The sharp sound of shattering glass only earned a brief glance from the VIPs, their smiles unchanged, devoid of even a hint of reproach.
Polished and unflappable.
Had Xiaojuan not personally experienced the underhanded bullying from some of these people in private, she might have truly believed in their magnanimity.
Soon, the waiter who caused the commotion in the beverage area was escorted away by bodyguards. The senior waitress remained expressionless as she warned, "Don’t follow his example. Causing such a mess is unacceptable."
With that, she led Xiaojuan and the others to clear out all the items from the beverage area. Under the watchful eyes of the bodyguards, they replaced everything with fresh supplies.
"Jie, why did the bodyguards take away the old drinks?" one of the waiters asked, puzzled. Surely the bodyguards wouldn’t care about such trivial leftovers?
"Of course, they’re taking them for food safety inspection," the senior waitress replied after reorganizing the area, ushering the staff to a corner. "Prepare yourselves mentally. After today’s incident, we’re all in for a scolding."
Xiaojuan noticed bodyguards moving between the lounge and the conference room. Pretending to help clear dishes, she maneuvered her way closer to Chao Musheng.
"Who let her go over there?!" The senior waitress paled at the sight. Which team did this clueless waiter belong to?
Xiao Liu glanced at the man Xiaojuan was trying to approach—unsurprisingly, it was him again.
She shook her head inwardly. This girl…
Truly, men were her downfall!
"Had enough?" Su Chenzhu hadn’t spared a single thought to the earlier disturbance. Once Chao Musheng finished his cake, he handed him a cup of warm milk.
Chao Musheng nodded, cradling the cup. When Su Chenzhu offered him a patterned napkin, he hesitated before accepting.
Was his boss being too nice to him?
Seeing the bodyguards block Xiaojuan two meters away, Chao Musheng waved for them to let her through.
Not even bothering to consult Su Chenzhu, the bodyguards immediately stepped aside.
The senior waitress was still racking her brain for a way to cover for this reckless newcomer when, to her shock, the bodyguards just… let her pass.
Just like that?!
Why?
Earlier that morning, she’d merely walked past these bodyguards and been pinned under their razor-sharp glares. What kind of magic did this newbie possess to earn such VIP treatment?
She had to admit—her composure was crumbling.
"Brother Chao." Xiaojuan bent over as if tidying the table, whispering, "That waiter earlier was suspicious."
Most staff on this cruise wore blue-green badges, with only supervisors sporting purple-blue ones. But the waiter taken away had a pure purple badge—higher than a supervisor’s. She didn’t know his motives for sneaking aboard, but he was no ordinary employee.
She couldn’t explain how she’d noticed, but she feared his target might be attendees like Chao Musheng.
"Thanks for the heads-up, Jiejie! I’ll have Su Chenzhu investigate immediately." Chao Musheng leaned closer, murmuring, "That woman by the window corner—your boss? She’s been staring daggers at you."
"We’re not supposed to approach guests casually," Xiaojuan said without turning. "But as long as no one complains, the worst I’ll get is a lecture."
Chao Musheng’s instant trust, without even questioning her, filled Xiaojuan with an indescribable sense of security.
So, for the staff, guest satisfaction was paramount?
Chao Musheng seized on the key point. Leaning toward Su Chenzhu, he asked softly, "Do you have any red envelopes on you?"
Su Chenzhu glanced at Xiaojuan, understanding immediately. With a nod to a bodyguard, a stack of red envelopes was placed in Chao Musheng’s hands.
Chao Musheng weighed the thick stack—so much money.
He couldn’t resist running his fingers over it a few times before beckoning the waitstaff in the corner.
"This kind waiter helped me tremendously, but she mentioned it’s only possible because you all share her workload." He distributed an envelope to each, slipping two into Xiaojuan’s hands. "Thank you."
The waitstaff was stunned by their unexpected windfall. The senior waitress, who’d been ready to reprimand Xiaojuan, now beamed ear-to-ear. "Serving distinguished guests is our honor."
