Chapter 304 - 303: A Piece of Bread Costs 100,000 Yuan

Chapter 304: Chapter 303: A Piece of Bread Costs 100,000 Yuan

I looked at Asher, and he looked back at me. I knew he wanted to reassure me. But under these circumstances, how could I possibly be at ease?

"The supplies on the ship are dwindling. At this rate, I’m afraid we won’t last until rescue arrives," Killian Lancaster muttered. He was implying that we should let them take Asher away to buy us some breathing room.

I stared at Killian coldly. "Why don’t you sacrifice yourself?"

"I would if I could, Cecilia, but I don’t fit the criteria." Killian waved his hand, showing that his palm wasn’t injured, proving he couldn’t be the CEO of Astraeus Group.

"Killian, what exactly is your purpose for boarding this ship?" I looked at him warily. This man was extremely smart, yet he had been slacking off the entire time. He didn’t seem the least bit worried about dying, clearly having mentally prepared himself beforehand.

"The only thing I’m curious about is the CEO of Astraeus Group," Killian said without beating around the bush, looking straight at me. "I’m very curious what kind of existence this brilliant, mysterious, and envy-inducing person leads. You have to know your enemy to surpass them."

Killian was here for the CEO of Astraeus Group because he wanted to surpass him.

"If the CEO of Astraeus Group really is Asher... then I’ll truly have to look at him in a new light." Killian smiled, though a trace of imperceptible hostility lingered in his eyes.

Killian had benefited from The Genetics Organization. His desire to destroy them was driven by the goal of preventing others from receiving the same gene-editing benefits; he wanted to remain part of the exclusive minority. From another perspective, however, his interests aligned with The Genetics Organization. He simply didn’t want any more genetically modified geniuses to emerge, yet he still wanted to reap the benefits of the connections and resources the organization provided. Killian fancied himself a genius—a dominant force—so he harbored hostility toward anyone who was strong. His objective was also to find the CEO of Astraeus Group and eliminate him.

"Whether or not the CEO of Astraeus Group is Asher, if you lay a finger on him, I will kill you," I warned him with a sharp glare.

Killian merely smiled, saying nothing.

We both understood the reality: if Asher truly was the CEO of Astraeus Group, it meant his identity had been exposed during this cruise ship incident. Because of his relationship with me, The Genetics Organization might no longer trust him... And when that happened, The Genetics Organization would eliminate him. So, whether it was him or not... I prayed it wasn’t.

If Asher really was the CEO of Astraeus Group, he must have done it to become the capital, infiltrate its inner workings, and find the true mastermind behind the organization.

Asher left with those people. Sure enough, they didn’t give us any more trouble.

Mason Carter looked at us guiltily, bowing repeatedly in apology. "I’m sorry... My wife is in their hands. I’m sorry, I had no choice but to lie to you."

I looked at Mason, having already anticipated this. With Asher’s intelligence, how could he not have guessed there was something wrong with Mason? He probably knew Mason was compromised the moment he saw him, but he played along anyway. His goal was to use this opportunity to be captured and handed over to The Resistance.

Adrian was right. Asher went with them on purpose.

I clenched my fists and remained silent. Mason lowered his head in guilt, then turned and walked away.

"Let’s get off the deck as quickly as possible. A storm is picking up. Hurry!" I shouted, urging everyone to leave.

Ace and Killian headed below deck on their own. Stella Abbott pushed Madeline Quinn’s wheelchair, while I led the two children.

Suddenly, a wave hit, and Erin Whittaker lost her footing, crashing to the ground. I watched her coldly as I stood in front of the cabin door.

Truthfully, all I had to do right now was shut the door and leave Erin to fend for herself. She clearly saw my intention. She looked at me in terrified despair and opened her mouth, but no words came out. The look in her eyes was as venomous as ever, as if she couldn’t wait to eat me alive—as if to say she wouldn’t let me off even as a ghost.

I sneered at her, then turned and walked away. I didn’t close the cabin door, knowing that living was far more agonizing than dying. Now that Julian Fletcher knew the answers he wanted, Erin was of no use to him anymore.

