Chapter 286 - 285: Find the President of Astraeus Group to Win a 10 Billion Grand Prize

Chapter 286: Chapter 285: Find the President of Astraeus Group to Win a 10 Billion Grand Prize

Asher glanced at Zeke Shaw. "Take care of Madeline Quinn."

"COUGH, COUGH." Madeline Quinn, who had started coughing not long after being put on oxygen, tried to open her eyes, but it looked difficult.

"Don’t be afraid, just rest a little longer," I soothed in a low voice, helping her readjust the oxygen mask.

The switch for the surgical pod door was on the inside. It was difficult to open from the outside, and it could only be closed from within.

"These people are crazy. They’re not going to let us go," Felix Foster said, glancing out the window. "They’re planning to cut the power to force the door open."

"Get ready. As soon as the power goes out, we rush out in the dark." Asher had Felix Foster and Lucas Grant help push the surgical bed, and they charged out the instant the power cut.

The other side didn’t dare to open fire directly. After all, a single gunshot would attract the attention of The Resistance members outside.

But they miscalculated. The moment we charged out, the door to the medical bay was also opened.

It was clearly The Resistance, controlling it remotely.

Their goal was to expose the cruise ship’s secrets. They couldn’t just let us die.

As soon as the door opened, the tourists who had already been drawn over started taking photos and recording videos. "They’re doing illegal organ transplants in here! This is horrifying! This cruise ship is terrifying!"

"It looks like what they showed on the big screen was all true!"

The passengers were all whispering cautiously. The bolder ones peered inside. "So we’re all just lambs waiting for the slaughter."

Walter Carter’s face turned pale. He was clearly starting to panic.

He was in a wheelchair and told his female assistant to push him away.

Unfortunately, it was too late.

The tourists stormed into the medical bay, surrounding Walter Carter and the foreign doctors.

"Do you rich people think you can just treat human lives as disposable?"

"Just how many people have you killed?!"

"People die or have ’accidents’ on this cruise ship every time! They use money to cover it all up so the news never gets out! Who knows how many people have died at their hands!"

"Devils!" The crowd grew agitated, then angry, and then they started getting physical.

"We’ll take you rich bastards down with us!"

"Beat them to death!"

Using the chaos as a cover, Asher had Zeke Shaw pick up the still-unconscious Madeline Quinn, find a wheelchair, and leave quickly.

Just as we reached the main hall, we saw a live feed from the medical bay’s security cameras playing on the large public broadcast screen.

The Resistance was clearly doing this on purpose... deliberately letting the more than one thousand tourists on this cruise ship know that this was a man-eating vessel.

Felix Foster glanced at the screen, then at the ever-unflappable Asher. "You bastard, did you know The Resistance was live-streaming this whole time? You could have said something. Look at our campus belle, so deviously clever."

Asher ignored Felix Foster and walked straight into an elevator. "The Resistance has achieved its goal. They won’t be pulling any more stunts for today. Let’s go back to our rooms and rest."

"What about the murderer?" Lucas Grant asked.

"You let him get away just now?" Asher looked back at Lucas Grant.

"I chased him down and locked him in the utility closet." It dawned on Lucas Grant, and he quickly ran toward the utility closet.

"We need to coordinate from now on. You can’t just go off and do your own thing. Do you understand the importance of teamwork? If you figure something out again, tell everyone beforehand," Felix Foster lectured Asher earnestly.

"I thought you were as smart as I am," Asher said flatly.

That shut Felix Foster up.

"Bro, Sis-in-law, you’ve worked hard." Below the big screen, Killian Lancaster walked over, a smile on his face. It was the same punchable, passive-aggressive expression as always.

"As a member of The Genetics Organization, you must have known about the illegal organ transplant operations in the surgical bay, right?" I watched him warily.

"I did know a little inside information, but I’m in good health and don’t really need that kind of service, so you can’t blame me." Killian Lancaster smiled and spoke again. "Besides, I reminded all of you before we boarded: don’t go running around on this ship. It’s very likely you’ll... never come back."

"The Resistance has taken control of the cruise ship. Do you think they’ll let you leave alive? To The Resistance, all of you capitalists deserve to die," I sneered, warning him not to celebrate too soon.

