Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Two: To Live or To Die?
On the west coast of the island, faint sounds of explosions came from the Limestone Castle, perched on the cliffs.
Beneath the night sky, fiery glows and the clamor of explosions erupted from the direction of the cliffs, with intermittent sounds of gunfire...
On the coast, a silver yacht had already taken cover of the darkness to silently leave the harbor.
Autopiloting at full speed towards the west, the silver yacht cleaved through the waves rapidly, while a burly middle-aged man stood on the stern deck, his complexion complex as he watched the receding coastline behind him...
In the direction of the cliffs, a dim firelight shone, reflecting off the night sky and falling into the eyes of the middle-aged man.
With clenched teeth, the Captain ground his teeth together, feeling a surge of hot blood within him.
Anger, frustration, unwillingness.
But above all, fear!
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Fifteen minutes earlier, upon seeing the youth waving at the camera outside the castle in the surveillance footage, smiling with pearly white teeth at the camera, the Captain felt as if he had plunged into an ice cave!
He was all too aware that he stood at death's doorstep this very night.
His first thought was... this kid named Yama, he's not dead?!
His second thought was... Damn it! The Wizard, that crafty old bastard, had screwed me over!!
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Employing the Wizard to kill the young man named Yama was the most decisive act of rebellion by the Captain as a leader within the Abyss Organization—it was also the last resort.
This was true whether considering the losses from abandoning business in the East Asia region and the organization's sacrificed future potential, or the fact that, as an established Underground World organization, The Abyss would suffer a devastating blow to internal morale and cohesion if it failed to retaliate for the loss of a core group of its members.
In any case, either of these points was enough reason for the Captain to take the risk and seek help from the Wizard.
Besides, the Wizard had initiated contact with him.
He had originally thought that with the Wizard, a top figure in the Underground World, handling the operation, the retaliation should have been a sure success.
Unexpectedly, this guy was actually still alive!
What infuriated me even more at the time was that Wizard, that wily old devil! The assassination had failed... and that crafty old bastard hadn't even bothered to inform me in time?!
The mission failed, and you, damn it, didn't even tell the client!
That's completely unprofessional!
You could at least have given me a heads-up!
Against an opponent even the illustrious Wizard couldn't handle!
If you had said something, I, damn it, would at least have had some time to flee!
Even if I didn't run, to come and kneel before him, calling him 'Daddy' to beg for mercy, would have at least offered me a slim chance of survival!!
Yet the Wizard never dropped a hint, leaving the Captain utterly clueless…
And just like that, he was completely screwed.
It wasn't until Chen Nuo came knocking that the Captain was forced to the edge of the cliff.
To hell with that damn Wizard!
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What the Captain did not know was that the Wizard was actually pretty professional, but this time was an exception.
The Wizard didn't inform him for two main reasons. Firstly, he himself had been seriously injured. This secret was far more important to the Wizard than ensuring his client's safety!
If word got out that he had failed a mission and been seriously wounded, the Wizard himself would likely face some unforeseen risks.
Secondly…
In the Wizard's eyes, the Captain and the Abyss Organization were already as good as dead.
Chen Nuo actually had the Star Sky Empress by his side...
And they were, damn it, a couple!
This was an iron plate that the Wizard had rammed headfirst into, leaving him battered and bleeding.
Moreover, the two sides had fought fiercely, a battle of life and death.
Both sides had suffered injuries.
So, in the Wizard's mind, it was only natural that Chen Yanluo and the Star Sky Empress, that couple, would inevitably seek revenge and come for blood.
The Abyss Organization and their boss, the Captain... these people are as good as dead!
A Controller-level Star Sky Empress, and a Chen Yanluo who was approaching the Controller tier.
Basically, the Abyss Organization could be declared annihilated.
So, what was the point in notifying them?
Why reveal information that could pose a threat to himself—such as his mission failure, serious injuries, and greatly diminished strength—all for a group of people who were about to die anyway?
The cunning Wizard chose to remain silent!
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The Captain was an extremely decisive man!
When he saw Chen Nuo's arrival on the monitor, he made two decisions.
The first decision was to send all his men, fully armed, to fight Chen Nuo to the death!
The second decision was to immediately turn around himself, head for the docks, and escape by boat!
What a joke!
Even the Wizard couldn't kill the opponent... and the Wizard hadn't sent back a single message...
This youth has come directly to our doorstep.