Every single day from now on would be pure torment for her. Plagued by AIDS, she would have to scrape by while living in constant fear of being killed at any moment.

Erin clearly anticipated this as well. As gale-force winds mixed with seawater and torrential rain poured down, she stumbled off the deck step by step, trembling and soaked to the bone, and curled up in a corner. No one would protect her anymore, and no one would help her, either.

Looking back on her life, she didn’t know what she had done wrong. She would continue to be consumed by jealousy, unrepentant for her actions until the very end. Some people were simply born evil, and they wouldn’t stop until they were dead.

Back in the room.

Lucas Grant and Zeke Shaw had managed to scrounge up some food, but provisions were now incredibly scarce. Due to the reckless squandering earlier in the trip, the ship’s reserves had been wiped clean. What little remained was heavily guarded by The Resistance, making it nearly impossible to obtain.

Felix Foster had found lollipops and milk for Adrian and Stella, handing the treats over to them.

Stella looked at the lollipop and asked cautiously, "Adrian... is this what we saw on TV? It looks so yummy."

Adrian rubbed Stella’s head. "Go ahead and eat it."

For five years, the siblings had depended solely on each other, living in a real-life version of The Truman Show. Unlike other children, they didn’t have snacks, toys, or the company of their parents. From the moment they were born, they were test subjects, locked inside glass cages and observed like lab rats. My heart ached as I watched the two little ones, and I led them further into the room.

"The Resistance has made its stance clear. The game won’t end until the CEO of Astraeus Group is found. Otherwise, people will keep dying." Zeke sat on the sofa. "If the CEO doesn’t step forward, there won’t even be a need for us to kill each other. Once the food and water run out, we’re all going to die anyway."

A gloomy cloud of death and fear now hung over everyone. Stella Abbott’s eyes grew red with terror. Beside her, a disheveled Isaac Sullivan cast a glance her way, then took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders. Stella Abbott froze for a moment, then lowered her head in silence.

"The food on the cruise ship is running low... From now on, the rules of the game are changing. If you want food, you’ll have to pay its equivalent value in cash."

The voice blared through the PA system once again.

I glanced back toward the windowsill and gasped, grabbing Zeke. "That murderer escaped!"

Simon, who had been locked in the room this whole time, had somehow managed to pick his handcuffs and flee. Zeke and Lucas snapped to attention and rushed over to inspect the scene. There were bloodstains on the cuffs, suggesting he had spent a long time grinding away at his wrist to slip free.

"Bastard..." Zeke cursed. That lunatic only knew how to cause trouble.

Lucas frowned, looking at Felix. "Let’s go catch him."

"Everyone’s panicking right now. That guy isn’t in the mood to kill anymore because there are too many murderers on the ship. Killing isn’t a novelty here. Someone with his morbid curiosity is definitely out looking for the Meridia serial killer," Felix said, shaking his head. "We’ll see if he actually finds him."

"Right now, food and water are the most important things. Asher went to The Resistance, which should stall for some time. We have to make sure we survive long enough for rescue to arrive," I said, looking at Lucas, Zeke, and the others.

They all agreed with me, and we set out together to claim some food. But as soon as we arrived at the dining area, we found the crowd in an uproar.

A single piece of bread cost a hundred thousand... A bottle of water was three hundred thousand. People were swiping their cards, paying in hard cash.

The Resistance was covertly extorting money from everyone... The Genetics Organization needed money, and so did they.

"They’re crazy. Absolutely insane..." Zeke cursed furiously.

Lucas’s face turned red with anger. "Damn it, my hard-earned savings from all these years of work aren’t even enough to buy a bottle of water!"

Felix threw his hands up. "I’m just a high school student. I don’t have any money either."

We exchanged glances. It wasn’t just a matter of having money or not; this was simply outrageous.

"I have money. It’s on me," Stella Abbott volunteered, raising her hand.

"Let me handle it." Isaac Sullivan stepped in front of Stella Abbott. "Keep the little money you have for yourself."

At that moment, Mr. Sullivan actually seemed quite like a real man.