Zhen Ai curled up under the blanket, lifting her head wearily to gaze outside. Beyond the white window was the unchanging blue—a spectrum of light blue, sky blue, royal blue, deep blue, and sea blue...
She fell back heavily onto her pillow, her mind groggy.
How many days had it been on this cruise?
A few days ago, she and Yan Su had planned a trip to Whaling Island, a tourist destination in the far north of Alaska. After a brief stop there, they intended to travel further north to the secluded atoll of Silverland.
At first, Zhen Ai was going to book plane tickets, but Yan Su found out that Silverland was actually a private atoll, not open to the public. However, this year, the mysterious island owner had hosted a riddle contest, and those who solved it could win a free trip to the atoll and stay at the owner's mysterious castle.
The island owner entrusted the riddle contest to a travel company, and only those who boarded the luxury cruise to Whaling Island were eligible to participate.
When Zhen Ai went to the travel company, she saw an advertisement for the cruise: sailing northward along the Atlantic Ocean, with ever-changing scenery along the way, and finally reaching the island where summer and winter coexist.
The advertisement was filled with bright colors, showcasing summer vibes, winter snowscapes, vibrant parties on deck, and the colorful décor and food indoors.
When Yan Su saw it, he had only one thought: so many colors! Zhen Ai would love it.
But Zhen Ai got seasick.
On the first day, she was vomiting nonstop, and in the days that followed, she lay limp in bed, groggy and unable to tell day from night.
She wasn't sure how long she had slept this time when she groggily opened her eyes. Was it afternoon?
The sunlight outside was wonderful, warming the room. She turned her head slightly, staring blankly at Yan Su. He sat at the foot of the bed in a single chair, writing and sketching in his notebook.
Outside, the northern ocean sky was vast and blue; at the foot of the bed, his relaxed face was calm and picturesque, a sight in itself.
He did everything with full concentration, entirely focused, even when it came to love.
She stared at him, liking how he looked when he was so serious.
Though the past few days were a blur, her feelings for him were both hazy and clear; during the worst of her seasickness, when she was vomiting with an empty stomach and refusing to eat, he had held her and patiently fed her spoonfuls of food despite her squirming and crying in protest.
At night, when she was groaning from discomfort, he would hold her close and soothe her to sleep.
During the day, for as long as she slept, he sat at the foot of the bed, only stirring when she shifted restlessly, checking on her in a low voice.
Thinking back on his warmth and care these past few days, Zhen Ai felt as soft as spring water, but also a little silly. She wasn't usually a weak girl.
Since she was little, she'd taken care of herself through fevers and colds, climbing onto a stool to get medicine from the cupboard, even giving herself injections. While on the run, she had set her own dislocated shoulder and removed bullets from her own wounds...
Those memories were vivid, but she couldn't understand why a little seasickness had made her so fragile and demanding.
She stared at Yan Su, wondering—maybe it was because she had someone to rely on now?
Though she felt sweet and happy, guilt crept in. Hadn't she put Yan Su through a lot these past few days?
She lifted the blanket carefully and crawled toward the foot of the bed. Yan Su heard her and slowly raised his eyes.
His brow had been lightly furrowed, his gaze focused on the notebook, cool and distant, but the moment his eyes met hers, a warm smile naturally softened his expression.
She crawled directly into his single chair. Yan Su set down his notebook, reached out to catch her, and pulled her into his arms, asking softly, "Still feeling unwell?"
His voice was as pure and clear as the blue sky over the sea.
"Not anymore," she answered absentmindedly, focused entirely on adjusting herself in the chair. After wriggling around to find a comfortable spot between his legs, she finally wrapped her arms around his neck and called out sweetly, "Dear!"
"Hm?" He chuckled lowly, supporting her bottom with one hand as he adjusted her position in the small chair. The two of them crammed into one seat created a suggestive, playful intimacy.
She nuzzled against his neck, her voice soft and slightly nasal from just waking up. "It's all my fault. You haven't had any fun. The ticket said there'd be a ball and a banquet and so many other things."
He didn't seem regretful at all. "I don't particularly enjoy crowded places. But you," he looked down at her with a trace of concern, "I'm worried you'll get sick after all this."
Zhen Ai rested her head on his shoulder. "No way, I've slept so much I feel great now."
He stroked her hair gently. "But you really do need to get out for a walk."
Soon, Zhen Ai dressed herself and added a light scarf before heading out of cabin 1003 with Yan Su.
Standing by the ship's railing, she gazed down at the sapphire-blue sea and up at the dazzling, endless sky on the horizon. The breathtaking beauty cleared her mind, and the nausea and heaviness from seasickness vanished in an instant.
Holding onto Yan Su's warm hands at her waist, she felt great, turning her head to ask, "By the way, how much longer until we reach the shore?"
"Tomorrow morning."
"So soon?" Zhen Ai now felt a bit of regret, but not disappointment. "Isn't there supposed to be a riddle contest?"
