Chapter 145 - 137: Evacuate A Port, Control the Cruise Ship

Chapter 145: Chapter 137: Evacuate A Port, Control the Cruise Ship

At 6:00 PM sharp on Sunday, the loudspeakers at the checkpoint blared.

"Emergency announcement!"

"Emergency announcement!"

"There has been a hazardous chemical leak at A Port. The situation is extremely dangerous, and a fire has broken out. I have contacted the fire department, and they are on their way."

"All personnel are to evacuate A Port immediately! Evacuate A Port immediately!"

As the announcement echoed from the loudspeakers, everyone working at A Port was startled.

"A fire?"

"I didn’t see anything... Holy shit! Look at all that smoke!"

"Run! One of the shipping containers is on fire!"

Billows of thick smoke poured from an unknown container, and a pungent odor spread throughout A Port, sending everyone into a panic.

Everyone immediately dropped what they were doing and ran for the port exit.

Aboard the cruise ship, the numerous crew members and maintenance engineers at work saw the smoke rising from below and heard the broadcast. They, too, began to panic.

"I hope this isn’t serious... Maybe... we should get out of here too?"

"Where’s the captain? Why isn’t he saying anything?"

"The smoke’s reaching us! Shit! We can’t work in this. Let’s get down, now."

The wind was blowing directly toward the ship, and the billowing smoke drifted over, causing many of the crew members to choke.

Just then, a crewman on the main deck, about to head down for a look, saw that the ship’s three electric gangways were automatically retracting.

"Hey! Who did that? Are they stopping us from getting off?"

"You’ve got to be kidding me!"

Shen Xinyi and the elderly Wang Xiuying, who had just boarded, looked back with puzzled expressions.

’Huh? What’s going on? Didn’t Yu Dong say they were filming a short video called "How Far Will Seniors Go for Free Eggs?" Why has the filming stopped now that we’re on the cruise ship?’

She’d thought she and Yu Dong were trying something new and edgy, that the part-time college students were just actors he’d hired for the shoot. But in the end... the old lady was on the cruise ship, the port was on fire, and the ship was sealed.

’Oh no! Don’t tell me the next stop is Myanmar!’

Shen Xinyi’s face went pale, and she slapped her thigh in frustration.

’I should have known better than to fall for a pretty face!’

Yu Dong was just too much her type—the chiseled features, the muscles, that commanding way of speaking... It was as if he were custom-made for her. And on top of it all, he was a young, hot college student.

Shen Xinyi had thought she’d stayed single all these years just waiting for a delicious catch like him. But in the end...

’I’ve been played!’

Shen Xinyi was filled with regret.

The old lady next to her, Wang Xiuying, however, seemed unconcerned.

"Young lady, do you know where we can pick up the soybean oil?"

Shen Xinyi shot Wang Xiuying a look. "Still keeping up the act, are we!"

Wang Xiuying: "???"

Teddy: WOOF WOOF WOOF!

At another boarding ramp nearby, Huang Henian had just gotten on, carrying a bucket of sea fish, his face a mask of astonishment.

’We just got back and we’re heading out again? An overnight sea fishing trip on a huge ship like this... this is the life! My good son, I didn’t raise you for nothing!’

Then, he excitedly scrambled onto the deck through the thick smoke, searching for the best fishing spot...

Qiao Ping and her therapist boarded the ship together.

"Should we really have come? My uncle will kill me if he finds out."

"Don’t worry. Therapists are excellent at keeping secrets."

Just then, a voice came over the cruise ship’s PA system.

"Ahem, testing, testing... I have an announcement to make..."

"I just spoke with the port inspector. A small fire has broken out at the port, and it’s burning a large quantity of chemicals—all of them highly toxic!"

"The fire itself isn’t severe, but the fumes are extremely hazardous!"

"All personnel are to proceed immediately to the guest rooms on the 13th floor. One person per room. Close your doors and wait for the fire department to handle the situation!"

