Axolotl Translations

They had charged in like a swarm of bees—now they stormed down the corridor the same way, not stopping for even a second.

The Yongyue was still moving and couldn’t be left unattended. While everyone else ran off chasing the crew, Gu Mengran and Liang Zhao rushed to the bridge, scrambling to figure out the unfamiliar controls and take over a ship they’d never handled before.

Cruise ships were a far cry from cargo vessels. The control panel was a mess of buttons, dials, and switches. Gu Mengran and Liang Zhao fumbled and sweated, their hands slipping over the console in panic. It took five whole minutes before they managed to activate reverse thrust and finally slow the Yongyue down.

And in that five-minute window, the villagers had already dragged Dong Hongbo and three crew members back.

Years of pent-up rage exploded. The moment the door slammed shut behind them, they shoved Dong Hongbo to the ground—then came the beatdown.

“You steal our supplies, kidnap our people? You must think jokers beat aces, huh?!” Xiao Dong snarled, throwing a brutal punch straight into Dong Hongbo’s nose.

Blood spurted from his face in thick streams. He didn’t even have time to scream before fists rained down on his face and chest like a hailstorm.

“This one’s for Brother Jun! Die, you bastard!”

“How many people have you killed, huh?! You deserve to rot in hell!”

“You piece of shit! Lower than a dog!”

Curses, screams, and the sound of fists landing filled the room.

Gu Mengran itched to join in—he seriously considered going over to throw in a few kicks—but before he could even stand, the collision alarm suddenly blared.

[—Beep. Beep. Beep. Collision warning! Collision warning!]

His butt hit the seat again. Eyes darting to the radar, Gu Mengran grabbed the high-frequency communicator, quickly switching to the public channel.

“Decheng, this is the Yongyue. This is Gu Mengran—we’ve taken control of the ship and are reversing course. Clear the area! Repeat, clear the area immediately!”

With the Heng Rong Sheng capsized and the Windwing having retreated, only the Decheng still stubbornly tailed behind.

They must’ve been monitoring the public channel, because barely a second passed before a voice replied:

“Decheng here. Acknowledged! Yongyue, be advised: massive fuel spill ahead. Vacate the area ASAP!”

“Got it.” Gu Mengran cut the signal, glanced at the rapidly moving red blip on the radar, then nodded toward Liang Zhao, who was gripping the helm. “Once they back off a little more, we’ll punch it.”

Without waiting for a response, he put the radio down and turned to the blood-crazed villagers behind them. “Don’t kill him—yet. You can beat him later. Let me ask him something first.”

The villagers had well and truly lost it. Eyes red with fury, rage boiling over—they didn’t hear a word anyone said. A dozen people surrounded Dong Hongbo, fists and feet flying, each blow harder than the last.

Afraid they might actually beat him to death, Gu Mengran smacked the table and shouted at the top of his lungs, “Hey! I said—STOP! Just stop for a second!”

That finally broke through. Sister Fang landed one last kick to Dong Hongbo’s chest, then slowly pulled herself together. She raised a hand, signaling the others. “Alright, calm down. Everyone, chill out. Let’s get him up first.”

The villagers reluctantly backed off. Xiao Dong and Zhou Jing each grabbed one of Dong Hongbo’s arms and hauled him up from the floor like a pile of wet laundry.

His clothes were torn, hair a tangled mess. He looked less like a ship captain and more like a homeless man dragged off the street—utterly wrecked. He couldn’t even stand. He just collapsed to his knees, gasping for air. And Xiao Dong still wouldn’t let up—he grabbed a handful of Dong Hongbo’s hair and yanked his head up to face Gu Mengran.

Dong Hongbo flinched hard, thinking another punch was coming. Face bruised and swollen, he raised a trembling hand and begged, “I—I won’t do it again. Please… please let me go. I’m sorry.”

The enemy was right in front of him, but Gu Mengran didn’t strike. He stared at that despicable face and spoke gently—almost too gently.

“Captain Dong, I’ve just got one question. Where’s the key?”

“The… what key?”