The Captain wasn't blindly confident that, as a Destroyer-tier, he could defeat this murderous challenger who had come knocking.
So, he chose to sacrifice a part to save the whole!
The Abyss Organization sent all its forces to surround and kill the intruder, while the leader himself chose to quietly slip away!
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When the sound of explosions was no longer audible, from a distance along the coastline, one could only see a towering flame in the direction of the castle upon the cliff...
From afar, it looked like a tiny torch standing between heaven and earth...
Being too far away, and with the sea breeze blowing, the sounds of explosions and gunfire could no longer be heard.
The yacht had sailed far from the coast, and the Captain breathed a sigh of relief.
Rage and fear, these dual emotions weighed heavily in the Captain's heart, like a stone pressing down. His face was ashen.
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This yacht was built three years ago; in terms of speed, endurance, and the configuration of both hardware and software, it was among the world's top standards.
It had cost the Abyss Organization over thirty million US dollars.
And now, this yacht had become the Captain's last lifeboat.
He knew very well that from tonight onwards, the Abyss Organization, once famous and long-established in the Underground World, would be erased from history.
It would be best for me to keep a low profile from now on, find a quiet place to hide, and live out the rest of my days quietly. That's my best option.
Against such a powerful opponent, one even the Wizard couldn't handle, unless I can one day break through to the Controller level, there's no hope for revenge in this lifetime.
Standing at the stern and staring at the direction they had come from for nearly half an hour, the Captain turned and entered the cabin, exhaling forcefully.
He picked up a bottle of liquor from the table, bit off the cap, and downed half the bottle in one go, letting the spicy drink fill his throat and burn his stomach...
"At least... I'm still alive," the Captain sighed resignedly.
He checked the cruise control system in the cockpit, then settled in a corner of the cabin, leaning against the sofa and staring blankly, liquor bottle still in hand. His emotions at that moment were indescribable.
After an indeterminate amount of time, the Captain's eyes closed.
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The Captain awoke at daybreak to the sound of the sea breeze. The yacht was still sailing smoothly.
As soon as he opened his eyes, he looked out the window at the bright sky and felt the humid sea air, which made him sit up straight away.
The liquor bottle in his hand was empty. He casually tossed it aside and stood up from the sofa.
Just as he was about to check the cruise control system in the cockpit again, suddenly, a sound from the direction of the yacht's kitchen made the Captain's entire body jolt!
DING!
The crisp alert sound came from the oven in the kitchen on board!
This top-tier luxury yacht boasted a five-star kitchen.
The sound from the oven made the Captain's entire body tense up in an instant.
He clearly remembered that no one else was on the ship besides himself! And he certainly hadn't set foot in the kitchen the night before!
After a moment of stiffness, the Captain's years in the Underground World enabled him to react immediately.
He pulled a dagger from his waist and held it in his left hand, while his right hand quickly grabbed a Gold-plated Desert Eagle from the cabinet next to the couch.
Moving stealthily, he reached the kitchen door and peeked inside, where he froze in place!
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Chen Nuo opened the oven and took out a tray, on which sat steaming hot bread.
With his sleeves rolled up and a relaxed expression, he even hummed a tune as he walked over to the stove, picked up a frying pan, and placed it on the burner. Then, he rummaged through the refrigerator and found a steak.
He whistled after inspecting the packaging.
"Wow? Top-notch Australian Wagyu, huh? You sure know how to enjoy life, Captain."
Happy with his find, he didn't bother letting the steak thaw naturally but quickly rinsed it under the tap.
A spoonful of olive oil, a bit of butter, heated in the frying pan before he threw in the steak.
With a pan in one hand and a spatula in the other, Chen Nuo wore a contented smile as he deeply inhaled the aroma of the cooking steak and, without turning his head, said, "If you don't want to die, put down that gun and knife, then help me with some black pepper sauce."
"..."
The Captain stood at the entrance to the kitchen, his body stiff for a few seconds, lacking the courage to rush forward and fight.
Eventually, he set down the knife and gun on the table, then moved toward the cupboard.
"The seasonings are inside the cupboard," he said, selecting a jar. "Black pepper sauce? Do you need anything else?"
"Wine? I remember there's a cellar below the cabin with wine. Go fetch a bottle of Latour."
"...Yes."
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On his way to the wine cellar, the Captain carefully observed his surroundings... Several times, the impulse to jump into the sea and escape crossed my mind.
But each time, he forcefully suppressed the thought.
