nucmednet Chapter 1042 Freedom of Movement
Chapter 1042 Freedom of Movement
The taxi driver, with a disdainful look on his face, stopped the car by the walkway not far from the harbor and said in a flippant tone, "Hey kids, we've arrived at the port; good luck."
Jiang Chengyu opened the car door, carefully protecting the roof, and led Mu Xiaoji out of the car. He then turned around and took out a suitcase from the trunk.
The taxi roared away, leaving the two men staring at the colossal Sea Shark cruise ship before them.
The streamlined hull gleamed with a cold metallic sheen in the night, the bridge soared like a tower, and the decks cascaded in a well-organized manner.
The lights outlined a massive silhouette, instantly creating a strong visual impact and a sense of awe.
I had experienced it on the Andreas cruise before, but Youyou ruined my fun. Now, the two of us are free and unrestrained, which is a different kind of enjoyment.
Their eyes met and they understood each other perfectly. Mu Xiaoji said easily, "Let's go check in."
After saying that, she carried her suitcase in one hand and led Jiang Chengyu by the other towards the spiral staircase for boarding the ship.
Security checkpoints are set up at the entrance, where staff are verifying tickets, checking identities, and inspecting luggage.
Inside the VIP lane, regular guests show their exclusive passes for quick passage, their attire and demeanor exuding an air of distinction; first-time visitors, on the other hand, wait in line at the regular lane.
When it was their turn, they handed over their identification documents as required. The verification device beeped, and the staff indicated, "You two may enter."
After boarding, I followed the signs to the registration desk on the first floor. Mu Xiaoji smiled and handed over her identification: "My surname is Mu, and I have booked a room."
The service staff, dressed in professional attire, responded with a smile: "Mr. Mu, please wait a moment, we will verify immediately."
After a moment, she gestured for him to enter: "Mr. Mu, please put your documents back. This way, please."
A waiter took the suitcase from them and led them into the elevator, which took them directly to the fourth floor.
The elevator doors opened with a "ding," and as the waiter turned left, an endless sea view came into view—
The waves crashed against the hull, making a steady thud, and the sea breeze, carrying a salty, fishy smell, rushed towards us.
"The taste I haven't had in so long, little monster, I miss the ocean view room a bit." Mu Xiaoji took a deep breath and sighed.
Jiang Chengyu smoothed his wind-blown hair: "Renxin Hospital is currently managed very well by Keleweller and Youyou."
You don't need to do everything yourself. If you're longing for a sea-view room, you can go back for a short stay, consider it a vacation.
"If you don't reply, I'll be bored all by myself," Mu Xiaoji said, her eyes filled with disappointment and reproach.
"Mr. Mu, we've arrived at your room. Please come in."
The moment the waiter opened the guest room door, the dazzling light from the crystal chandelier shone forth, as if it were a vast starry sky.
In front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, the sea is surging, and the luxurious waterbed gives you a relaxed feeling of floating on the sea.
Mu Xiaoji tested the large bed with both hands and asked, "Little monster, how does it feel?"
"Not bad." Jiang Chengyu nodded in approval.
Mu Xiaoji turned and ran to the window. Jiang Chengyu followed behind, watching him cling to the glass and grin foolishly. He couldn't help but smile a few degrees as well.
"Go take a shower quickly, we'll have a candlelight dinner together later." Mu Xiaoji said, her eyes full of anticipation as she hugged Jiang Chengyu's waist.
When she turned back to urge him on, a few strands of his hair were still sticking up in the wind, highlighting Mu Xiaoji's innocence.
At that time, a waiter quietly introduced: "The candlelight dinner in the banquet hall on the second floor has sea view seats, and the exhibition hall and game room are also on the same floor."
After the meal, the third floor is an entertainment area with a casino, snooker, and other activities.
Please feel free to call our internal line anytime you need assistance; we are happy to provide you with top-notch service.
