by <unknown>
It took another half an hour before the titan cruise ship docked itself by the harbor.
As the passenger elevator was lowered, a group of aged but graceful and noble-looking Caucasian crowd began making their descent from above.
There were a total of fifty-eight people who came to the research center for the age-reversal treatment, nearly three times more than the previous batch. The group of gray-haired elders passed through the customs on the grounds of traveling and participation in international meetings. They then exchanged pleasantries with Chen Chen before entering the escort vehicles Chen Chen had prepared for them and headed for the research center.
Chen Chen, on the other hand, boarded the cruise ship with Qian Wenhuan and Cheng Cao.
"Please come with me, sirs."
The person tasked with welcoming Chen Chen was an ashen-haired man who gave off an impression of being a butler. "I'm the advisor of Prince Steel, His Highness has been waiting for you for some time."
"Thank you."
Chen Chen nodded. "I heard that His Highness reserved the entire cruise ship?"
"That's right, Prince Steele put in 20 million U.S. dollars for full ownership of the Symphony of the Seas for a month. Apart from the 2175 crewmates on board, there are only 500 passengers. Around 100 of them accounted for the other esteemed guests of other families, the rest are all their accompanying followers and friends."
Chen Chen nodded and silently marveled at the extravagant lifestyle of Middle Eastern culture. 20 million U.S. dollars for a month was around 1.3 billion Renminbi, exceeding the annual target Old Wang had set.
"The primary motive for reserving this cruise ship is because His Highness is very fond of the entertainment provided on this cruise."
The ashen-haired elder marveled with pride. "There are seven activity sections on the Symphony of the Seas. This includes the central park, the Parkway Happy City, the Royal Avenue shopping street, dozens of swimming pools of various sizes, a spa, and a fitness center."
As they chatted, Chen Chen officially stepped into the cruise. It appeared to be pre-planned for Chen Chen to enter from the tail end of the ship. The moment he boarded the ship, he was greeted by the scenery of a mini garden.
It made sense to call it mini since the total area of the square was only a few thousand square meters. The garden part of the description came from the wide variety of plantations decorating the area. There were various bars and restaurants on both sides, Chen Chen even caught a glimpse of a steakhouse and an Italian restaurant.
As they continued advancing, Chen Chen saw more bars, gyms, basketball courts, spa centers, and a theater that could host up to two thousand people…
Even though this was just a small preview, Chen Chen was completely floored by the sheer magnitude of the cruise ship and how well facilitated it was.
After walking for roughly ten minutes, Chen Chen finally arrived at the destination. It was the largest banquet hall in the Symphony of the Seas.
At the moment, there were a large number of people gathered in the banquet hall to welcome Chen Chen's arrival, it was a great show of gesture. Unlike the previous spectacle where it was mostly aged members, the majority of them were the younger men and women of the respective families and relatives.
There were more than a hundred people present.
"Welcome, Mr. Chen."
The one leading in front was a man from the Sand Continent. He had a white turban wrapped around him and had a massive beard. Chen Chen had seen him on the television in the past, he was the brother of the king of the Sand Continent, Prince Steele.
Unlike the other continents, the Sand Continent still upheld an autocratic monarchy system. Strictly speaking, he held the highest authority of all people present at the scene.
"Your Highness, I'm flattered by your grand reception."
Chen Chen bowed slightly as a show of respect, Prince Steele approached him and kissed Chen Chen's cheek as they have always done in their culture.
What followed after was a lengthy introduction where Prince Steele introduced Chen Chen to dozens of esteemed families present. It was only after the introductions had concluded that they officially began the banquet of the night.
The banquet was hosted in the form of a buffet. Dishes from all over the world were presented including hot pot, barbecue, seafood, Japanese food, pizza, and so on.
Right beside them was a world-class band weaving together musical chords and symphonies, delivering a magnificent musical performance. Chen Chen had a chance to see for himself the refinement which the true royal classes indulged in.
The people came and went, forming small circles among themselves and making conversation. Countless business opportunities were birthed this way amid their many discussions, businesses where common people would never see, hear nor get a single cent of.
Chen Chen let Qian Wenhuan and Cheng Cao be on their own, Qian Wenhuan had already found someone to mingle with. Cheng Cao, on the other hand, kept to himself at the edges of the buffet while munching down his steak.
After mingling around with the crowd, Chen Chen left the banquet hall and went to the deck outside the venue.
Without even sensing the passing of time, midnight had already come upon the cruise ship.
The Symphony of the Seas had long set sail into the vast blue sea again shortly after Chen Chen had boarded it. The night sky dyed in indigo drowned itself into the dark green ocean, there was no telling where the horizon which separated the two started and ended.
"The moon of the sea shines ever the same across all the different worlds…"
Chen Chen recited a familiar ancient poem.
"Good poem, good poem."
There were approaching footsteps coming from behind. Shortly after, a tall and broad figure appeared by Chen Chen's side and leaned on the railing just like how Chen Chen did. "I've always found myself captivated by the ancient poetry and culture of the Mainland."
