caldwell. You know what my existence means."

Sebastian Lancaster frowned and looked at me. "Let her come with us."

"No way," I refused.

"If resurrection is real, I will become Cecilia Caldwell’s ’Resurrection Armor’," Ace sneered. "So, he has to ensure I don’t die."

’Is Ace saying that as long as she’s alive, I can die again and be resurrected? Is that what she means?’

’In her dreams.’

I stared at Ace warily. ’I know exactly what this woman is thinking...’

’If I die, she’ll pretend to be the resurrected me.’

Heh...

The look in her eyes was filled with killing intent.

"Let her die. I don’t need a Resurrection Armor." I pulled Asher behind me, my voice low and threatening. "Or, I could just send you on your way myself."

"Hey, don’t fight amongst yourselves," Felix Foster said quickly, grabbing Ace. "Let’s go, let’s go. You come with me."

Ace shook off Felix Foster’s wrist and sat down to the side. "It has nothing to do with me. I’ll wait here."

She was completely indifferent.

I ignored her and prepared to leave with Asher.

"Cece!" Suddenly, someone from the VIP area called my name. It was Julian Fletcher.

I turned around and saw Julian Fletcher and Erin Whittaker standing at the entrance.

He looked at me with pleasant surprise and ran over excitedly.

I frowned, my face a clear "stay away" sign.

"Cecilia..." Erin Whittaker screamed when she saw Ace, her face turning pale with fright as she hid behind Julian Fletcher.

Julian Fletcher glanced over as well, subconsciously clenching his fists. "Cece..."

They looked too much alike.

It was like they were cast from the very same mold.

I could see the wavering and indecision in Julian Fletcher’s eyes.

He was hesitating between me and Ace again.

I frowned, looking at Ace. She was looking at Julian Fletcher, a glint seeming to flicker in her eyes...

I had a premonition. This clone was dangerous. She was constantly thinking about how to replace me and take everything I had.

And Sebastian Lancaster and Julian Fletcher were both her prey.