"If they can’t find the President of Astraeus Group, how could those of us further down the list die first?" Killian Lancaster looked at me meaningfully, slowly closing the distance, and spoke in a low voice. "Sis-in-law... the President of the Astraeus Group couldn’t be among us, could they?"

He reached out, took my fingers, and looked at my palm.

I generously opened my palm. "There are no wounds on my palm."

"But what if... the soul ascended... into a body that wasn’t the original?" Killian Lancaster’s lips curled into a smirk. "This so-called rebirth... You are still you, but the body is no longer yours. How could you possibly open the safe? That’s why you’re so fearless, Sis-in-law."

’Killian Lancaster actually suspects that I’m the President of Astraeus Group?’

That’s absolutely ridiculous. "Killian Lancaster, you’re a real genius..."

’If I were the President of Astraeus Group, the first thing I’d do is bury him in money until he suffocated.’

Killian Lancaster was about to say more, but Asher raised a hand to stop him. "Stay away from another man’s wife. It’s basic courtesy."

Killian Lancaster raised an eyebrow. "Bro... when a woman is as outstanding as Sis-in-law, other men are bound to covet her."

Asher said in a low, firm voice, "You are not worthy."

Killian Lancaster just smiled and backed away from Asher.

Not far away, Julian Fletcher and Ace were standing together, while Erin Whittaker was still clinging tightly to Julian.

’Those three are in quite the pickle now. You can tell Erin Whittaker is in a complete panic, terrified that Ace will steal Julian Fletcher away.’

And Julian Fletcher, for his part, was starting to try and see Ace as Cecilia Caldwell.

"He’s treating Ace as Cecilia Caldwell," Asher added, not forgetting to remind me.

"I wish the three of them a long and happy life together," I said coolly.

Asher smiled and squeezed my hand. "You’re mine."

’His alone.’

"This son of a bitch tried to run," Lucas Grant said, dragging the murderer over.

The man was already black and blue, and he was limping.

Seeing Madeline Quinn still in a semi-conscious state, he spoke neurotically. "Is she dead? Is that psycho from the serial killings provoking me?"

"No, it was the people on the ship," I explained. "But the mastermind of the serial killings might really be on this ship."

’That person wearing the human-face mask... I have to find a way to tear off his disguise and see who he really is.’

"I have to kill him! I have to kill him!" the murderer was still raving.

I grabbed him by the collar. "If you’ve got the guts, then find him as fast as you can and kill him. If you dare harm any innocent people, I’ll throw you into the sea to feed the fish."

The man seemed afraid of me, raising a hand to cover his face. "He’s on this ship, I know he is..."

Suddenly, he straightened up, staring into the distance. "I can feel it. He’s about to make his move."

I followed the murderer’s gaze and saw a very familiar figure flash through the crowd. "Peach?"

I let go of the murderer and quickly chased after her.

’How is that possible... Didn’t Peach already die in the killing game at the abandoned building?’

’Did I see wrong?’

I searched the crowd for a long time but couldn’t find any sign of Peach.

My nerves were probably just stretched too thin.

"Dear esteemed guests, our cruise ship has now left domestic waters and is sailing into the deep sea. Due to limited supplies on board, starting today... food and fresh water will be rationed. Please conserve your portions. We wish you all a pleasant time." The strange, hoarse voice from the broadcast system continued, "If everyone wants to return home as soon as possible, then you’ll help me find the President of Astraeus Group. Next, I will display a few clues on the big screen."

"Only by helping me find this person can we turn back before the food and fresh water run out. Otherwise... everyone might just be buried in this vast, boundless sea."

"The first person to find the President of Astraeus Group will be considered a great contributor. Not only will we give them priority and send them back ahead of everyone else, but we will also give them the ten billion in cash on this ship!"

When the broadcast finished, everyone’s face turned deathly pale.

The cruise ship was getting farther and farther from Meridia!

In an instant, a massive number of tourists began to panic. The instinct for survival and the desire for wealth made them swarm toward the big screen, wanting to be the first to see the clues.

"Cece." Asher ran over and shielded me in a corner, protecting me from being crushed by the panicked mob.

We looked at the screen together, our expressions instantly turning grave.