"Thanks, you can go now. We'll do whatever we want on our own for a bit."
Mu Xiaoji, with her arm around Jiang Chengyu's waist, turned to look at the waiter without any awkwardness, and said with a hint of annoyance in her tone,
The waiter nodded slightly, turned and walked towards the door, politely closing it behind him.
Mu Xiaoji immediately hooked her arm around Jiang Chengyu's neck, "Hurry up, I'm so hungry!"
Jiang Chengyu supported his legs, feeling both helpless and indulgent: "Okay, go take a shower first."
After taking a shower, the two changed into refreshing casual clothes and went out.
Jiang Chengyu pointed to a sign not far away: "That looks like a staircase. Shall we take the stairs down? We can look around while we're at it."
“Okay,” Mu Xiaoji replied, following along with light steps. “It seems like we haven’t left the house since the Los Angeles shipwreck.”
His tone carried a hint of nostalgia, yet also a subtle, barely perceptible sense of melancholy.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Chengyu paused, turned to look at him, and said apologetically, "I'm sorry, it's all my fault."
Mu Xiaoji pouted but suddenly stopped. In the midst of the tug-of-war, he deliberately dragged out his words, scolding, "What's the use of an apology? If apologies were useful, what would we need the police for?"
Jiang Chengyu was taken aback by his sudden teasing, then chuckled softly, rubbing Mu Xiaoji's hands together.
Like a child who has made a mistake, he lowered his head and said in self-reflection, "Apologizing won't help. From now on, I'll be punished by following your orders the whole time and serving you in every way. Is that alright?"
"That's more like it." Mu Xiaoji proudly raised his chin, turned around and skipped towards the stairwell.
Not far away, Lu Feng, a cleaner who was bending over to wipe the deck, caught a glimpse of the two out of the corner of his eye.
He casually wiped the railing twice with the rag in his hand, his lips barely moving, as he whispered into the earpiece hidden in his collar:
"Attention all groups, General Jiang and General Mu have boarded the ship. Stay hidden and do not alert them."
In the various scenes, which were bustling and layered, the disguised group members were scattered.
On the terrace of the fourth-floor guest room area, Fang Zhongrui was chatting idly with a beautiful woman beside him, facing the sea breeze.
He casually adjusted her coat over her shoulders with his fingertips—it was one he had just taken off, his gesture perfectly gentlemanly.
His peripheral vision, however, remained fixed on that hidden corner diagonally ahead.
Hidden in the shadows was a secret door, leading to Feng Tao and Gu Ze, whom Andy Coles had brought back.
His mission was to keep a close watch on the situation and find an opportunity to rescue them, but unfortunately, Andy Coles's men...
With strict precautions in place, there wasn't a suitable opportunity to rescue them yet.
Suddenly, Lu Feng's reminder came through the earpiece. Subconsciously, taking advantage of the sea breeze ruffling her hair, she turned around while smoothing it.
Tourists on the deck, waiters coming and going, couples leaning on the railing looking at the sea... everything was normal, and the target mentioned in the instructions was not found.
He looked away and continued chatting and laughing with those around him, but his fingertips tapped lightly on the railing.
That was a signal to their companions in the shadows: nothing unusual was detected, remain vigilant.
Inside the three-story casino, the noise was almost deafening. Zhong Huaijin sat at the blackjack table, chips between his fingers.
He seemed to be intently watching the dealer's movements, but his eyes darted around the crowd like a fish.
Not far away, Meng Zhaowu was shouting "Big!" with the crowd, his voice loud, but his eyes were scanning every face that came near him in the chaos.
The two received the message in their earpieces almost simultaneously, and after a moment they exchanged a subtle glance—the target had not appeared, proceed as planned.
Jiang Chengyu and Mu Xiaoji were passing through the banquet hall, heading to the restaurant next door for the agreed-upon candlelight dinner.
As soon as they reached the door, the bodyguards in black on both sides stepped forward and blocked them from entering.