Who knew the new girl had such integrity, sharing the spoils instead of hogging them?
Xiao Liu stared at the hefty red envelope in her hand and had an epiphany.
Her colleague was a master—pretending to chase after a pretty face while actually securing a golden opportunity.
And in just one day, she’d succeeded.
With the VIP’s public praise, Xiaojuan’s position on the 15th floor was now unshakable. Short of a major blunder, she’d never be demoted to lower decks.
Wasn’t this basically cheating?
"Break’s over." Su Chenzhu stood as he noticed Chao Musheng’s radiant smile at Xiaojuan. "Musheng, we should return."
"Right." Chao Musheng rose, winking at Xiaojuan.
Clutching her red envelopes, Xiaojuan was moved beyond words. Brother Chao’s golden patronage was legendary.
Once the VIPs left, the senior waitress’s attitude did a complete 180, assigning Xiaojuan the lightest tasks.
That was Su Chenzhu’s personal assistant she’d impressed. Who’d dare mess with her now?
"Girl." Xiao Liu gave her a thumbs-up. "You’re next-level."
She’d underestimated her.
Xiaojuan smiled mysteriously.
Nothing special—just a golden thigh working its magic.
"Su Chenzhu." Chao Musheng caught up, whispering, "How much was in those envelopes? I’ll transfer it back."
"Consider it a business expense. No need for reimbursement." Su Chenzhu signaled a bodyguard, who slipped away silently.
"Your friend risked herself to warn us. We can’t let her bear the consequences." Su Chenzhu paused mid-step, causing Chao Musheng to bump into him.
"Careful." Steadying him with a hand, Su Chenzhu said gently, "Chairman Song couldn’t take his eyes off you earlier. Should I have him escorted out for the next session?"
"Escorted out" was a euphemism for expulsion.
If Su Chenzhu personally ousted Song’s representative today, the Song family’s chances of rejoining high-level meetings would be nil.
In this circle, exclusion meant losing access to lucrative projects—a death knell for Song Corporation’s already faltering empire.
"Don’t stoop to his level." Chao Musheng stopped him. "The Songs have been mismanaged for years. Song Cheng’s so-called ‘innovations’ drove away their best talent. Bankruptcy is inevitable."
A figure of Su Chenzhu’s stature would consider even glancing at the Song family a favor.
"Grace?" Su Chenzhu chuckled softly. "What does grace matter when standing up for my own people?"
His gaze drifted toward Chairman Song in the distant corner, though not a trace of warmth touched his eyes. "But with you here today, throwing him out directly would indeed be inappropriate."
The cruise still had seven days at sea—he could afford to wait.
"According to the main quest prompt, this voyage is supposed to last nine days, but our mission duration is only eight," whispered a group of players who had infiltrated the 15th floor. "That means the ship sinks the night before the journey ends."
"Maritime weather is unpredictable. We still don’t know if the sinking is caused by human interference or natural disaster," Xiao Liu interjected. "Our priority should be identifying the avenger."
"We’ve got a lead on that," Thin Man nudged Brother Hu with his elbow, urging him to speak. "Right, Brother Hu?"
"Say what?" Brother Hu flexed his biceps, the epitome of brawn over brains—a classic cannon-fodder type.
Thin Man stifled his frustration at the man’s denseness and forced a smile, addressing the group. "Brother Hu and I suspect the avenger is Song Cheng, the grandson of Chairman Song. But his target isn’t just anyone—it’s his own cousin, who also happens to be the right-hand man of a powerful figure."
At the mention of "assistant," Xiaojuan’s eyelids flickered slightly.
"Given the target’s influence and their rivalry over family assets, it’s no wonder Song Cheng was humiliated in front of everyone. His hatred is justified," Thin Man observed the players’ reactions. "But dealing with someone like this won’t be easy. We’ll need teamwork."
