Chapter 29: A Family’s Dark Secret

In less than a second, the door opened.

Bruce and his wife walked out together, but before they could even celebrate the safe return of their two sons, they were stunned at the sight of Sules and her companion.

Ryan took the initiative to pull his mother’s hand and introduced, “This is our captain, Sules. Sulia. And the boatswain, Claire. Lauenqi. Since they don’t have a house on the continent, they’ll be staying with us for two days.”

Bruce’s wife hadn’t forgotten what the captain looked like.

After all, Sules was definitely not someone with a forgettable face.

Combined with that unique aura, she was the kind of person you’d never forget after meeting once.

However, Bruce and his wife didn’t look particularly happy. Instead, they unconsciously furrowed their brows.

Bruce’s wife gave Sules an apologetic smile, then pulled Ryan aside and whispered in his ear, “Why did you bring other people home?”

Ryan thought his mother was worried about the expenses and immediately explained, “Our captain will pay for lodging, so you don’t need to worry. Besides, letting her stay with us and building a good relationship will be beneficial for our future life at sea.”

“But…” Bruce’s wife wanted to say more, but Hede stopped her, “Come on! What’s the problem? You wouldn’t want us to lose face in front of the captain, would you?”

Leide was still hoping Sules would help him regain his potential, so of course he couldn’t let his mother mess things up.

He was the undisputed authority in the family, and under Leide’s strong persuasion, Bruce and his wife, though still worried, could only reluctantly agree.

Sules probably wouldn’t stay long anyway, and she didn’t know the family’s secrets.

As long as they hid things well, there shouldn’t be a problem…

Bruce and his wife exchanged glances, both filled with concern.

It felt like the peaceful days they’d enjoyed for years were about to be shattered.

And so, Sules and her companion successfully moved into the Bruce household.

Since there weren’t many spare rooms, Sules and Claire shared one.

By the time they settled in, it was already late, so the two of them went straight to bed.

That night, Sules quietly got up, planning to explore the Bruce house.

But as she passed by one of the rooms, she vaguely heard voices talking inside.

Is this some kind of fixed law?

There’s always a spot by the door to eavesdrop?

Sules complained inwardly, but her body honestly crept closer.

The people talking were obviously Ryan and his parents.

Mother, “Ryan, I have to say, you really didn’t think this through. Is it really okay to just bring a girl home? Even if she’s your captain, if you want to get on her good side, there’s no need to do it this way, right?”

Father chimed in, “Yeah, even though we don’t have much now, we’ve weathered a lot in the past. It wasn’t easy to finally have some peace—what if you invite trouble into our house?”

Sules thought to herself, Aren’t you spot on?

She really was here to steal something, and she was even colluding with their younger son to do it.

She’d thought this family was just a pitiful group about to be victimized by her, but what Ryan said next made her nearly laugh out loud in anger.

“Mom, listen. Letting the captain stay here was Leide’s idea first. I suspect he’s got his eye on Captain Sules. Since that’s the case, why don’t we give him a push?”

“He likes the captain?” the father exclaimed, then nodded in realization.

“That’s right, your captain really is good-looking. No wonder your brother likes her.”

Ryan said, “She’s got a second-class ship under her command—not a lot, but it’s got potential. She’d make a good sister-in-law, so I agreed to let her stay. Living under the same roof, isn’t that a better chance for something to happen?”

“Make a move?”

The mother, knowing her son well, immediately caught his meaning.

“You mean you want to set up that woman captain and Leide? But what does she think of our Leide?”

Ryan lowered his voice, “Our captain’s a pretty ambitious woman. She probably doesn’t think much of Leide. So we need to help him out. Now that she’s here, we’ve got the time and the place. Isn’t it easy to push them together?”

The mother had no objections to this marriage; any way you looked at it, it was a win for them.

So she asked directly, “So what’s your plan? Don’t worry, for Leide’s happiness, we’ll fully support you. After all, we owe him too much.”

If you want to repay Leide, that’s your business.

The problem is, she didn’t owe Leide anything, so why should she be dragged into this?

She and Leide had nothing ambiguous between them, and Leide couldn’t possibly like her either.

Why was this family trying to play matchmaker out of nowhere?

Sules had thought that conversation was already ridiculous enough, but what came next was truly insane.