"Mr. Leo, you've heard of this one before too?" Chen Chen tilted his head and asked.
This was not the first time Chen Chen had met this man. This was the very man the Foster family sent the very first time Chen Chen sent the invitation to the eleven families.
Leo Foster. The only heir of Norman Foster, who was at the helm of the Foster family.
Chapter 141: Patricide and Filicide |
"I've always greatly admired Chinese culture."
Leo nodded, glanced back silently, then said, "By understanding the culture of Mainland China and comparing it to our Western culture, one can always find a lot in common."
"Such as?" Chen Chen looked out at the sea and did not turn back as he asked.
"Such as… The culture of killing one's children."
Leo shot a look at Chen Chen. "You must know of The Twenty-four Filial Exemplars, right?"
Chen Chen nodded.
"There's a story in The Twenty-four Filial Exemplars that I find very interesting."
Leo smiled. "In a catastrophic year, a filial son named Guo Ju decided to bury his son alive to have one less mouth to feed, so that his mother won't go hungry. This was because he reasoned that, if his son died, he could have another child again, but if his mother died, she can't be brought back to life."
"Makes sense…" Chen Chen nodded.
"???"
Leo was stunned, then he laughed. "Chen, you're too funny… This story is too simple. Let me tell you another one.
"In ancient times, there was a boy named Shun who was very capable, but his father didn't like him and often beat him viciously for no reason. But Shun never retaliated. When he was beaten lightly, he endured it obediently; when he was beaten heavily, he would flee to the wilderness, crying alone bitterly.
"Later on, Shun's father became worse. Once, he made Shun repair the roof, but when Shun climbed up, he took away the ladder and set the house on fire. Finally, Shun had to use the bamboo hat he was wearing as a parachute and jump down, escaping death…"
At this po
int, Leo observed Chen Chen's expression again, but Chen Chen's face was still stoic as he looked into the distance indifferently.
Frowning to himself, Leo continued saying, "Two days later, Shun's father made him dig a well. Shun went, honest and obedient. When he reached the bottom of the well, his father hurriedly piled on the dirt, trying to bury Shun alive.
"Fortunately, Shun was vigilant and knew his father was up to no good. So he had already dug a secret tunnel in the sidewall of the well as soon as he reached the bottom. In this manner, he survived again…"
"Phew!"
After he finished, Leo finally could not refrain from asking, "Chen, don't you think that Shun's father is utterly abhorrent?"
"I guess." Chen Chen nodded. "If I were Shun, I'd be very sad."
"Yes, I think so too." When he saw Chen Chen's reaction, Leo was secretly pleased. Before he could say anything else, the captain's voice boomed through the speaker of the cruise ship.
"Dear ladies and gentlemen, the Symphony of the Seas will leave Namibia's territorial waters in half an hour and arrive at the high seas of the Atlantic.
"I repeat, the Symphony of the Seas will leave Namibia's territorial waters in half an hour…"
This announcement rang out three times.
At once, the people who were still at the banquet erupted in a cheer. Many people directly left the banquet and headed to the deck below.
"We'll be on the high seas soon."
Leo looked delighted. At the same time, three people walked out of the banquet hall and came to both of them. "Chen Chen, Leo, how about we go together?"
Among these three, one of them was Davis, heir to the Wilson family while the other two were the heirs of the Alexander and Edwards families.
"Of course." Leo turned to look at Chen Chen in invitation. "Chen, are you up for a round at the casino?"
"The casino?" Chen Chen inquired.
"Yup, and not just the casino. To celebrate your arrival, Mr. Chen Chen, the few of us have specially prepared something special. I believe it'll be worth your while!"
The three others at the side also started to egg him on.
"I'll be honored." Seeing that the four of them were inviting him, Chen Chen nodded. "I also wish to see what sort of special program it is."
Before boarding the ship, Chen Chen had already revised some information about cruise ships. Most of these cruise ships were so popular because of their casinos.
According to international law, the territories on aircraft, ships, and other vehicles belonged to the country of said vehicle. In other words, this cruise ship belonged to a particular country. If a criminal case were to occur on this ship, it would be investigated and managed by that country.
Therefore, as long as this country did not prohibit gambling, cruise ships of this country could operate casinos onboard.
Of course, if this ship entered the waters of a country where gambling was prohibited, the ship must immediately close the casino, which could only be opened when it left the country's waters once more.
Before he left with the group, Chen Chen shot a final glance at the distance.
At an unknown time, the moonlight had faded.
A dark cloud slowly drifted across the sky, spreading outward with its thick, silent darkness, covering the pure bright moon.
It seemed that a storm was fast approaching…
…
As there was still a half-hour's voyage to the high seas, in this time, Chen Chen was invited by the heirs of the four families to the opera house.
There were only a handful of people in the theater that could accommodate a thousand people. Still, the scene on stage was as grand as ever, with the group of actors performing with great effort.
Chen Chen thought that this opera was interesting too. It told the story of how Zeus became the king of gods in Greek mythology.
According to legend, in the realm of gods, Uranus, the god of sky, imprisoned his children underground. As a result, his son Cronus rose with the wind and used a sickle to castrate his father, thus replacing the rule of the god of sky.
