The howling sea wind swept across the deck, carrying with it a thread of uncommon chill.
He rested his hands on the railing, and his yellow-brown eyes, glittering in the darkness, grew grave.
“Looks like the ice floes from the melted icebergs aren't far off now!”
He breathed out a cloud of hot air, and Liu Ren's expression grew heavy.
Because as the Titanic pushed on, the iceberg that was on its way was already close at hand, and he had to be ready to flee in advance.
After all, he made his living on the sea — big winds and big waves were nothing new. Back in the day, the three Tony brothers hauled cargo to Vietnam — a run could take two months, and they even sank a ship. So why couldn't the Titanic hit an iceberg!
Azha: I haven't even blamed you yet! Jinx — if the ship sinks, it's all your fault!
Liu Ren: Me?
Reaching the lifeboats at the rail, Liu Ren carefully untied the ropes, slowly lowered one down, and then checked the oars on it.
When he saw that nothing was missing from the boat, a thought stirred in his mind. He stowed it in the Storage Space, then casually tossed the neighboring boat in as well.
After all, as a proper man of the Far East, one had to plan for the worst in everything. What if this boat didn't work out?
“Wait — they say things shouldn't go past three! Two boats isn't quite enough insurance, is it?”
Looking at the two lifeboats in the Storage Space, Liu Ren promptly tossed the next boat over in as well.
But after bustling about for a while, he suddenly realized he seemed to be acting a bit inhuman.
After all, one lifeboat could carry thirty people, and he had three, which meant he could save ninety — and now he had stuffed them all into his Storage Space.
“Now, now, now — respect other people's fates! And when the time comes, I'll fish a few more out of the sea. Wouldn't that be two meals from one fish?”
At that thought, Liu Ren's smile couldn't help brightening.
After all, historically the lifeboats had never been put to good use — most of their space went to waste —
leaving many people to close their eyes forever in the freezing water.
Dusting off his hands, Liu Ren wiped away the traces around him, then left humming a tune.
Arriving at the galley, Liu Ren waved to the man in the distance. “Lauren!”
“Liu? You're done with work? What do you want to eat, pal?”
Surprised to see Liu Ren, Lauren came forward with his round belly leading the way, looking thoroughly “well-nourished.”
“I need a little food. You know how it is!”
Winking at Lauren, Liu Ren smiled.
Hearing that, Lauren laughed. “No problem, pal. Leave it to me!”
Turning happily to his work, Lauren cheerfully opened the storage locker and pulled out all kinds of food.
Looking at Lauren, Liu Ren couldn't help laughing too.
He and Lauren could actually be called “fellow sufferers.”
After all, he was the lowest class of Chinese laborer, and Lauren was bullied mercilessly in the kitchen for being fat.
But Liu Ren had soon solved those little problems for Lauren.
Because the cook in charge of handing out meals at the time had dumped the contents of the tray straight onto the floor and told Liu Ren that that was his dinner.
And then — there was no “then.”
Because the moment that cook stepped out the door, Liu Ren swung the axe in a full arc and smashed his brains down into his chest.
After all, since the man had no need for a thing like a brain, Liu Ren certainly couldn't keep it for him!
With that cook gone, Liu Ren and Lauren had gradually grown close — no one could dislike a fat man who loved to study food and drink.
And Lauren's dream was to own his own Michelin restaurant in New York one day.
“Liu, is this enough? I remember you have a lot of companions!”
Carrying armfuls of parcels, Lauren showed them off happily.
“God, Lauren, thank you. This is too much — you're an angel sent by God!”
Looking at the somewhat endearing Lauren before him, Liu Ren couldn't help but smile.
It was precisely because he had once been caught in the rain that Liu Ren understood better what it felt like to be bullied.
No amount of empathy could compare with experience seared into the bone.
“Liu, you know? You're the only one who treats me like a normal person!”
Looking happily at Liu Ren, Lauren spoke with deep gratitude.
Because everyone, upon seeing him, showed disgust at his greasy bulk — even if they hid it well, Lauren could tell. But in Liu Ren's eyes he saw no dislike, only the same level gaze as always.
It might have been a small thing, but it was exactly what Lauren needed: he longed to be treated normally.
“Haha, pal, don't say that. We're friends!”
Patting Lauren's shoulder, Liu Ren picked up the food and turned. “Thanks a lot!”
“Don't mention it, Liu. Whatever you want to eat, come find me — I'm always here!”
Watching Liu Ren leave, Lauren waved happily.
Leaving the galley, Liu Ren headed for the boiler room.
Because the ship would very likely hit the iceberg tonight or tomorrow night, and he had to tell Uncle Qiang and the others that this was extremely dangerous.
He couldn't guarantee everyone's safety, but he had to shut out every danger.
People say that when a fellow townsman meets a fellow townsman, two knives come from behind — but Liu Ren was not like that. The last bit of righteousness he had went only to his countrymen who had never seen the darkness.
The boiler room was scorching, waves of heat rolling through it.
As the resting Chinese laborers gathered together, Liu Ren came over carrying a steak on a plate. “Uncle Qiang, something's off up on deck — the weather's turned cold!”
“What?”
Uncle Qiang looked at Liu Ren in confusion and froze at those words.
But just then Liu Ren sat down beside him and said, “The icebergs have melted. We're sailing through an ice-floe field — one careless moment and we could hit one...”
As he explained to Uncle Qiang, Liu Ren's expression turned very serious.
“That can't be. Our ship is so big — for it to hit ice, that ice would have to be enormous! And anyway, the captain is such an impressive man, how could he...”
Uncle Qiang looked at Liu Ren, his face full of disbelief, and forced out arguments.
But as he finished speaking, Uncle Qiang's face grew paler and paler, and he stared at Liu Ren. “You mean...”
“We're in the boiler room. When the ship takes on water, the first to die will be us!”
Looking coldly at Uncle Qiang, Liu Ren explained with great seriousness.
“Impossible. This is absolutely impossible...”
When he thought of the Titanic's tonnage, Uncle Qiang's first reaction was to refuse to believe it.
After all, the whole world would have refused to believe that the Titanic could hit an iceberg and sink on the fifth day of her maiden voyage...
But the very thing the whole world refused to believe had happened anyway.
That ship that claimed to be unsinkable went down in the Atlantic!
“Tell everyone to stay alert these next couple of days. When it happens, I'll find a way to get us all out!”
Looking earnestly at Uncle Qiang, Liu Ren grew firm.
Hearing him, Uncle Qiang said, “There are so many people on this ship — will we really be able to escape when the time comes?”
“I don't know about the others, but we definitely will! Don't forget, Uncle Qiang, we're all sons of Nanyue — big winds and big waves at sea are common enough!”
Speaking to Uncle Qiang, Liu Ren answered in fluent Cantonese.
Turning to look at Liu Ren, quite a few of the others grew serious at those words. “That's right! When the time comes, we'll do whatever Ren says! If he's got a plan, he can definitely get us out!”
Seeing so many people trusting Liu Ren, Uncle Qiang could only nod. “Then be careful!”
“Right!”
Nodding to Uncle Qiang, Liu Ren answered seriously.
Chapter 6