"You’ve talked so much, yet you won’t even name this assistant or clarify his identity. How can we trust you?" Brother Wu stood, his expression stern. "If you want cooperation, show some sincerity."
"Here’s his photo." Thin Man pulled out his phone, displaying a covertly taken snapshot.
The young man in the picture was breathtakingly handsome, surrounded by an entourage of striking men and women—like the moon admired by stars.
Brother Wu’s face hardened as he studied the image. "With so many people on this ship, how can you be sure he’s the target? You’re asking us to charge blindly based on speculation?"
Thin Man kept smiling. "What’s your point?"
"No point." Brother Wu tore his gaze from the screen. "I just don’t trust your judgment."
Without waiting for a response, he left with Little Qi in tow.
Xiao Liu and Xiaojuan also rose to leave. "Brother Wu’s right. Come back when you’ve verified your intel."
Not only was Mr. Chao stunningly attractive, but he’d also intervened when they were forced to kneel and scrub the deck yesterday. Today, he’d even given them generous red envelopes. Could someone like that really be a villain?
"Jiejie," Xiao Liu whispered once they were out of earshot, patting the red envelope in her pocket. "Don’t worry—I’m fully committed to your golden thigh."
Even if Song Cheng got beaten up by Mr. Chao, could he really be completely innocent?
The remaining players dispersed, leaving Thin Man’s smile strained. He turned to Brother Hu, who stood there clueless, and suppressed his irritation. "Brother Hu, these players are cunning. They’ll take our intel and ditch us."
"Oh?" Brother Hu blinked. "So they believed you but just wanted free info?"
"Exactly." Thin Man couldn’t afford to lose his muscle. "But don’t worry. Even without them, I’ll get us through this dungeon."
"Awesome." Brother Hu grinned, flashing a row of white teeth.
After the meeting, Chao Musheng endured a networking-heavy "business meal" that left him still hungry. Excusing himself from Su Chenzhu, he slipped out with two bodyguards to grab real food with Chief Officer Chao and Shen Ran.
"Mr. Chao." As he reached the elevator, a brawny man approached him, his earnest smile reminding Chao Musheng of Ze.
"Mr. Chao, I heard Song Cheng is plotting against you," the man whispered, eyes darting nervously. "Please be careful."
Chao Musheng studied the stranger but smiled first. "Thanks for the warning. And you are?"
"I work on the ship. Call me Little Hu." Footsteps echoed down the hall, and he spoke faster. "Song Cheng’s also conspiring with crew members. Stay alert."
With that, he hurried away, head bowed.
"Mr. Chao?" A bodyguard glanced at him, silently asking if they should pursue the man.
Chao Musheng shook his head. "No need. He’ll come back."
Song Cheng wasn’t someone ordinary staff dared cross on this cruise. For "Little Hu" to risk warning him, he must want something.
And of course, he did.
Brother Hu ducked into a stairwell, relieved when no one followed.
Song Cheng’s villainous aura was so glaring it could blind a man. If that guy was the so-called avenger, he’d change his name to "Brother Rat" on the spot.
Sure, Brother Hu permed his hair, smoked, and cursed—but he was a good man.
Even in a dungeon, he wouldn’t side with an NPC radiating evil.
"That waiter from earlier—wasn’t he detained on the sixth floor?" Chao Musheng asked his bodyguards upon arriving, recalling Xiaojuan’s tip. "Can we check on him?"
"Of course." They led him to the room where the waiter was held.
On international waters, the cruise had legal authority to restrict suspicious individuals.
The waiter was sulking. After all the effort to sneak aboard, who’d have thought he’d get caught over spilled drinks?
From his intel, these people never touched catering during meetings. He’d planned to slack off unnoticed in the refreshment area.
But today, of all days, they’d developed sudden appetites—nearly everyone grabbed drinks and snacks, forcing him to work nonstop.
He was an elite corporate spy, not a damn waiter!