Dong Hongbo hadn’t even answered yet when Xiao Dong cut in, echoing the question. And it wasn’t just him—everyone’s eyes turned toward Gu Mengran, curiosity written all over their faces. Gu Mengran sighed, then patiently explained, “Most large vessels are issued three master keys. One each for the captain, the chief engineer, and the first officer.”

“The chief engineer’s key only opens engineering and engine room areas. The first officer’s key opens deck-related spaces. But the captain’s? That’s the real master key—it opens every room on the ship, and it’s the only one that can start the engines.”

“Ohhh,” Sister Fang nodded thoughtfully—then immediately slammed a vicious kick into Dong Hongbo’s back. “Well? Hand it over. Give us the damn key!”

Caught off guard, Dong Hongbo groaned in pain, baring his teeth. He opened his mouth and blood spilled down his chin. He slowly pulled his hand away from his face, revealing half his swollen features and stared up at Gu Mengran with wide, innocent eyes. “I… I don’t know what you’re talking about. I swear—”

“Cut the crap!” Gu Mengran snapped, fists clenched. “I’m running out of patience. Where’s the Yongyue’s key? Hand it over. Now.”

It was like Dong Hongbo finally realized there was no way out. No matter what they did, he wasn’t opening his mouth.

The others weren’t just standing around. They immediately started patting him down, searching every pocket and seam. But no luck. After all that effort, they came up empty-handed—no key.

Patience was wearing thin. Zhou Jing clenched his jaw, snatched a dagger from a nearby villager, and waved it without hesitation. “If he won’t talk, then carve it out of him. Just don’t kill him. Let’s see what breaks first—his stubborn mouth or our blades!”

The villagers surged forward, blades gleaming in the light, flashing cold and sharp. But despite the intimidating front, everyone hesitated. The threat was real—but no one actually struck.

And just as they inched closer, weapons in hand, Dong Hongbo—who had been slumped like a corpse—suddenly sprang to life. His right hand lunged for the nearest person: a young woman standing too close.

“Watch out!”

“My knife!”

His real target wasn’t her—it was the folding knife in her hand. In a flash, Dong Hongbo grabbed the exposed blade barehanded.

Blood splattered and dripped down in thick drops. He didn’t even flinch. While the girl reeled back in shock, Dong Hongbo yanked the knife free and flipped it around, pressing the blade straight to his own throat.

“Go on—come at me!” His lips curled into a manic grin, gums bloody, teeth red. He looked completely deranged. “I’m dead either way, right? Better I end it myself than let you bastards get anything from me. Without my key, the Yongyue’s just a hunk of scrap once it shuts down. Let’s see how long you last.”

“You son of a—” Xiao Dong trembled with fury, practically grinding his molars to dust.

The knife bit into Dong Hongbo’s neck, a bead of crimson swelling at the skin. Gu Mengran exhaled slowly, then shot Xiao Dong a subtle look before turning back to Dong Hongbo, speaking gently.

“Captain Dong… is this really how you want it to end? You’re willing to throw your life away… over something like this?”

Before Dong Hongbo could answer, Gu Mengran gave a light, almost amused chuckle. “There’s no need for all this. Honestly, we don’t even hate each other that much. Let’s call it what it is—you wanted our supplies, we want your ship. That’s it.”

“Conflict always leaves a few scars,” Gu Mengran said calmly. “We were all acting out of anger earlier—things were said, punches were thrown. But now that the heat’s cooled down, maybe it’s time we took a different approach.”

He paused, giving Dong Hongbo a pointed look. “How about this—Captain Dong, you hand over the key, and in return, I’ll have a diesel-powered boat prepared, along with some basic supplies. You and your crew will be free to leave.”

The offer was too tempting to ignore. Dong Hongbo raised an eyebrow at Gu Mengran, the tight line of his frown slowly easing. He’d lost. That much was clear. There was no chance of reclaiming the cruise ship. It was over. A diesel boat and a bit of food… honestly, it was more than fair. If Gu Mengran kept his word, this deal might not be so bad after all—

“Captain!” Before he could decide, the first mate—still huddled in a corner, shivering—looked up at him with pleading eyes. “As long as we’re alive, there’s hope,” he said desperately. “We can start over. It’s not the end unless we’re dead.”