Almost simultaneously, the banquet hall door opened, and Feng Yan walked out with several men in sharp uniforms. Judging from their shoulder insignia and demeanor, they were clearly leaders from the judicial department.
Mu Xiaoji's gaze suddenly froze, her pupils contracted slightly, and she instinctively opened her mouth to say, "Gu..."
With a soft "hmm," Jiang Chengyu quickly covered his mouth to stop him from saying the rest of the sentence.
He followed Mu Xiaoji's gaze and saw behind those leaders...
Following him was a tall, well-built bodyguard in a black suit, with a distinct profile—it was Gu Shoucheng.
As if sensing his gaze, Gu Shoucheng quickly turned his head and gave Jiang Chengyu a barely perceptible look, a look that conveyed the message "Don't make a fuss," so fast it was almost an illusion.
"Director Zhang, you see, this is completely fabricated." Feng Yan's voice drifted over from the crowd.
With deliberate earnestness, he said, "My father has been in charge of the Hong Kong Summit for so many years..."
He poured his life's blood into it; even if he didn't benefit the local community, he never did anything as heinous as human trafficking..."
As the crowd gradually dispersed, the bodyguard in black withdrew his hand. Mu Xiaoji shoved Jiang Chengyu's hand away and whispered...
Full of doubt: "Why is Gu Shoucheng working as a bodyguard here? Isn't he...?"
"Shh." Jiang Chengyu made a shushing gesture, glanced around, and then whispered in his ear.
"Judging from their appearance, they're most likely here to infiltrate. Let's keep quiet and get out of here first."
After walking a few steps, we arrived at the restaurant entrance. A uniformed waiter smiled and opened the door: "Good evening, gentlemen. Please come in."
Another waiter stepped forward and led them to a window seat.
Outside the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, the sea ripples with waves like scattered gold, and the evening breeze carries the dampness in, just enough to brush past the dining table.
Jiang Chengyu picked up the menu from the table and handed it to Mu Xiaoji: "Take a look and see what you'd like to eat?"
Mu Xiaoji smiled and pushed it back, drawing a circle on the table with her fingertip: "I still prefer you to be in charge, Little Monster, you choose!"
Jiang Chengyu took the menu, his fingertips lightly gliding across the pages, and looked up at the waiting waiter beside him, speaking gently:
"Two sirloin steaks, please, medium-rare, with black pepper sauce."
The waiter nodded and noted it down, then continued, "One strawberry dessert, the freshly made kind."
Top it with plenty of fresh strawberries, and add two glasses of freshly squeezed orange juice, room temperature is fine.
He paused for a moment, then added, "Add another vegetable salad, with the dressing in a separate container. Just use olive oil and balsamic vinegar, no Thousand Island dressing."
Finally, we specifically emphasized: "We are allergic to alcohol and do not need any drinks. This is all we need. Please serve the food as soon as possible, thank you."
The waiter double-checked the menu: "Two medium-rare sirloin steaks, a strawberry dessert, two glasses of freshly squeezed orange juice, a vegetable salad with olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing, and a non-alcoholic beverage, is that correct?"
After receiving Jiang Chengyu's affirmative nod, the waiter smiled and replied, "Okay, please wait a moment, the food will be ready soon." Then he quietly retreated.
Mu Xiaoji rested her chin on her hand and looked at him with a smile in her eyes: "You ordered quite carefully, knowing that I don't like Thousand Island dressing."
Jiang Chengyu took his hand on the table and gently stroked it with his fingertips: "I'm ashamed. It's been a long time since I cooked for you. I don't know if your tastes have changed over the years."
"Though the stars and rivers may turn and all things may change, my love for you remains constant." Mu Xiaoji's eyes were full of affection.
Moonlight streamed in through the window, falling on their clasped hands. The flickering candlelight added a touch of warmth that was more comforting than any dish on the menu.