Ryan said, “Let’s just try pushing them together for now. Lock the two of them in a room and see if something develops between a man and a woman alone. If nothing happens…”

Ryan hesitated, but still said, “Then we drug her. I’ll buy some aphrodisiac from the black market. Mom, you put a little in our captain’s food, and when the time comes, force the situation. Even if Sules doesn’t want to accept it, she’ll have no choice!”

Bruce and his wife really were a family.

Hearing Ryan’s insane suggestion, they didn’t find it strange at all.

Instead, they asked, “But even if that girl’s a virgin, she could still leave. Drugging her might let Leide have a taste, but it won’t do anything else, will it?”

The customs in the Eastern Sea were open; women’s chastity wasn’t particularly valued.

One-night stands in a world as dangerous as this, where you lived day by day, were nothing unusual.

Ryan realized his parents were right and quickly added, “Then I’ll buy some medicine that’ll make her more likely to get pregnant. If there’s a child, Sules won’t be able to walk away so easily, right?”

Bruce’s wife beamed with joy, “You’re clever, Ryder, that should guarantee success.”

Bruce’s father nodded in satisfaction.

“It’s a solid plan. I agree. Tomorrow, let’s see if there’s any chemistry between them. If not, we’ll start the plan.”

To be honest, listening to such a three-views-shattering conversation, Sules was nearly disgusted to the point of vomiting.

In her mind, Ryan was always just a brother-obsessed fool, always covering for Laide and apologizing for him.

But she never expected Ryan would go this far for Laide.

As a businesswoman, she’d thought that teaming up with an insider to rob a family was already pretty despicable, but she didn’t expect this family to be even worse.

Even in her previous life’s cutthroat business world, she’d never stooped to such dirty tricks.

But just because she never used such methods didn’t mean she’d never seen them.

In fact, as a woman who’d fought her way up alone, she’d seen this kind of thing plenty of times.

Naturally, she also knew how to handle it.

Sules curled her lips in a mocking smile.

These people had run into the wrong person—evil meets evil, and the wicked always get what’s coming.

She quietly slipped past that room to search elsewhere.

The house had five rooms in total: one for Sules and Claire, one for Ryan, one for Leide, one for Bruce and his wife, and a storage room.

She figured something that important wouldn’t be stashed carelessly in a storeroom, but out of caution, Sules decided to search it anyway.

Unexpectedly, she actually found something.

Ten minutes later, Sules slipped back to her room with a battered old notebook.

The cover was worn to shreds, and the pages had yellowed like dead leaves from the passage of time.

She’d found it in the storage room, and it had only a single, simple line on the cover, the writing extremely faded.

Sules guessed and squinted until she could make out what it said—“Karen Bruce.”

She knew that name—it was Bruce’s father’s full name.

Opening it, she saw the first entry was dated a long time ago—ten years ago.

Sules slowly flipped through page by page, carefully reading the contents.

Very quickly, she realized it was Karen Bruce’s nautical journal, started when he got a brand new ship.

Today I finally boarded this famous exploration ship.

I believe I’ll make a fortune!

Lately the captain’s been strangely excited.

I have a feeling the adventure’s about to begin!

Soon, I’ll become a sea explorer!

The captain made us sign a life-and-death contract.

I’m a bit scared.

But if there’s no danger, how can it be called an adventure?

The captain actually wants to sneak into the legendary Mysterious Sea?!

Sea God, did I get on a pirate ship?

We’re wanted now, but luckily, the Mysterious Sea is the best refuge.

I was wrong. I really was wrong.

I shouldn’t have gone to sea.

The Mysterious Sea is terrifying!

We found the legendary treasure, but… I don’t think I’ll make it back alive.

Hahaha, I did it!

I’m the last survivor!

Me!

Hahaha!

Although the treasure was left behind, I survived!

Finally home.

Thank the Sea God for protection.

Although I did get something, if I take it out, I’ll definitely get into big trouble.

Sea God, please tell me what to do?

The diary ended there, the rest of the pages blank.

It seemed the owner never touched it again.

Apparently, what was mentioned in the diary was never revealed by Karen.

If nothing else, that thing was probably the array blueprint.

After reading the diary, Sules hesitated.

Did she really still want to take that blueprint?

Bruce and his wife had kept it secret all these years—clearly, even now, revealing it would bring them endless trouble.

She’d originally planned to steal the blueprint and sell it, but now it seemed like a hot potato.

Not only was it impossible to sell, it would only bring disaster.

Did she really still want to take that risk?