However, the god of sky cursed Cronus before he died, saying that Cronus would be killed by his own children, just like Uranus was.
Thus, Cronus made the decision to devour every single child of his that was born.
That was what he ended up doing. When his first five offspring were born, they were swallowed into his stomach before they could even open their eyes.
This happened until the birth of the sixth baby, named Zeus. The mother, Rhea, hid Zeus, swaddled a stone in cloth, and offered that to Cronus, saying that that was their child.
Therefore, Cronus swallowed the stone in one gulp…
Zeus survived by luck. As he grew up, he began to understand his origins and decided to take revenge.
First, he spiked his father's wine with emetics. The father vomited after drinking the wine, regurgitating his five siblings.
Among these five siblings were the well-known king of the sea, Poseidon, and the king of the underworld, Hades.
Ultimately, the brothers worked together to defeat Cronus and imprison him in the deepest level of hell while Zeus became the king of the gods.
"What do you think?"
After the opera ended, Leo asked with a smile, "Chen, have you realized that our Western patricide and your Eastern filicide shared the same message despite delivering it differently? As a person grows, they must overthrow the will imposed upon them by the previous generation. Only then would they achieve full personhood and become their true self."
"It's still a little different."
Chen Chen shook his head and disagreed. "This is in fact a cultural difference. In China, we're good at farming. The older one gets, the more experience one would accumulate in farming. Therefore, as society grows, we end up with a situation where the older you get, the more senior you are, the greater your right to speak.
"It's different from Greek civilization. Greek land is barren and unsuitable for farming, but it can produce olive oil, wine, and wool. So the Greeks went to sea to do business, selling their goods to other countries in exchange for food.
"However, the sea is clearly the world of young people. Riding the wind to go out to sea and fighting the waves is something that old people can't do. Therefore, Greek culture worships young people more, and so the father-killing myth appeared."
Chen Chen analyzed. "As such, this is the ideological difference between the two civilizations. And in truth, our filicide in China isn't as serious as the patricide complex in the West."
"…"
Everyone exchanged glances. Their initially exuberant spirits had dropped into a death-like silence.
"Oh right, didn't you say that there was something else planned?"
Chen Chen suddenly changed the topic and put on an interested face. "Can we go now?"
"It should be here soon. Let's go to the casino lobby first…"
On one side, Davis broke the silence. "We'll do a quick round there, then head to the boxing match!"
Chapter 142: Blackjack |
"Boxing match?" Chen Chen asked curiously.
Leo quickly came to his senses and smiled as he explained, "You must've watched UFC before. Unlike UFC, this type of boxing match has no rules. Arms, legs, and even teeth can be used as a weapon."
"Right, many people like watching UFC, but to really stir up the beast in you and pump up your adrenalin, it has to be boxing without rules!"
On one side, Davis broke out into a bloodthirsty grin. "There are no medics, physical examinations, doping tests, not even referees. The difference between victory and defeat is that one side will be standing while the other side has fallen."
"I've never seen that kind of fighting. What are we waiting for then?" Chen Chen was already walking off.
Leo who lagged slightly behind stared at Chen Chen's back with a dark glint in his eyes. After that, he exchanged a glance with Davis.
Davis nodded and the four of
them swiftly followed behind.
Upon reaching the casino, Chen Chen found that the doors, which had been shut tight, were fully opened. Not only that, but there was also a large throng of people inside. Most of the passengers on the cruise had gathered here.
Before he went in, he could already sense the excitable atmosphere surging out from inside.
"Looks like the one we've invited isn't here yet," Leo said ruefully. "So, Chen, wanna play a few rounds of 'Blackjack' with us?"
"What's 'Blackjack'?" Chen Chen asked offhandedly.
"Oh, my dear Chen, you don't even know what 'Blackjack' is?"
Leo did not know whether to laugh or cry, so he pulled Chen Chen by the sleeve and went in. "Come, dear Chen, let us give you a proper lesson!"
With that, he dragged Chen Chen into the casino.
It was not until Chen Chen walked into the casino that he understood why so many successful people with billions of dollars would be addicted to this sort of place, even losing control as they gambled frantically and finally burned through everything.
The interior of the casino was magnificent and sumptuous with thick, dizzying carpets, splendid golden inscriptions on the walls, and a gigantic chandelier suspended over the huge hall. It was like paradise on Earth.
However, beneath the brilliant, glittering fixtures, there was a psychological suggestion that anything was possible —
The windows here did not show the world outside, so one would not sense the passage of time;
There was no mirror that would show one's reflection, so people would not notice their faces distorted with greed;
Moreover, the flawless service here, along with the casino chips that obscured the fact that money was slipping through one's fingers, caused people to abandon all reasons. They could only sink endlessly lower…
The livelier the atmosphere, the more the place was filled with a "hysterical" aura.
As he walked through the aisle at the center of the casino, Chen Chen had already seen several gamblers with bloodshot eyes. They pushed their chips forward recklessly, panting, having lost their rationality.