Not a detective

Page 126

"What's going on! Someone help us!"

"Mommy, Daddy, Waaaaah... I don't want to die... I don't want to die!"

The explosion occurred at 8:30 p.m., well past the time when people usually go to sleep in the early morning. Therefore, most students were probably frightened and were trying to escape.

When Asakawa Riku arrived at the most crowded cabin, he found a scene like hell on earth, with students jostling and pushing each other toward the only exit.

"—Students, calm down, don't panic, line up and go one by one!"

Among the crowd, Mr. Matsuyama and other teachers were trying to control the situation and restore order, but for these teenagers, the fear of death was too intense.

No one listened to these words; they jostled and pushed forward, completely losing their minds.

"Don't push me! Let me out first!!"

"You stepped on me! No, I'm going to fall!"

"The water is surging up behind us! Run!"

The passenger ship was already cramped, and with nearly two hundred teachers and students on board, and the land was constantly toppling and churning, they couldn't maintain their balance at sea and had no way to escape.

Asakawa Riku's eyes sharpened; this was exactly why he had come.

Things haven't gotten to the point of no return yet. Perhaps Hoshino did a good job defusing the bomb. At least the "chain explosion" that Tamura Yasuo mentioned didn't happen. So far, only one bomb has exploded... Even if he can't stop the mastermind now, he can still save everyone. As long as all the students are evacuated, at least the brainwashing and kidnapping can be avoided!

With that thought in mind, he took a step forward and rushed towards the crowd.

Summer of the Crimson Ray: Chapter Twenty-Three - Rescue

Although Asakawa Riku's hands were injured, his legs could still move, which allowed him to unleash terrifying speeds.

His "not a leaf clinging to his body" technique played a crucial role at this moment, allowing him to weave through the gaps in the crowd like a gentle breeze or a ghost.

A shirtless boy suddenly appeared beside them and straightened the entire escape line.

He used his strength to forcibly carry the students who were running away in panic, and put them back on the right path.

He would occasionally bend down to help classmates who had fallen to the ground, protecting them from being trampled or pushed.

His movements were continuous and fluid, almost imperceptible, like a slow-motion replay of The Flash. He wasn't that fast, but the effect was similar.

Asakawa Riku felt that in that instant, his body was pushed to its limit, even breaking through a certain level. His mind was only focused on saving people, with no other thoughts.

...This body, this well-trained body, is not just for killing evil people!

...It also exists to save lives!

Thanks to his efforts, the screams and cries of the people decreased, and they even returned to the normal evacuation process without understanding what had happened.

In ten minutes, Asakawa Riku demonstrated his terrifying control over the entire cabin space and the crowd, like a chess player forcibly straightening scattered pieces.

Finally, he watched as the last student ran onto the deck, and the teachers lowered the lifeboats from both sides of the cruise ship, lining up to call people to get in...

Successful.

He breathed a sigh of relief, feeling the exhaustion return to his body. He had successfully prevented a horrific stampede, turning his escape into a disaster.

If you can get on a lifeboat, you might have a chance to survive.

Asakawa Riku's forced smile suddenly stopped halfway through.

……wrong.

One is missing.

"Ah Lu, where are you going! Run!"

Someone noticed that something was wrong with him, and Hirata Hirokichi shouted loudly and waved his hand, telling him to hurry up and get into the lifeboat.

But Asakawa Riku ignored his friend's advice; instead of turning his back on his classmates who were trying to escape, he ran in the opposite direction—

"There are still people who need to be saved!"

When Asakawa Riku scanned his classmates, he did not see the girl's face.

Hoshimi Koyu, she's not inside, she hasn't escaped yet!

At this point, the ship was rocking more and more violently, more and more water was taking in, and the waterline was rising continuously. Entering the passenger cabin at this time would be almost suicidal.

But Asakawa Riku didn't stop. Luckily, he had just been there before and remembered the way to Hoshino's room. He arrived at his destination in no time.

"Xingyu! Are you in there?! Come out quickly!! The ship is sinking!"

He shouted, and thankfully, a loud response came from inside:

"Asakawa-kun, is that you?! Why did the bomb still explode?! What happened...!"

"Stop talking nonsense! Come out and we'll talk!"

It seems Xingyu hasn't disappeared, that's great! Asakawa Riku immediately reached for the doorknob, but after pulling it, he froze.

Unable to open.

"Asakawa-kun... my door seems to be broken. I tried to push it hard, but it wouldn't open..."

Separated only by a door, a girl's soft murmur, filled with despair, came from inside: "I'm too late, aren't I? You should run, don't waste time because of me..."

"Don't talk nonsense!"

Asakawa Riku roared and turned around to kick the door hard!

However, this did not have the desired effect, and the iron gate remained unmoved.

It wasn't that Asakawa Riku's strength had weakened, but rather that his stamina was nearing its limit. After being injured by the shockwave of the explosion, and having exhausted his leg strength while rescuing people, his kicking power was no longer what it used to be, barely enough to open the iron door. He was powerless against the thick iron door specially designed for sealing the ship's cabin.

"I will never give up on you! Do you remember what I said!"

