Chapter 634

Chen Dingchao was left bewildered by Chen Xiaoyu's sudden order, his belly full of complaints.

He stared wide-eyed at the niece before him.

Feeling Xiaoyu really had gotten full of herself, lost all sense of direction! Since becoming captain, she's become utterly unreasonable. I'm her paternal uncle, I've drifted at sea for so many years—my experience isn't poorer than hers? I've eaten more salt than she's eaten rice! Yet now even asking for a reason gets me scolded, I have no standing at all.

"Xiaoyu, it's not uncle saying this." Chen Dingchao lowered his voice, his face full of displeasure: "Although you're captain now, you can't be so willful; at least tell me what's going on, ah!"

Chen Xiaoyu anxiously glanced at her watch; time was ticking away second by second.

She suppressed her inner anxiety, speaking firmly: "Uncle, there's no time to explain now. You just need to know Xu Jijun is a dangerous person; we must evacuate immediately. Please do as I say—quickly gather all crew and launch the lifeboats to evacuate!"

Chen Dingchao had never seen such an unquestionable, commanding tone from Xiaoyu before.

Chen Dingchao opened his mouth to say something, but seeing his niece's eyes unusually bright in the night, he swallowed his words.

"Fine, you're the captain, your word is law!"

Chen Dingchao turned away resentfully, shaking his head and sighing as he walked, muttering: "Really, you've gotten full of yourself, not even putting your uncle in your eyes..."

The night was deep, the sea wind howled.

Chen Dingchao knocked on each crew cabin door, lowering his voice to give the order: "Everyone up, quietly gather on the starboard side, launch the lifeboats and evacuate."

"Uncle Chao, what's happening in the middle of the night?" a young crew member asked, rubbing sleep from his eyes, his face full of confusion.

"Don't ask so much," Chen Dingchao waved impatiently, but seeing the crew's doubtful looks, he added: "What the captain says must have her reasons. Move gently, don't disturb the guests."

Chen Dingchao deliberately emphasized the word "guests."

Still full of complaints.

He thought Xu Jijun looked refined and cultured, and being a friend of Lin Dongfan, what danger could he pose? The truth is, Xiaoyu is just making a fuss, showing off her authority on the ship.

Elsewhere.

Although the crew were full of doubts, seeing Chen Dingchao's stern expression, they quickly dressed and gathered silently on the starboard side.

The sea wind was strong, the wave noise masking their movements, but this made each person's heartbeat sound especially clear.

"Quick, lower lifeboat number three."

Chen Xiaoyu gave commands in a low voice, her eyes occasionally glancing warily toward the upper deck. Now she fears nothing except that Xu Jijun on the upper deck might hear the noise.

Two experienced sailors skillfully operated the davits, lowering the orange lifeboat gently toward the sea.

The waves were sizable, the lifeboat swaying lightly in the air.

Everyone's hearts were in their throats, fearing any sound.

However…

Just as the lifeboat was about to touch the water, an unexpected wave struck, jerking the ship.

Sailor Xiao Li staggered, instinctively loosening the control lever; the lifeboat clanged against the hull with a loud "clang."

"Damn your mother! Where are your eyes?!" Chen Dingchao saw a large patch of paint scraped off the hull, heartbroken, stamping his feet, he couldn't help shouting: "A bunch of good-for-nothings, you can't even handle this small thing! This paint is specially made—do you know how much it costs to fix? Can't you be more careful!"

Xiao Li was silenced by the scolding, head lowered, not daring to utter a sound.

Chen Dingchao's shout rang out sharply in the quiet night, even the howling sea wind seemed to pause.

On the upper deck, Xu Jijun leaned on the rail, gazing into the distance, contemplating his next plan.

That sudden outburst immediately aroused his alertness.

His eyes narrowed; he swiftly took the carefully maintained sniper rifle from his long sports bag and expertly attached an eight-power scope.

Through the high-precision scope, he clearly saw the chaotic scene on the starboard side.

Crew members were scrambling onto the lifeboat in disarray, Chen Xiaoyu stood at the front directing, while the moon's pale light floated on the wind-tossed waves.

Xu Jijun's lips curled in a cold smile; the crosshairs crept slowly, finally settling on Xiaoyu's occiput.

His index finger lightly rested on the trigger, feeling the spring's resistance.

With just a little pressure, this clever girl would lose her life. Yet Xu Jijun hesitated—life is precious! It hadn't reached the point where killing was necessary.

He lowered the aim, Xu Jijun then targeted the already inflated rubber boat.

Calmly, he pulled the trigger.

"Bang!"

A crisp gunshot shattered the night, echoing across the sea.

The rubber boat burst instantly, rapidly deflating and capsizing.

The crew members who had just climbed aboard screamed as they fell into the water; the sea instantly became a chaotic mess. Cold waves slapped the faces of those in the water, fear spreading in every eye.

"Everyone listen!" Xu Jijun stood on high ground, rifle raised, his voice as cold as the night sea wind: "Return to the ship immediately. I'll count to three; if anyone's still in the water, don't blame me for being impolite!"

The crew members in the water looked fearfully at the armed figure on the ship, and, driven by survival instinct, they all swam toward the ship's side.

Chen Xiaoyu struggled in the water, salty seawater choking her throat, but what hurt her more was the inner despair.

Her final escape plan thus came to naught.

Only then did Chen Dingchao snap out of his daze.

He looked at Chen Xiaoyu struggling in the water, then lifted his gaze to Xu Jijun holding a sniper rifle on the upper deck; regret welled up in him like a tide.

He felt all the salt he'd eaten over the years was wasted, blind as he was—he had ultimately misjudged the person.

"Damn your mother, he's actually an armed dangerous element—no wonder Xiaoyu wanted to evacuate."

If he hadn't just shouted so loudly, Xiaoyu's evacuation plan wouldn't have turned out like this.

"Xiaoyu, hurry up, everyone listen to Mr. Xu! He has a gun."

After regret and gloom erupted, fear followed; Chen Dingchao hastily reached out and pulled Chen Xiaoyu onto the ship.

On the upper deck.

Xu Jijun coldly watched the crew members scramble back aboard one by one, his gun barrel always trained on them.

After the last person came aboard.

"Chen Xiaoyu, bring all your people to the fore deck, gather there, and squat with hands over heads!"

He slowly walked down the gangway.

After checking each trembling crew member individually and confirming they were not carrying weapons, only then did he say to the soaked, constantly shaking Chen Xiaoyu: "It seems we need to have a good talk."

Chen Dingchao, crouching in the crowd, furtively glanced at the gun in Xu Jijun's hand.

Although his heart felt fearful.

Still summoning his courage, he shouted back: "If there's trouble, come at me; everything on the ship is decided by me, not by Xiaoyu—I'm his uncle!"

"You?"

Xu Jijun gave Chen Dingchao a dismissive glance.

He then turned his gaze to Chen Xiaoyu, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable threat: "Chen Xiaoyu, from now on, I will take command of this ship. As long as you cooperate, I will not harm anyone. Next, please use rope to bind everyone's hands behind their backs, linking them together on the same rope like grasshoppers."