Chapter 18: The Ocean Cruise 17

Chapter 18

The three high school students looked at each other silently, saying nothing.

At some point, the other five workers had come out, each standing at the entrance of the corridor rooms.

Li Juanjuan looked miserable and disheveled.

They were supposed to discuss matters tonight.

Ever since Zhao Meila had seen that man in the banquet hall, she had been in a daze.

The situation was progressing poorly. When the bell rang, the boy tried to open the door to check, but suddenly a mermaid appeared. With one swipe of her claw, she took the man away before they could even react.

Zhao Jinchun stood at the doorway with the other two.

Qi Yan bit on a strawberry candy, his hat brim pulled low, naturally concealing his indifferent and cold expression.

System notification:

[ Ding! One-third of the task progress completed. ]

[ Congratulations to all workers for obtaining — mermaid blood. ]

[ Six days remain to complete the task. Keep it up. ]

As the voice faded, everyone’s eyes turned to Zhao Jinchun and the other two. Finally, all gazes focused on Zhao Jinchun’s hand.

She was holding a bag of liquid.

It was a blue-black color, carrying a foul smell mixed with rust and blood.

She noticed everyone staring, made no effort to hide it, and raised her hand: “Got it.”

Li Juanjuan said nothing; it was the three high school students who reacted.

They weren’t familiar with the boy who had died, and though they felt sad at first, when they heard the system announce the mermaid blood had been found, their eyes lit up instantly.

Though others’ deaths were sorrowful, their own hope of escape had just brightened; who cared about others now?

The three whispered among themselves.

Zhao Jinchun frowned slightly and rubbed her ear.

In her mind, the system rang again: [ Ding! Level & NPC detected, danger present, please evacuate immediately. ]

Zhao Jinchun pulled Qi Yan inside the room.

The system’s alarm stopped.

She turned to look at those outside; their reactions did not reflect any sense of danger.

She raised an eyebrow.

Pulling Qi Yan back out, before she could say a word, the system began its shrill alert again.

The sound was piercing; she rubbed her ears.

Zhao Jinchun addressed Qin Chuan: “Did the system warn you about anything?”

Qin Chuan looked puzzled and shook his head.

Her eyelids drooped.

The system had been warning her alone?

Zhao Jinchun asked, “When was the last time you heard an NPC appear?”

Qin Chuan thought for a moment. “The banquet hall.”

Zhao Jinchun’s gaze shifted to Qi Yan’s face.

What did this mean? Was the system implying that she should get Qi Yan away from the crowd?

Lost in thought, the three high school students had somehow gathered by her door, looking at her expectantly.

Zhao Jinchun snapped back to attention: ?

Ten minutes later.

Inside Zhao Jinchun’s room.

The three high school students sat in a row, contributing a pile of notes. “These are the clues we found.”

Zhao Jinchun flipped through them one by one, then looked up at the three: “You found all these?”

The volume of information was immense, nearly covering every key point.

[ The bell tolls, the mermaid comes ashore. The mermaid is ugly and delights in eating human flesh. ]

[ The cruise ship’s chef loves to prepare caviar dishes for everyone. Oh~ and of course, humans also use their flesh to make strange things, like paste and so on. ]

…

[ When everything is ready, at the twelfth bell, the mermaid comes ashore. Those who survive will receive a gift. ]

The high school girl nodded: “Right, the waitress sister gave it, and the supervisor gave it, and, ah, many people.”

Zhao Jinchun began to size up the three.

She quickly scanned their name tags: the girl was Li Xiaohong, and the two boys were Li Xiaoming and Li Xiaohua.