He tightened the scarf around her neck, leaning against the railing with his arms around her. "I already submitted my answers, and I entered one for you as well."
Zhen Ai was surprised. "What was the riddle?"
Yan Su absentmindedly brushed her cheek as he answered, "The riddle was about a lion, MIT, Monday, and a genius."
"What are those things?" Zhen Ai frowned and shifted in his arms.
He gave a faint smile. "A pile of money."
Zhen Ai didn't understand at first, but after thinking for a moment, she suddenly realized, "Ah, could it be about that billion dollars that disappeared from the bank? That Alex was your classmate, right? So he was the MIT student; the lion is the symbol of the central bank; the robbery happened on a Monday; and Alex is the genius, a criminal genius."
"You're so clever." He kissed her forehead, smiling gently.
Encouraged, Zhen Ai looked around to make sure no one was nearby, then whispered, "Why would they choose this riddle though? Could it be that the robbers are meeting on the island to divide the loot?"
Yan Su couldn't help but laugh. "If they were dividing the money, they'd hardly need to make it this complicated." Then, growing more serious, he added, "After Alex stole the money, he relied on some people to hide it and evade the authorities. But when those people later wanted their share, Alex disappeared with the money.
"According to L.J., those people have been searching for the money ever since. They probably searched individually at first, hoping to keep the full amount for themselves. But after all these years, they've come up empty, so they've decided to gather together to come up with a plan.
"But since these people are all prominent figures in society, they used code names and disguises when they worked with Alex, so none of them know each other's real identities. The riddle contest was just a way for them to arrange a meeting."
Zhen Ai's mind raced. "But if they're such prominent people, won't they risk ruining their reputations by meeting like this?"
"We're both going to the island, aren't we?" Yan Su smiled slightly, his eyes narrowing a little. "This time, besides the accomplices from back then, I expect there will be some others too."
Zhen Ai suddenly understood. "That's true. Even if someone really was an accomplice, they could easily claim they just solved the riddle after seeing the story on the news."
Yan Su didn't respond. Back then, Alex had hidden the money to prevent it from falling into the hands of the S.P.A. organization, and he had enlisted help to pull it off. Now, in addition to those accomplices, there were likely government agents going to the island as well. The authorities had been tracking the money for years and had probably found clues among Alex's associates.
"Will the organization's people come?"
Yan Su was never afraid of S.P.A. In fact, he had even secretly looked forward to a confrontation with them. However, this time, he secretly hoped he wouldn't encounter them on the island.
Thinking of this, he glanced at Zhen Ai, who was happily stretching her hands, trying to catch the wind on the sea surface.
A strange emptiness filled his heart, and he instinctively leaned closer to her forehead, as if afraid the wind might blow her away. Yet that ominous premonition grew stronger, and he dared not ask her.
The girl stopped grabbing at the sea breeze and suddenly tilted her head. "Then there are many bad people going to the island with us, right?" She looked up at him, pretending to be scared as she patted her heart.
He smiled, playing along. "Yes, many bad people. Are you scared?"
"Not at all!" She turned around to face him, wrapping her arms around his neck, proudly saying, "With you here, what am I afraid of?"
He looked down at her; the sea wind howled around them, and the sunlight sparkled on the blue water. Her fair and delicate face was breathtakingly beautiful. His heart fluttered, and he couldn't help but lean down to kiss her.
He held the back of her head, kissing her passionately and forcefully, his tongue delving deeply into her mouth, as if trying to vent some unease and anxiety. Even his body pressed against hers, pinning her against the railing as if to break her.
Zhen Ai felt breathless from the kiss, as if her upper body was suspended and about to fall into the sea.
The crisp sea breeze could not compare to the manly scent that enveloped him. Stopped from breathing, her heart raced wildly. Finally, she couldn't hold on anymore and let out a soft hum.
Hearing this, he reluctantly let her go.
She gasped for breath, and after a while, the pink on her cheeks hadn't faded. With a flushed face, she glared at him. "If you keep kissing me like that, I'm going to get seasick."
He couldn't help but laugh, holding her and swaying back and forth.
Zhen Ai also held onto him, nuzzling into his embrace, comfortably enjoying the sea breeze.
After an indeterminate amount of time, a trace of confusion suddenly crossed her mind, and her smile faded. "It's strange; they are going to the island to find money, and my brother's password also points to that island. What a coincidence!"
Yan Su's heart lurched, unsure how to respond.
Zhen Ai furrowed her brow. "Could it be that Alex is my brother's subordinate? My brother was executed because he didn't complete his mission. Could it be that Alex hid the money, leading to the failure of the mission? Later, my brother threatened Alex with a bomb to get the address, but the time had passed, and he still couldn't escape punishment."
Yan Su was stunned and even more at a loss for words. What she said was indeed a possibility.
