novelraw Chapter 316: The Boundless Sea, Utterly Devoid of Life
Chapter 316: The Boundless Sea, Utterly Devoid of Life
Chapter 316: Chapter 316: The Boundless Sea, Utterly Devoid of Life
When Delphine woke up, she found herself in a dark and cramped space. The ship rocked gently, and the salty scent of seawater permeated the surroundings.
Her hands and feet were bound tightly with coarse ropes and secured to a pillar behind her. Her vision took a few moments to adjust to the dimly lit room.
She remembered that after stepping out of the alley, she was attacked from behind and knocked unconscious. Just before losing consciousness, it seemed she saw Jocelyn Yeager fighting with the group of attackers.
Delphine’s chest tightened with worry, but she finally breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Jocelyn leaning against a pillar not far away.
The man’s handsome face was deathly pale, his eyes shut tightly, and the streak of blood on his forehead was shockingly vivid.
She slowly moved her legs and gently nudged Jocelyn with her foot.
Jocelyn awoke with a start and anxiously called out in a low voice, "Delphine?"
"Are you all right?" Delphine noticed the blood on his forehead dripping down from his hairline. He must have sustained a head injury.
"Mm, I’ll survive." Jocelyn’s bindings were even tighter than hers. He frowned deeply, scanned their surroundings, and said, "We’re at sea."
Both their faces darkened. If they were on land, they might have had a chance. But adrift on the vast ocean, their hopes were slim.
"Don’t be afraid. Their actions clearly have a purpose. If they meant to kill us, they wouldn’t have taken the trouble to bring us onboard. It’s likely they’re after money, not our lives." Jocelyn’s breathing grew heavier, and his untreated wound began to throb with pain.
Hearing the labored, painful sounds of his breathing, Delphine knew his injuries weren’t light. Her thoughts moved sluggishly, but she felt no fear.
"The hotel hosting the charity gala we attended was in Western City. To reach the port in Southern City takes at least three hours. Transporting us here while avoiding attention, then setting out to sea in the dead of night—this means their connections with customs must run quite deep."
She furrowed her brows slightly and said calmly, "In this region near the South Seas, major port operations are largely controlled by Ignatius Leclair. Beyond that, there’s the Cloud Family. I recall the second master of the Cloud Family has his own fleet and has been navigating major sea routes for years."
"You suspect Bessie or Melody?" Jocelyn, startled by her analysis, asked.
"Bessie wouldn’t dare encroach on Ignatius Leclair’s domain. Why would you think of Melody?" Delphine did have Melody at the top of her list of suspects. Given Melody’s favored status within the Cloud Family, commandeering one of her uncle’s ships for a clandestine midnight operation would hardly pose a challenge.
But Melody hid her true colors so skillfully. How could Jocelyn have known?
Jocelyn let out a cold laugh. His handsome face tilted downward as he said indifferently, "I don’t like her. That naturally makes me see things more clearly than most. That woman has openly adored Ignatius Leclair since she was young and maintains a close relationship with the Leclair Family. She couldn’t have been unaware of your history with Ignatius. It’s no surprise she’d make a move against you."
Jocelyn’s usual gentle demeanor vanished. His gaze turned sharp as he swept the room, analyzing its layout and furnishings. Then, in a low voice, he said, "This isn’t a fishing boat heading out to sea. We’re likely in a hidden compartment below the deck. Judging by the timeline, we should be near one of the islands in the South Seas. We’ll act when daylight comes and an opportunity presents itself."
Delphine nodded, though her thoughts drifted to Kyla Zamora. She wondered if Kyla had managed to escape. Their simultaneous disappearance would surely cause an uproar throughout the city.
At the Cloud Family’s ancestral home, lights blazed brightly into the night.
Melody sat in the tearoom, reading a book on Go while playing against herself. The old master of the Leclair Family had a deep fondness for the game, and though Melody’s skills weren’t exceptional, she put in painstaking effort to improve.
"They’ve gone missing?" Melody’s hand froze mid-action. The white stone slipped from her fingers, landing on the Go board before rolling to the floor. Her delicate, pretty face turned frostily cold.