Although I have some confidence in my own abilities... after all, my nickname is "Captain."
At sea, this is my home turf.
Even if I can't beat him, if I try to flee, I might still have a slim chance of escape.
But I just can't muster the courage!
In the end, in a daze, he chose a bottle of '90 Latour from the cellar and returned to the kitchen.
Chen Nuo's steak was already done.
On the dining table were bread, steak, and black pepper sauce. Chen Nuo had also found a jar of caviar in the refrigerator and opened it.
He held a fork in his left hand and a knife in his right.
He made the first cut into the steak, revealing the juicy, slightly bloody meat beneath.
"Mmm, quite tender." Chen Nuo speared a piece with his fork, chewing it carefully to savor the taste of the juicy meat.
A few seconds later, Chen Nuo let out a satisfied sigh. "Not bad."
Glancing at the Captain standing there with the wine bottle, Chen Nuo said indifferently, "What are you standing there for? Pour me some wine."
"...Oh, right." The Captain lowered his eyes and took out a decanter.
"No time for decanting," Chen Nuo shook his head. "Just drink it straight."
"...Okay."
The Captain took out a wine glass, hesitated for a moment, then took another.
He placed two wine glasses and the bottle on the dining table, poured a glass for Chen Nuo, and one for himself. Chen Nuo didn't say anything, just took a sip from his glass, nodding in approval. "Not bad."
After pondering for a moment, Chen Nuo asked, "Don't you have two more cases of Romanée-Conti?"
Yes, I remember. In my previous life, when I came to kill the Captain and seized this yacht, those cases were here.
"Uh..." The Captain hesitated, a flicker of fear in his heart. "I, I ordered two cases two months ago, but they haven't arrived yet."
Alright then.
Chen Nuo sighed resignedly in his heart.
Looks like I came too early.
Chen Nuo quickly finished the steak and had also drunk two glasses of wine—after he finished the first, the Captain had proactively poured him the second.
Picking up a napkin, Chen Nuo wiped his mouth and casually tossed the napkin aside.
"There are cigars on board, right? I'll take a BK54."
"...Okay."
The Captain was struck by an utterly absurd feeling.
It's as if this young man, Yama, knows my yacht like the back of his hand... even better than I do?!
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What the Captain didn't know was that in another spacetime, on another timeline—that is to say, in Chen Nuo's previous life—this yacht had been directly seized by Chen Nuo after he single-handedly wiped out The Abyss Organization.
All of The Abyss's wealth, decades of accumulated fortune and resources, became the initial capital for Chen Yanluo's rise in his previous life.
This large, ultra-luxurious yacht, in particular, had played a very significant role in Chen Nuo's previous life. It had accompanied him for over a decade! Although it later underwent several refits and upgrades.
Then... until those eight years of self-imposed exile at sea, Chen Nuo had been on this very yacht!
It could be said that Chen Nuo was incredibly familiar with every inch of this yacht!
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The cigar was a Cohiba BK54.
The cigar cutter gently snipped off one end, and then it was lit with a torch lighter.
After a few puffs on the cigar, Chen Nuo leaned back on the sofa, legs propped up on the coffee table.
His gaze finally landed seriously on the Captain's face.
With a smile, Chen Nuo sighed lightly, "Actually, I wouldn't have come to find you so soon."
"..."
"But you're somewhat unlucky," Chen Nuo shook his head. "I've been rather broke recently, and I just happened to remember that you and I had some unresolved issues. And, as it happens, you're quite wealthy."
"..."
Chen Nuo put down the cigar, examining the Captain. After a few seconds, the youth smiled lightly. "Do you want to die or live?"
The Captain breathed a sigh of relief in his heart... he realized that his life was likely saved.
"I want to live!"
The Captain answered very earnestly.
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[This chapter was written last night; it's the last of my drafts.
My father is undergoing surgery today, and I'm feeling anxious, really not in the mood to write. This is not the time for concocting stories or writing humorous paragraphs—I'm just not in the right mindset.
I believe you can understand.
It's not that I'm completely out of time; if I grit my teeth, I can squeeze out an hour or two... but with my father lying in the operating room or on a hospital bed, I really don't feel like writing that stuff.
I believe you can also understand.
Actually, I have done everything I could. I've worked hard, found the best doctor for my father's illness, and arranged for the best available surgeon for the operation...
I hope everything goes well!
The updates will continue, and I'll keep posting tomorrow, but that's really all for today.
My apologies to everyone.]
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