But Asakawa Riku didn't stop. With each word he uttered, he would kick out forcefully, pounding the iron gate like a battering ram.

He had previously raided the cockpit, but worried that the crew might attack the technician Hoshino, she said she was not capable of fighting. Asakawa Riku suggested locking the door and staying inside.

Unexpectedly, his suggestion caused the door to malfunction after being flooded and jostled, making it impossible to open. He didn't want his decision to cause the girl's death.

Absolutely not!

"No matter where you are, I will pull you out! I will rescue you!"

With the final kick, the iron gate was severely warped and deformed, finally creating a gap.

Asakawa Riku immediately grabbed the mark with both hands, his back muscles contorting in agony as he gritted his teeth—

The already injured arm was now bleeding profusely from the fabric of the clothes wrapped around it, and the bones were making cracking sounds.

But the iron gate couldn't hold on any longer, and he managed to twist a hole in it and forcibly remove the entire gate!

"Asakawa...kun..."

After tossing the heavy door aside, I saw a blonde girl with teary eyes.

She covered her mouth, looking at the shirtless, exhausted boy, as if she had saved him like a hero.

She rushed over instantly, hugged him tightly, and sobbed uncontrollably.

"Thank you... thank you..."

"I'll express my gratitude later."

Asakawa Riku smiled with relief, took a breath, and then hid his bleeding hands behind his back so that the other party wouldn't notice.

He immediately pulled Xingyu away, staring into her eyes: "Now, go up this path to the deck, find a lifeboat and sit down. Your classmates and teachers are all on board."

"Wait... what about you! Aren't you coming along?!"

Before Xingyu could even wipe away her tears, she realized the unspoken meaning in Qianchuan Lu's words.

She's really a smart girl; I hadn't realized it before.

"You go first, I'll catch up later. We'll make it in time. I'm strong, I won't die easily."

Asakawa Riku wiped away her tears and let go of her hand: "I have something I forgot, it's still in the room, I have to go find it."

"and many more!"

Xingyu grabbed his hand and saw the bloody, mangled sight beneath the tattered cloth; her eyes narrowed.

"You're already like this... what's there that you absolutely have to take! Luggage, money, and all that are less important than your life, let's run together!"

By this time, the water had reached their knees and was still slowly rising, meaning the ship was probably not far from sinking.

"It's a crucial item. I've figured it out. If we miss that, all our efforts might be in vain... We have to go."

Asakawa Riku showed no mercy; he pushed Hoshino away with an even firmer attitude.

He smiled in response to her uneasy gaze.

"Don't worry, remember? I have the superpower of [time reversal]. At worst, I'll just start over—"

He told a lie that even he wasn't sure about.

Then, they dived into the flooded gangway and swam deeper into the cabin floor.

Summer of the Crimson Ray: Chapter Twenty-Four: Despair

Riku Asakawa took a deep breath and dived into the cabin, which was completely submerged.

He estimated that by this time, Xingyu and the other classmates had already boarded the lifeboats, since everyone had been rescued...

Then you can focus on doing this without any distractions.

He moved through the water at an extremely fast speed, as agile as a fish. Although he had never specifically trained in swimming, he was naturally adept at any movement that involved the body.

Having achieved "complete mastery," Riku Asakawa can even push his lung capacity and physical strength to the limit, and can hold his breath underwater for much longer than the average person.

The thing he was looking for in his room was nothing other than a book.

The book is titled "Summer of the Red Ray".

That book was so eerie; this summer, everything seemed to be unfolding according to its contents.

Asakawa Riku sensed that the book was like an "important item" in a game, and it would definitely play a crucial role in the future.

This time, regardless of whether he can save everyone, there must be important clues hidden in that book, which may even be related to the true identity of the mastermind.

Therefore, even if it meant taking a risk, Asakawa Riku was determined to return to his room and retrieve the book.

He quickly returned to his room, and Hirata Hirokichi had already run out. Good...

This iron gate didn't break like before; it opened smoothly, very good...

I spotted the books floating in the water, among a pile of debris. The cover of "Summer of the Red Stingray" was intact, which was good...

Got you.

Asakawa Riku quickly grabbed it and prepared to float to the surface to find a way out.

Although the book has been completely soaked in seawater, modern printing technology should not be that fragile. Even if it has been soaked in water, the contents should still be legible after drying.

But just as he was thinking that...

A muffled, distorted roar came from behind.

boom! ! !

The speed of sound in water is 1500 meters per second, which is much higher than the speed of sound in air.

But Asakawa Riku's body was already pushed to its limit. In the water, he was too slow to turn around and look back.

That was the sound of a bomb exploding.

It seems that the chain of explosions, amidst the violent rocking and swaying of the ship, has finally arrived... but no one expected that this bomb would be so close.

Asakawa Riku's last memory was simply clutching the book in his hand and closing his eyes.

...

...

...

"Ugh... Huff... Huff! Huff!"

Asakawa Riku suddenly opened his eyes, breathing heavily as if he had just woken up from a nightmare.

But when I woke up, I realized it wasn't a nightmare.