“…You’re right. Survival comes first.” Dong Hongbo lifted his gaze and jerked his chin toward Gu Mengran. “A diesel boat’s too slow. Have your people bring out the stuff from the emergency locker in the back.”

Then he swept his glare across the gathered villagers. “And all of you breathing down my neck—back off. You’re suffocating me.”

“Watch your tone—” someone snapped.

“Xiao Dong,” Sister Fang warned before things flared up again. She sheathed her knife and took a few steps back. The rest of the villagers followed suit, shuffling off to the sides.

Taking the cue, Zhou Jing darted into the cockpit and began unloading gear from the emergency locker: an inflatable raft, life jackets, and an escape rope ladder.

Dong Hongbo had a long list of demands—he wanted the cruise ship slowed, the raft and life vests pre-inflated, the rope ladder firmly secured to the outdoor deck, and even sent one of his crew to double-check everything before agreeing to anything.

Only then did he reveal his so-called “sincerity.” No key handed over. Just a string of numbers. A passcode.

“Go to the captain’s quarters,” he said. “It’s in the safe.”

Go straight to retrieve the key? Not a chance. No one dared act rashly. Sure enough, five minutes later, Sister Fang and a younger guy came back, lugging a small safe between them.

Time was running out. Gu Mengran didn’t bother with any more wordplay. As soon as the safe was set down in front of Dong Hongbo, he lifted his chin and said bluntly, “Go ahead, Captain Dong.”

Dong Hongbo glanced at the safe, let out a dry laugh through his teeth. “What do you mean ‘go ahead’? You want me to open the safe, take out the key, and then you’ll let us go?”

“What else?” Gu Mengran replied calmly.

Dong Hongbo’s gaze turned cold. “No chance. You think I’d hand over the key now and just trust you to let us go? Not happening. You let us off the ship first—then I’ll give you the code.”

Gu Mengran kept his tone even, explaining as if to a child, “You don’t trust me, and I don’t trust you. What if you get off the ship and never give me the code?”

“Tch.” Dong Hongbo clicked his tongue, then barked, “What, are you stupid? You’ve got the safe—get a cutter and break it open if you want. What, gonna suffocate with it in your hands?”

Crude, but not wrong. Xiao Dong almost nodded, but then his brain caught up and she frowned. “Wait, no—what if you’re lying? What if the key isn’t even inside?”

Gu Mengran spread his hands, smiling faintly. “Exactly. Even he thought of that.”

The smile on Dong Hongbo’s face froze. He looked up at Gu Mengran, a flicker of something dark and venomous flashing in his eyes. “Listen, kid—everyone falls on hard times eventually. You ever heard the saying ‘show mercy when you can’?”

“I have,” Gu Mengran nodded solemnly. “And don’t worry, Captain—I’m a man of my word.”

For a moment, Dong Hongbo looked decades older. He studied Gu Mengran, suspicion etched across his face, then finally let out a long sigh and gave in. “Fine. Have your people back off. I’ll open it myself. But once it’s open, I get the key. I’ll hand it over when I’m up on the deck.”

No one argued. The villagers quietly stepped back, and the room fell into a tense silence. Under dozens of watchful eyes, Dong Hongbo stood with one hand holding a blade to his throat, the other turning the dial on the safe.

Click, click, click… The soft clicks of the combination lock echoed loudly in the stillness. Everyone held their breath.

Ka-chunk! With a crisp sound, the safe clicked open. Slowly, Dong Hongbo reached his hand inside.

Then everything changed. The man who just seconds ago looked defeated suddenly sprang to life. His hand whipped out of the safe, gripping a long, cylindrical metal object. Before anyone could react, he leapt to his feet and bolted.

Dong Hongbo moved fast. When the door was locked, he headed straight for the window. Grabbing the frame, he vaulted through in one swift motion and landed cleanly on the open deck.