"You said before that the bomb on Alex had black and white wires, right? Maybe my brother blew him up," she stared at him, then gently lowered her head, feeling a bit uneasy. "My brother wronged L.J. by killing her boyfriend."
She kept her head lowered, making it hard to see her expression as the sea breeze tousled her hair. Yan Su felt an inexplicable pain in his heart, wanting to comfort her, but unexpectedly, her next words were:
"But Alex knew the organization's rules. If he didn't give the money to my brother, my brother would definitely die. He's the one who caused my brother's death!"
Her voice trembled, revealing an unusual determination as she gritted her teeth for a long while before suddenly feeling desolate. "I'm sorry; he is your good friend. I shouldn't say that about him."
"It's okay," he gently stroked her hair, feeling heartbroken that such things could cause her inner turmoil. He tightened his embrace around her slightly trembling body and softly asked, "Were you and your brother very close?"
"My brother is the closest person in the world." Zhen Ai lowered her head again, a look of sorrow crossing her face. "My brother lives in the outside world, and I live in the research base. After growing up, we haven't seen each other, but we pass photos through others, and we call each other every day. We are very close."
Yan Su listened to her recounting, his heart a mix of emotions.
Zhen Ai's password, Silverland Island, that sum of money… Could his good friend Alex really be Zhen Ai's brother?
He and L.J. had always been puzzled about why he had stolen so much money.
Was it for the organization's mission? But why hide the money? That didn't make sense.
Was it for his beloved sister? Then why did he resort to a suicide bomb, leaving no remains? Why did he say he was caught in a dilemma before dying?
No, given Alex's personality and intelligence, he should have known that this enormous sum of money wasn't wealth but a disaster. If he were really Zhen Ai's brother, he wouldn't be so reckless as to leave it to her.
So many people were eyeing this money; leaving it to Zhen Ai would only cause her trouble.
Now Zhen Ai had solved the second layer based on the first password, which was a coordinate, a few lines of poetry. The coordinate was Silverland, and the poetry was likely a clue to the treasure.
He truly hoped that this trip to the island would not lead to the whereabouts of that 100 million dollars; he hoped that what Zhen Ai found was another keepsake left by her brother.
Most importantly, he hoped Alex was definitely not Zhen Ai's brother; he hoped that with all his heart.
---
Inside cabin 1004, thick curtains were drawn, and only a dim yellow table lamp illuminated the room.
Two indistinct figures sat in the shadows on either side of the sofa, with two glasses of iced wine and a stack of photos on the coffee table. Each photo, without exception, featured a girl.
In the night, a young man held a girl dressed in a bunny suit, kissing her against the floor-to-ceiling window. In the sunlight, the same young man, with one hand wrapped around a huge plush bear, bent down to kiss the girl sitting on a white bench. She had long hair and a white dress, tilting her head to greet him; the same young man held the girl in a master's robe, taking pictures of her as she smiled brightly; the same young man accompanied her to eat ice cream and buy chocolate… tousling her long hair, wrapping his arms around her slender waist, kissing her forehead, temples, lips, cheeks, and neck...
The figures in the shadows were inscrutable.
One of them spoke first, "A, I still disagree with you going to the island. You've already used the information to draw these people over. T can clear the island alone; there's no need for you to go."
A's voice was cold. "Not just to clear the area; I also want to find that 100 million dollars."
B scoffed, expressing disbelief. "You care about that little money now? That money was intentionally let Chace take the fall for. With his ability, he could easily get 1 billion, let alone 100 million. What a pity; we lost a major player!"
He casually continued, returning to the main topic. "I hope you don't let your emotions dictate your actions. Just because little C went, you have to follow? If something dangerous happens like last time, and you get done in, I'm not going to manage this big organization by myself."
He took a leisurely sip of his wine. "You know my greatest interest... is in the laboratory."
A ignored him and leaned closer to the coffee table, his long fingers slowly tracing the photos.
Looking at the photos of the couples hugging or kissing, his dark eyes darkened as if rain was about to fall, finally resting on a particular photo. In it, the girl was changing clothes, her back facing the camera, long hair cascading down, wearing bunny ears. Her shoulders, back, and waist were as white as jade, and she hadn't yet put on her short skirt. Below, her white panties barely covered her bottom, revealing her long and sexy legs.
His voice turned cold as ice. "Who took this?"
B leaned over to take a look, smacking his lips and raising an eyebrow. "It should be one of Q's subordinates."
"Make him disappear from this world!"
B was not surprised, giving a ghostly smile. "Our little C certainly can't be shown to others." After speaking, he glanced at the photo with a hint of displeasure. "This time, have T kill this guy named S.A. and bring C back. I've missed her dearly."
A stared at the pile of photos with a chilling gaze, silent for a long time before slowly saying, "No, I prefer Chace's kind of betrayal and lonely death."
B was taken aback, then suddenly laughed. "I heard that the girl he used held a grudge against him for life."