Chapter 417

"What? They want us to pay?" Julian Langley slammed the table, his eyes flashing with fury.

He tore open his collar, revealing well-defined arm muscles.

"Who the hell do they think they are?"

Timothy Gold quickly grabbed his shoulder. "Julian, calm down!"

Julian scoffed and shook him off. "Sixty people scared of three lowlifes? They wouldn’t dare shoot."

Hugo Rothschild adjusted his cuffs with deliberate calm. "Julian’s right."

His sharp gaze lifted. "We’re not lambs for slaughter."

The cruise corridor echoed with the pirates' taunts.

Julian cracked his knuckles.

"Damn it!"

He flung open the cabin door and lunged at the armed pirate like a panther.

Hugo followed with a swift side kick to the gut.

"Ah—!"

The pirate collapsed, his gun skidding across the floor.

Julian snatched it up—then froze.

"It’s real!"

Before the other two pirates could react, the crew swarmed and pinned them down.

On deck, the remaining pirate paled.

He yanked Rachel Clemenson against him, pressing a knife to her throat.

"Don’t move!" he snarled. "One step closer, and I slit her neck!"

Rachel trembled, tears streaming.

"P-please... help..."

Regret twisted her insides.

Why had she opened that door?

Why had she doubted the crew’s warnings?

Now she’d dragged herself and her brother into the lion’s den.

The pirate’s blade glinted coldly.

"Back off!" he barked. "Or she dies now!"

Julian’s fists clenched white.

Hugo’s eyes narrowed to slits.

Everyone stood paralyzed.

The salty wind carried Rachel’s desperate sobs into the void.