By the time the others realized what had happened and rushed after him, he was already at the railing, standing at the edge of the deck. One hand gripped the metal rail, while the other was raised high in the air, clutching the long cylindrical object. He glared at the crowd viciously.

“Don’t come any closer! One step forward and we all go down together!”

“Is that the key? I can’t really see from here.”

“Doesn’t look like one… What is that thing?”

“No clue—it’s pitch black.”

……

The villagers crowded near the window, whispering, none daring to approach.

The cruise ship was idling now, and Gu Mengran and Liang Zhao had a brief window of freedom. They hurried out onto the open deck.

It was as if Dong Hongbo had been waiting for him. The moment Gu Mengran stepped out, Dong Hongbo broke into a wide grin, eyes flashing with challenge. He waved the object in his raised hand and said mockingly, “Hey, little brother. Looks like none of them know what this is. You seem like a smart one—any idea?”

The object was matte black and metallic. To be honest, Gu Mengran didn’t recognize it at first glance. But before stepping out of the control room, he and Sister Fang had already gone through the safe and found exactly what they’d been looking for—some kind of gun, and a box of what looked like expensive cigars.

And something dangerous enough to use as leverage… the answer was obvious. Gu Mengran remembered how Gu Decheng used to smoke cigars. He never used a regular lighter—instead, he always pulled out a specialty item: a cigar torch. Essentially, it was fire. But more intense—stronger, wind-resistant, and far more dangerous than your average flame.

“What’s the matter? Don’t recognize it?” Seeing Gu Mengran remain silent, Dong Hongbo clicked his tongue impatiently. Then, with a twist of the wrist, he turned a knob on the object’s top.

A burst of blue flame shot out instantly. Even though rain still drifted down from the sky, the flame burned bright and steady. It didn’t so much as flicker until Dong Hongbo twisted the knob again and snuffed it out.

Gu Mengran’s eyes flickered slightly, and like the rest of the villagers on deck, he dared not make a move. Even his breathing was measured, deliberate. The tension in the air was almost palpable.

Dong Hongbo clearly enjoyed their reactions. He grinned smugly, turning back to Gu Mengran. “I know a key’s not worth my life. You’re sharp, kid—calm, calculating. But this guy standing next to you…”

Dong Hongbo’s eyes drifted to Liang Zhao, with a hint of curiosity. “He hasn’t quite learned how to hide his emotions, has he? The way he’s looking at me—man, it’s terrifying. Gives me the chills.”

“You got possessed by a drama queen or something? What’s with all the theatrics?” Xiao Dong arrived at the scene in a hurry, steel pipe in hand. He pointed it straight at Dong Hongbo and snapped, “Didn’t you hear about the fuel leak? And you’re still playing with a damn lighter? If that oil on the water catches fire, we’re all dead!”

Her outrage was so righteous and fierce, it actually stunned Dong Hongbo for a moment. He stared at her in disbelief. “You serious right now? You really that dumb or just pretending? Of course I know the fuel’s leaking—that’s why I’ve got the lighter—hell, it’s a cigar torch, you clueless bumpkin.”

Not wanting to waste any more breath on Xiao Dong, Dong Hongbo rolled his eyes, then turned to Gu Mengran with a raised brow. “I’ll cut to the chase. Either let us go, or we all die here today. Or do you want to bet? Wanna see if my little torch can light up the water?”

Not far away, the capsized Heng Rong Sheng had completely disappeared beneath the surface. The only sign of its passing was the steady rain striking the water, ripples spreading across a thin, shimmering layer of oil. Thousands of tons of fuel. No one knew how much had spilled. Who would dare to gamble?

Certainly not Gu Mengran. He paused, then lifted his gaze to meet Dong Hongbo’s. His tone was serious. “Captain Dong, that wasn’t just a cargo ship. It was an oil tanker—fully loaded with 3,000 tons of fuel. What you’re seeing on the water right now is 0-grade diesel. It has a very low ignition point. If you use that torch, you’re right—we’ll all die here. And there’s no way you’d survive either.”

