RE: Evolution System

Mutant fish, out of water, could only flop back and forth on the floor. They posed no real threat, so Javier and his team quickly took care of them.

After leaving the casino, they didn't see Raymond outside. No one knew where he had gone this time, and frankly, they didn't have time to care.

Upon reaching the signal tower, Jill connected to the transmission:

"Clive, this is Jill. What's going on?"

Clive, clearly shaken, replied:

"I was deceived... by Veltro."

"Listen, there's even worse news. The satellite in the sky, powered by energy, has locked onto your position and can fire at any moment. You must find a way to leave the ship immediately."

Just as Clive finished speaking, the message was abruptly cut off.

"It seems Morgan is willing to pay any price to erase the evidence. If we're exposed, he's finished," said Javier.

"This is one of Veltro's bases. There are drones here that were used in past attacks. All we need to do is use one of those drones to confuse the satellite—make it think the drone is the ship," Jill explained.

They acted immediately, heading for the runway, where several Hunters appeared. All of them had been originally designed for terrorist attacks.

After eliminating the threats, they finally located a drone inside a container. Jill and Rachel began setting it up right away.

Suddenly, Javier's communicator came to life.

"Javier, this is Clive. Morgan has already activated the satellite. It will fire in five minutes. You better hurry."

Javier acknowledged the message and ended the call. Now, they could only rely on themselves.

Shortly after, the drone was ready. Jill pressed the button, and the drone burst into flames, lifted off from the Queen Zenobia, and took to the sky.

At that moment, only two minutes remained before the satellite attack. Everyone watched the drone fly away in silence. Moments later, a blinding white light flashed—the drone was destroyed instantly. A massive shockwave followed, generating huge waves that rocked the ship violently.

Jill and Rachel instinctively clung to Javier as Parker was thrown to the floor. Seeing the trio huddled together, Parker couldn't help but feel a bit left out.

"Okay, now that the immediate threat is gone, we'll need to settle things with Morgan once we're back," Javier said.

As soon as he finished speaking, alarms began blaring across the ship.

"Looks like this ship won't hold much longer. We need to find a way out, fast."

Everyone rushed off the deck and back toward the casino. Just as they passed through, a man in a Veltro uniform appeared on the second-floor balcony. He stood there, clapping slowly, eyes fixed on the group, clearly impressed by their performance.

Meanwhile, Chris and Jessica had arrived aboard the Queen Zenobia and were heading toward the main cabin. They would reunite with the others soon.

"Dear friends of the BSAA, you've successfully stopped the attack. Now, I will reveal everything I know—the truth behind Queen Zenobia and the secrets she holds," announced the masked man.

"What secrets?" Parker asked, eager for answers.

"Aren't you curious? Why did Veltro vanish after the attack on Terragrigia? And why is Morgan so desperate to destroy the Queen Zenobia and kill you all?" the masked man continued, his voice filled with unresolved questions.

"And the truth is..."

Just as he was about to reveal it, a gunshot rang out. The masked man was hit and fell from the balcony. Weapons raised, everyone turned to locate the shooter.

It was Jessica. She calmly holstered her weapon. Chris confronted her:

"Why did you shoot?"

Jessica remained indifferent:

"I was protecting the safety of my colleagues."

Parker rushed to the fallen man and removed his mask.

"Raymond," he gasped.

Raymond looked up weakly and whispered,

"The secret... of the Queen Zenobia... is down below."

Then he fell silent.

Everyone assumed Raymond was dead, but Javier could still hear a faint heartbeat. Jessica's bullet hadn't been lethal—it was a non-lethal tranquilizer.

They all stared at Raymond's motionless body when suddenly, the ship shook violently again. None of them could remain standing. Jill and Rachel grabbed onto Javier, and Jessica unexpectedly ran over and hugged him tightly as well.

When the tremors subsided, the women released him. Chris turned to the group:

"This ship is sinking. We need to move—now."

"We can't let the virus contaminate the ocean. We must stop Morgan's plans," Jill declared.

"We've scanned the Queen Semiramis and know where the lab is. I'll lead the way."

"All right. You go to the lab. Jessica and I will stay here and provide backup. If anything happens, call us immediately," Parker instructed. Chris nodded, and the four of them left.

The path to the lab was flooded. They had no choice but to dive. Chris put on a respirator and handed others out before they jumped into the water together.

Following Chris, they swam quickly. Draghignazzo creatures were lurking below, and their speed increased underwater. Javier stayed behind to handle them.

After dispatching the attackers, the team surfaced and reached the elevator leading to the lab. They came upon a heavy metal door.

Chris had already acquired the password. After inputting it, the door opened, revealing a narrow passageway that led to another sealed chamber.

Chris entered the second password, and the final door slowly opened.

"The virus is in there," Chris said solemnly.

"I didn't expect the Queen Zenobia's secret to be this," Jill murmured in shock.

Before them stood a giant glass container filled with the T-Abyss virus. The team stared at it, stunned.

Suddenly, a screen on the wall lit up, revealing Morgan's image.

"So, you've uncovered my secret. I can't allow you to leave this ship alive," he declared. The scene shifted.

The satellite feed displayed footage of the Queen Semiramis—the ship Chris had visited earlier. It was now engulfed in flames, explosions rocking its hull as it slowly sank beneath the waves.

"The proud Queen Semiramis preferred destruction over disgrace... and Queen Zenobia will meet the same fate. Goodbye."

With those final words, Morgan's image vanished from the screen.

(End of Chapter)

"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."