Chapter 447: Died in the Line of Duty from an Explosion

Chapter 447: Chapter 447: Died in the Line of Duty from an Explosion

The middle-aged man checked all the planted bombs one last time. After confirming there were no issues, he waved his hand, signaling the group behind him to follow.

Unlike the spot where they had boarded, the location they were leaving from was much more remote.

"Boss, wouldn’t it be better to leave from where we started? Why are we going this way?" The young man who had asked questions earlier looked around, his expression and tone tinged with confusion.

That spot was clearly more convenient, and they wouldn’t have had to navigate so many obstacles.

The middle-aged man walked on without looking back, a hint of exasperation in his voice. "Guests could show up over there at any moment. We just finished installing this stuff, so we’ve inevitably got some dust on us."

"If we walk to the front and bump into the guests, not even the boss could protect us."

The explanation sounded reasonable, but a flicker of astonishment crossed the faces of several men.

The sea was vast. If any guests were arriving, they would surely spot them immediately and could get out of the way in time.

’The excuse isn’t convincing enough. Could there be another reason he’s not telling us?’

The few men who sensed something was wrong exchanged glances. A sense of wariness grew within them, and they decided to wait and see what else he would say.

The middle-aged man seemed to guess their thoughts and added, "You all know what we just planted. You’re not planning on sticking around, are you?"

"It’s obviously better to leave as soon as possible, who cares which way we go!"

’Now that he puts it that way, it kind of makes sense? Maybe I’m just overthinking things?’

Hearing this explanation, the men who had been wary just a moment ago hesitated.

As they wrestled with their uncertainty, the middle-aged man led them to their departure point.

A boat was waiting on the water, equipped exactly like the one they had arrived in.

A rope ladder hung from the side of the cruise ship for them to climb down.

"Alright, everyone get on." The middle-aged man’s expression was calm as he directed the men to board the boat one by one.

"Boss, aren’t you getting on?" a man asked, pausing as he grabbed the rope ladder and looked at the middle-aged man.

The middle-aged man smacked him on the back of the head and snapped, "Of course I’m going! I’m last, obviously. Get a move on, don’t keep me from getting home!"

"My daughter’s waiting for me to come home and play with her. Don’t make me kick you!"

Hearing the same kind of reply as usual, the man’s heart relaxed slightly. His movements quickened as he slid down the rope ladder to the small boat.

The moment he found his footing, groups of armed guards suddenly appeared on both sides of the cruise ship. They took aim and unleashed a hail of gunfire.

And the boss who had just been talking to him stood nearby, a cold expression on his face, watching with an indifferent gaze as they fell, one after another.

’Why?’

’What did we do wrong?’

The man’s eyes were wide open as he fell backward into a pool of blood, his consciousness slowly fading.

Even in death, he couldn’t understand why things had suddenly turned out this way.

After the volley of gunfire ceased, two guards with guns slid down the rope ladder and checked the bodies one by one.

Once they confirmed a man was dead, they threw his body into the sea.

Soon, the small boat was empty. If not for the bloodstains covering the deck, you would never know it had been crowded with people just moments before.

After confirming there were no survivors, the middle-aged man dialed his boss’s number.

The instant the call connected, his previously expressionless face twisted into a fawning smile. "Boss, I’ve planted everything according to your instructions. Everyone who knew has been dealt with."

A young man’s voice came from the other end of the line: "I know. Remember to deal with my assets quickly."

"Yes, I understand." The middle-aged man offered a few more sycophantic words before hanging up.

Then, he boarded another supply speedboat and raced back to the mainland at top speed.

And just as the guards were aiming their guns at the men, Zoe Sawyer and Sean Hughes had pulled out their phones and recorded the entire incident.

They made sure to get a clear shot of the middle-aged man’s face, making it easier for Barry Quinn and the others to identify him later.

Zoe Sawyer didn’t let out a long breath until the man had left on the speedboat.

Just as she was about to hand the video to the others behind her, her attention was instantly captured by the names appearing on the door panel.

The list started with Heath Hale and Barry Quinn, followed by ten to twenty more names. The last line read: Died in the line of duty at ten o’clock tonight due to a bomb detonating on the cruise ship.

Some of the names that followed were familiar to her, others were not.

Zoe Sawyer sucked in a sharp breath and whipped her head around to look at Heath Hale and the others.

The sudden movement immediately drew the attention of the three who were in the middle of a discussion.

"What is it? Did you find something?" Heath Hale’s voice was tinged with anxiety when he saw Zoe Sawyer’s pale face. He simultaneously glanced at Sean Hughes, as if to ask if he had noticed anything.

Sean Hughes looked a bit lost. Other than the shooting, nothing else particularly terrifying had happened.

’Zoe Sawyer’s expression hadn’t changed at first. Is it possible to have a delayed reaction to something like this?’

’But they’d seen worse before, and he’d never seen Zoe react this way.’

Seeing they couldn’t get any answers from Sean Hughes, Heath Hale and the others turned their attention back to Zoe Sawyer.

"The door gave me a warning." Zoe Sawyer exhaled, her eyes fixed on the door panel as she read the names one by one.

Those who were unaware of Zoe Sawyer’s ability were confused when their names were called.

But Heath Hale and the others had been through this a few times. When they noticed her gaze was fixed on the door panel, the bad feeling in their gut intensified.

The last time this happened, it was because a colleague was going to die on a future case.

And that "future" was usually within twenty-four hours.

Sure enough, after reciting the names like a roll call, Zoe Sawyer read out the warning on the line below.

"That was the warning the door just gave me. Do you have an operation planned?" After she finished, Zoe Sawyer stared intently at Heath Hale and the others, her expression urgent.

’Died in an explosion!’

’It must be related to the bombs those men just planted!’

It was the first time the Chief learned her ability could be used this way, and many of the names on the list were people under his command!

"We do. We were just planning it. At six o’clock tonight, regardless of whether all their ’guests’ have arrived, we’re going to ascertain the manpower distribution and weapons cache on the cruise ship."

"Then, we’ll find an opportunity to rescue the hostages. Don’t tell me we get discovered during the rescue?" A hint of doubt crossed the Chief’s face. ’But that shouldn’t happen.’

To ensure everyone’s safety, the rescue would definitely be conducted through Zoe Sawyer’s door. ’Unless... some other accident happens in the process!’

"I’ll ask the door, see if it can predict..."