"It must be one person per room! If I catch anyone sharing a room or wandering about, you’ll forfeit your entire bonus for the month!"

"Now, move!"

Captain Chen Guangzong’s voice broadcast clearly from every speaker on the cruise ship. The stern warning startled all the crew members.

"Chemicals... We’re not going to have any health problems from this, are we?"

"No wonder the smoke has such a strange, acrid smell..."

"What are you still chatting for? Get back to your cabins!"

"Cover your mouths and let’s go!"

The ship had over a hundred crew members, most of whom were on the upper decks. They hurried along the passageways, moving from the main deck into the ship’s interior and down to the guest rooms on the 13th floor.

That floor alone had 200 guest rooms!

It was more than enough for each of them to have their own.

The vast majority of the crew obediently followed the captain’s orders, entered their rooms, and shut the doors to wait for the situation to be resolved. Outside, A Port was still shrouded in thick smoke...

Meanwhile, in the captain’s office, Chen Guangzong, who was tied to a chair, looked back at the three people behind him with a fawning smile.

"I’ve done exactly as you asked... Are we good now?"

Zhao Youcai pulled the dagger away from Chen Guangzong’s neck and said coldly, "Very good. As long as you don’t try any funny business, I won’t kill you."

Huang Zhiqiang watched the situation outside, his face etched with worry. He said,

"The apocalypse had better be coming... or else we’re the ones who are doomed. I can’t even count how many crimes we’ve committed today..."

They were now true outlaws.

"He said he would come, so he will. He wouldn’t lie to us, don’t worry."

Then, she looked over at Captain Chen Guangzong, who was blatantly eavesdropping, and tried to reassure him.

"Captain Chen, please don’t worry. Our methods might be a bit extreme, but we’re trying to save people... You’ll understand what’s happening in an hour. Until then, please cooperate with us in isolating the engineers on board."

"Yes, yes, of course... Whatever you say, I’ll do it. I promise to cooperate. I’m begging you, please don’t hurt me or my crew. We’re just out here trying to make a living. We’re at sea for six months at a time, our wives and kids are waiting for us back home... Whatever you want to do, we won’t get in your way."

Chen Guangzong caved instantly. ’They set a port on fire... What kind of maniacs are these?!’

If he mouthed off again, he was afraid they’d set his ship on fire, too.

’Wait a minute!’

Chen Guangzong looked at the three of them and suddenly realized who had set that fire on the top deck last night...

He drew a sharp breath.

’Better pretend I don’t know anything and just play along.’

The experienced crew had already sealed the interior of the cruise ship, so none of the smoke could get in.

Some of the crew who had rushed into their rooms now started to poke their heads out, chatting with their neighbors.

"Hey! Doesn’t Old Chen seem a little weird today? Sealing the interior should have been enough, so why herd us all into our rooms?"

"Who knows? It’s pretty normal for the bosses to act crazy."

"Whatever. I turned on the robotic bartender. Anyone want to come have a drink?"

Seeing that the chemical fumes couldn’t get in, a few burly sailors sat right down and started drinking. The newly restocked cocktail robot began mixing drinks with dazzling flair, a true feast for the eyes.

’Stay in our rooms... what a load of bullshit.’

’Like we have to do whatever he says?’

’It doesn’t make sense!’

A portion of the crew chose to move about freely in the ship’s interior, chatting amongst themselves.

However, the more dutiful crew members, especially the professional engineers, trusted the captain’s judgment and stayed obediently in their rooms, playing on their phones.

The veteran technicians, who had been working on emergency repairs since dawn, took the opportunity to lie down and rest, needing to recover their strength to continue the repairs that night...

Meanwhile, First Mate Xu David observed the situation on the 13th floor but didn’t say anything to the crew members who were milling about.

He and Chen Guangzong had been partners for many years—they were as close as brothers—and he felt that something was wrong.

’Why is Old Chen talking like that today... He never usually micromanages things this much...’

After thinking it over, he decided to go check on Chen Guangzong.