Dong Hongbo’s hand trembled slightly around the torch. A flicker of panic passed through his eyes, but he quickly shoved it down and forced a sneer. “So what? If I fall into your hands, how’s that any better than dying? At least this way, I’ll take a few of you with me.”

“…Fine.” Gu Mengran shrugged. “You’re right. I wasn’t planning on letting you go. You got so many people killed and thought you could just walk away? That’s a fantasy.”

“But I’m not willing to gamble. Your life’s worthless, sure—but we still want to live.” He let out a soft sigh and rubbed his brow like the weight of the situation had finally worn him down. “You win. The raft, life jackets, food—it’s all ready. We’ve even set up the escape ladder. Go. I promise no one will stop you.”

Dong Hongbo should’ve been satisfied, but instead, his mouth twisted into a mocking grin, a low chuckle slipping out. “What, you think I’m an idiot? Just gonna waltz off ’cause you say so?”

Then he crooked a finger at Gu Mengran and gestured at the ladder at his feet. “Come on, little brother. You seem like the sentimental type. Since you care so much about your people… I’m sure you won’t mind escorting me down yourself. Right?”

Gu Mengran frowned. “You want me to go with you? As a hostage?”

“Hey now, don’t make it sound so unpleasant,” Dong Hongbo replied with a grin. “Just want you to walk me out, that’s all. Once I know it’s safe, I’ll let you go—”

His words cut off abruptly.

As Gu Mengran held his breath, trying to think of a way out, Liang Zhao—his face now dark and stormy—suddenly moved. In a flash, he lunged forward and slammed his hand down on Dong Hongbo’s shoulder, aiming straight for the cigar torch in his grip.

Dong Hongbo reacted just as quickly. The guardrail behind him blocked his escape—he had no way to retreat. As Liang Zhao reached for him, there was a sharp whoosh as the blue flame burst out. Half his body leaned over the railing as he tried to fling the torch into the water.

But Liang Zhao wasn’t buying the act. He knew this coward valued his life too much to go through with the threat. Without hesitation, he pinned Dong Hongbo against the rail. One hand locked tight around the back of his neck, the other twisted his arm backward at the joint with brutal force—like he meant to rip it clean off.

The sound of bone snapping echoed across the deck, followed by Dong Hongbo’s agonized scream. The others, stunned at first, finally snapped into motion and rushed forward to help.

But just then—disaster struck.

The blinding pain sent Dong Hongbo thrashing wildly. With his upper body locked down, he kicked out in panic. His foot slipped on the rain-slicked deck—and in an instant, he lost balance. He toppled over the railing, dragging the flaming cigar torch—and Liang Zhao, who was still restraining him—down with him.

It happened in a blink, but Liang Zhao had time to react. He could have let go. He could’ve saved himself.

But in that final second before they fell, he wrenched the torch from Dong Hongbo’s hand. No time to shut it off. No time to save himself. Instead, he threw it—arm swinging up and hurling the torch back onto the deck with everything he had.

The torch arced through the air. A blue flame trailed behind it. And the next instant, Liang Zhao vanished over the edge, crashing into the sea alongside Dong Hongbo.

The torch just barely cleared the rail. Zhou Jing, closest to it, could’ve caught it if he moved fast—just a quick crouch and it’d be in his hands.

But he froze.

On the far side of the deck, two men staggered into view, carrying Zhou Zhiqi’s broken, bloodied body—lifeless, mangled beyond recognition.

That split-second of stunned grief cost him. By the time Zhou Jing snapped out of it and lunged for the torch, it was too late.

The cigar torch, still spitting blue fire, dropped straight into the water below.

Too fast—everything happened too fast. The two men locked in a deadly struggle vanished from sight. The burning torch plummeted toward the fuel-covered surface.

Gu Mengran’s pupils constricted. No hesitation, no fear.

He vaulted over the railing and leapt.

“Liang Zhao! Gu Mengran!”

“The torch fell in! It’s gonna ignite—RUN!”

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