On the chaotic Titanic, people were screaming at the top of their lungs.
Compared with the despair up on deck, the corridor here seemed almost quiet.
By now the ship's tilt had reached a terrifying angle.
Liu Ren barely managed to keep his footing, gripped his axe, and raised it. "The Tear of the Ocean — who has it?"
Faced with Liu Ren's demand, Rose instinctively took half a step back.
As if sensing the answer he wanted, Liu Ren bared his teeth in a grin. "So it's on you, Miss Rose!"
"You bastard, don't come any closer, or I'll kill you!"
Both hands shaking, Jack leveled the gun and fixed Liu Ren with a "fierce" glare,
but hearing Jack's words, Liu Ren looked utterly unconcerned. "Oh, really? You think you can kill me?"
Displaying his malice plainly, Liu Ren did not back off; he advanced one step at a time.
"Bang!"
The gunshot rang out, and the bullet burst from the barrel in an instant.
Snapping his head aside to dodge, Liu Ren covered the distance in a couple of swift strides,
and before Jack could even swing the muzzle around, an axe gleaming with cold light was already chopping down.
"Thwack!"
Savagely driving the axe into Jack's shoulder, Liu Ren grabbed his right hand to pin the muzzle aside and grinned. "You should have aimed more carefully!"
"Huh—huh—huh!"
Staring at Liu Ren in disbelief, Jack's eyes filled with despair,
and watching all of it, Rose screamed, "No, Jack...!"
"Thwack!"
Yanking the axe free with a backhand, Liu Ren tossed it aside like garbage.
Facing Liu Ren as he closed in step by step, Rose, her face streaming with tears, said in terror, "No, don't kill me, I'm begging you, no..."
"Don't be ridiculous, Miss Rose. As a gentleman, how could I cleave you with an axe?"
Wearing a "kindly" smile, Liu Ren snatched the Tear of the Ocean from her chest with a backhand grab, then picked up the revolver from the floor.
"Click!"
Flicking out the cylinder with a backhand, Liu Ren looked at the bullets inside, turned, and aimed at Rose. "However... fate is fair!"
"Bang!"
The bullet punched through the center of her brow, dropping her instantly onto the red carpet.
Watching it all in silence, Liu Ren sighed. "Seems God took no pity on you. How very sad!"
Tossing the revolver into his Storage Space, Liu Ren glanced at Jack, still thrashing on the floor, and promptly frowned. "No, seriously — I put that much force in, how are you still not dead?"
With that, Liu Ren swung the axe around and brought it down again.
Before long, Jack went completely still, and only then did Liu Ren straighten up and brush the hair back from his brow. "That's more like it. Everyone's struggling to stay alive — but if you live, I've got trouble!"
Having said that, Liu Ren hoisted Spicer up one-handed, slung him over his shoulder, and left.
As an "upright" man, Liu Ren would never forget the "friendship" Spicer had shown him!
Though it came down to each side having its own purpose, that didn't stop Liu Ren from saving the man!
Carrying Spicer to the galley, Liu Ren immediately spotted Lauren frantically tidying the cookware.
Seeing the fat man diligently cleaning up after the ship's tilt had sent most of the food crashing to the floor, Liu Ren could not help but curse, "God damn it, Lauren, what are you still doing here? The ship is sinking!"
"Liu? What are you still doing on board? Who — who is he?"
Staring at Liu Ren in astonishment, Lauren could not help but be overjoyed to see him,
but when he heard Lauren's question, Liu Ren glanced at Spicer on his shoulder. "Buddy, that's not important. What's important is that we need to run for our lives, you understand?"
"No, Liu, this ship doesn't have that many lifeboats. I — I don't want to..."
Lauren backed away with a hint of cowardice, his face showing a touch of sorrow,
because he knew his own build far too well; no one would be willing to give up a precious seat for him.
Rather than go ask for humiliation, better to stay in his beloved kitchen and wait for death to come!
Hearing Lauren, Liu Ren said with immediate displeasure, "Hey, buddy, what the hell are you talking about? Staying alive is a right every person has — even God can't stop it!"
With that, Liu Ren stepped forward and grabbed Lauren. "Come with me. I came here for the express purpose of getting you out!"
As he forcibly dragged Lauren out of the galley, Liu Ren's expression turned serious,
and feeling the tremendous strength come through Liu Ren's arm, Lauren hurriedly shouted, "Liu, wait, wait — I still need to pack some food. Out on the sea, food is in terribly short supply!"
Watching Lauren break free of him and turn to gather all kinds of food, Liu Ren fell silent for a moment,
because this really was a fellow of unknown intelligence and a kind heart!
But Liu Ren did not object to what Lauren was doing, because he too was a man who refused to waste food — he would even pick up a single grain of rice left on the table and stuff it into his mouth!
Yuwen Chengdu: Oh?
Following Liu Ren through the already tilted cabins up onto the deck, Lauren only then understood just how chaotic it was outside.
Watching the people continually leaping into the water, Lauren grew a little panicked. "Liu, can we really survive this?"
"Buddy, instead of worrying about that, why not think about how long you'll have to row later!"
Giving Lauren an exasperated look, Liu Ren brought him to a spot at the stern and then dropped a lifeboat out of his Storage Space.
"God above — there, there's actually a lifeboat there!"
Staring at Liu Ren in disbelief, Lauren acted as though he had discovered something bizarre, his eyes going wide,
but the very next second, Lauren said with some bewilderment, "Liu, don't tell me you..."
"It's the arrangement of fate!"
Liu Ren said to Lauren, then jerked his head. "Jump!"
"What? Jump?"
Staring at Liu Ren in disbelief, Lauren looked down at the sea below, and his whole face went pale with fright,
because jumping from a height like this would kill a man!
Turning his head to look at Lauren, Liu Ren sensed he seemed afraid, and spoke up at once. "Do you remember what your favorite food is?"
"Apples... ah—!"
Just as Lauren turned his head happily to answer, a big foot had already planted itself in his back.
Watching Lauren plummet straight through the air and smash into the sea, throwing up an enormous splash, Liu Ren could not help but jeer, "Zero points!"
But having said that, Liu Ren also stepped up onto the railing and leapt straight into the water.
Clambering aboard in a sorry state, Lauren nearly capsized the entire lifeboat.
Seeing the soaked Liu Ren climb in, he could not help but say angrily, "Liu, you could have at least let me get mentally prepared!"
"Want to climb back up and try again?"
Pointing at the already tilted Titanic, Liu Ren addressed Lauren with open mockery, his eyes full of teasing.
Looking at Liu Ren awkwardly, Lauren turned his head to Spicer. "Right, who exactly is this guy?"
"Him? A not-very-clever butler!"
Shrugging as he explained, Liu Ren then heard shouts from the distance.
As Uncle Qiang and the others rowed their lifeboat over, there were clearly quite a few extra people aboard — obviously passengers they had just rescued.
"We still have plenty of room here — we should be able to save quite a few more!"
Speaking to Liu Ren, Lauren gestured excitedly.
"You're right about that!"
Hearing Lauren say so, Liu Ren released another lifeboat not far off and used rope to lash the three boats together, so as to add greater buoyancy.
Chapter 8