Back in the cabin, Echo lay on the bed, thinking about what Ivy had just said. Her mind felt jumbled.
She had never considered that there was anything like “love” between her and Ryan.
How could she love Ryan? Hadn’t she always seen him as her boss?
Those hugs and cuddles-weren’t they just the benefits of being a close aide? How could that possibly relate to love?
But then she thought back to when she was in danger with those mutated tribes in Africa, and the only one on her mind was Ryan.
In the pyramid, when she saw Ryan helpless, she felt a heartache for him.
In Hong Kong, she couldn’t sleep because she missed having Ryan around.
Whenever she faced difficulties, she still wanted to rely on Ryan.
Could it really be true, as Ivy said?
It wasn’t that she didn’t love him; the loving had run so deep it became a part of her, a habit. And habits can be scary-so scary that they could lead to irreversible consequences.
For the first time, someone spoke so clearly about her feelings, and Echo lay on the bed, thinking, is this what loving someone really means?
At that moment, her head wasn’t spinning anymore, and the discomfort she usually felt at sea faded away.
A question she had never considered before was now laid bare before her, and she had to face it-there was no ignoring it.
“What are you doing?” As soon as Ryan walked in, he saw Echo rolling around on the bed. He crossed the room in a few steps, wrapped his arms around her, asking, “Not feeling well?”
Echo opened her eyes and met Ryan’s gaze. His eyes were still as cold as when they first met-no change at all. She frowned and suddenly blurted out, “Boss, do you love me?”
Ryan’s brow furrowed slightly when he heard her serious tone. He replied coolly, “The word ‘love’ doesn’t exist in my world.” As he said this, he picked Echo up and started walking outside.
Noticing Ryan’s lack of emotional reaction, Echo tilted her head. So, he didn’t love her. But she hadn’t expected him to understand the word of love.
With her mind calming down, Echo gently rested against Ryan, listening to his heartbeat and feeling the warmth of his embrace-his arms were the kind she could trust completely.
Did she really love Ryan? Was it not just about being a subordinate willing to follow him for life, but about genuinely loving him? Was that it?
“Echo, feeling better?” Michael smiled as they entered the captain’s quarters.
Ryan held Echo in his arms and sat in the captain’s chair.
She nodded and replied, “I’m fine,” curling up like a kitten against him. Looking out from the captain’s quarters, she saw only the vast ocean, and it made her feel uneasy.
Ryan tightened his grip on Echo and said in a low voice, “Cobra.”
“Boss, there are three submarines approaching us at a sixty-degree angle to the northwest,” Cobra’s voice came through clearly from another patrol and reconnaissance ship.
Ryan nodded and said, “Bill.”
Bill’s image appeared on the communication screen. He spoke seriously, “Within our detectable range, six warships are heading our way.”
At this, Ryan’s expression grew cold, and a bloodthirsty smile curved his lips. “They’re really putting in the effort, huh? Everyone stay alert. I don’t want to see any of those ships making it back.”
“Yes, sir,” Cobra and Bill replied simultaneously, quickly issuing commands.
The seven ships that had been close together suddenly spaced out, forming a cross-protection formation while maintaining a safe distance but still able to cooperate.
Frank and Brook didn’t quite understand, but Michael had some grasp of what was happening. His eyes lit up at the sight-this formation allowed the ships to provide mutual protection, but if one was hit, its explosion wouldn’t interfere with the others. It was a tight calculation, a rapid response, and precise teamwork.
Hearing this, Echo raised an eyebrow and looked at Ryan’s jaw. That strong jawline radiated absolute power and coldness. He was calling her because he’d detected the enemy, making sure she wouldn’t get caught off guard like last time. Echo felt a bit embarrassed and leaned tightly against Ryan.
Michael, standing nearby, asked in a low voice, “What do I need to do?” This was serious; now wasn’t the time to worry about pleasing Echo.
Ryan replied coldly, “Just sit here.”
Michael frowned slightly but didn’t say anything. Before he could, Echo jumped in, “Do you have any experience handling situations like this?”
Michael turned to her and quickly shook his head. “I’ve been in firefights on land, but not at sea.”
The Brown family had some experience with arms, and he was familiar with land combat, but he’d never dealt with anything like this on the water.
Echo responded calmly, “Our people are all well-trained; just watch.”
The Dark family had their own unspoken understanding that outsiders wouldn’t know about, and she just hoped they wouldn’t make things worse.
Michael noticed Echo had turned back to Ryan and nestled in his arms, so he raised an eyebrow and sat down on the side. He wasn’t familiar with naval warfare, so he knew he wouldn’t be much help.
“Boss, we’ve got a disturbance signal,” Hawk said from one of the submarines under Ryan’s command.
Ryan saw the interference on the radar and coldly snorted. They thought they could disrupt him? That was just wishful thinking.
“Boss, we’re surrounded.” Cobra’s transmission showed six warships and three submarines from the Street family encircling Ryan’s seven ships in a circular formation.
Ivy and the others in the back immediately tensed up. Michael gestured for silence, and the Dark family members didn’t seem worried at all, indicating it wasn’t too alarming.
“Ten seconds until they’re in range,” Bill said, a glint of cold determination in his eyes. He smiled slightly as he saw the enemy ships on the screen. They were two tiers below them-just cannon fodder.
Ryan grunted coldly and pressed Echo closer to him. She felt the pressure and struggled slightly, but he warned, “Don’t move.”
Those who got seasick dreaded any motion. At his words, Echo froze, gripping Ryan’s shirt tightly. The way he held her felt oddly comforting.
“Idiot, they’re firing before they’re even in effective range,” Cobra scoffed, watching as a light shot toward Ryan’s location.
“Prepare,” Hawk said in a steady, cold voice, his hand already on the button. “Fire.”
A bright light shot up, intercepting the incoming projectile.
At the same time, Bill announced, “Second round.”
They could only see through the instruments as the submarines and warships below added another barrage toward the encircled enemy.
Boom!
They didn’t hear the sound of the shells colliding, but from a distance, a massive plume of water erupted, rising like a waterfall and forming a ring before Ryan’s eyes.
Ivy’s eyes widened in surprise, and Brook quickly grabbed her hand. This kind of precise interception and overwhelming power was something they were witnessing for the first time.
Frank, unsure if he was more scared or excited, was speechless with his mouth agape.
The towering water column blocked everyone’s view, and Ryan stared ahead, saying nothing. He gently stroked Echo’s hair, his deep eyes betraying nothing of his thoughts.
“Boom!” Before the water column even fell from the air, a deafening explosion rang out, and a burst of fire lit up behind the water droplets. Water and fire combined in an instant to create a mysterious and unique spectacle.
The warships visible on the screen didn’t slowly sink; instead, they burned on the water’s surface like raging flames. Debris flew everywhere, fireballs leaped into the air, and then fell into the sea, ultimately swallowed by the vast ocean. The sparks were incredibly brilliant, fueled by the passion of lives burning away.
Ryan furrowed his brow at the sight. Just then, Hawk’s voice came through: “Boss, all targets are down, but there might be a trap.”
Bill frowned on the screen and added, “This was too easy. This isn’t the Street family’s style.”
Ryan nodded and said in a low voice, “Stay alert and keep up the speed.”
“Got it,” Hawk, Cobra, and Bill all responded in unison.
Michael noticed and frowned slightly, saying, “Better to be cautious.”