Ch. 236..240: Inherit Billions Chapter 236-240
Chapter 236
The Way Back
Finished
He kept scrutinizing Seraphina's delicate appearance. Clearly, she would rather die than rely on that for
survival.
"How long have you been here, playing the wild man?"
Seraphina couldn't help but pry. She didn't understand why the savages tried to burn her but spared Kaveh.
Kaveh noticed her thoughts and nodded slightly.
"To avoid being their enemy, you must become one of them. They're not that smart; they won't notice the difference." Seraphina nodded in agreement, thinking how much better things might have been if they had met
sooner.
Her only regret was that they had a meeting too late. That sentiment seemed perfectly fitting for this situation.
She shuddered, remembering the moment she nearly burned alive. Her heart is pounding with terror.
If not for that timely rain, she might be ashes.
Seraphina's face was filled with confusion and lingering fear.
"Do you know why they wanted to burn me?"
"It was probably for a ritual. In a joint publication by Etopia and lothya, I read that in primitive tribes, when they encounter someone who looks and acts strangely, they believe killing them will bring blessings.
"The ritual involves fire, and they offer their best food, hoping that the person will take it to the afterlife and bless them with more food. But if the ritual fails, they must stop immediately. That's why I ran with you as soon as the rain started. Seraphina bit her lip; that rain had genuinely saved her
Thank God!
Enough, she thought. I should stop thinking about this.
She didn't want to dwell on it anymore. Once in a lifetime was more than enough for such an experience.
Her mood, which had been dark and heavy, lifted slightly. This was probably the most relaxed she had felt in days.
She chuckled and suddenly recalled something important. There was a hint of doubt in her voice.
"Is this island on the map?"
She thought logically that her family wouldn't just sit by if something happened to her.
If they couldn't find her in the crash area, the rescue team would surely expand the search.
15.33 Mon, Oct
The Way Back
After so many days, there was no sign of a rescue, almost as if everyone had forgotten about her.
She couldn't help but wonder if this place even existed.
Kaveh's expression grew slightly serious as he sighed.
"It's on the map, but..."
"But what?" Seraphina pressed.
Finished
Kaveh hesitated before speaking, choosing his words carefully. "But this place has been marked as an international no-go zone. The surrounding waters are notorious for pirate activity. Any ship that passes through risks international conflict and huge losses, so the pirates have used special equipment to block this area from satellite maps."
Seraphina was speechless.
Could things get any worse?
It felt like a heavy boulder had dropped onto her heart, making it hard to breathe.
Just when she thought she had found a glimmer of hope, reality hit her like a ton of bricks.
"So, we're stuck here with no way out?"
The rescue planes and boats wouldn't find them. They couldn't hope for a bunch of pirates to come and save them. That would be worse than being eaten by savages.
Sensing the growing tension, Kaveh gave her a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry, you're not alone."
Seraphina's eyes stung with unshed tears. She said, "They must think I'm dead. My dad and my brother ... they must be heartbroken."
Kaveh paused a little. He lifted his face and gazed at her sorrowful expression. Kaveh felt a pang of sympathy.
"We... we just need to hold on to hope."
"What hope?"
Seraphina looked up at him. Her eyes flickered, reflecting the vastness of the sea and the stars.
Kaveh hesitated and spontaneously came up with a response. He replied, "Well, there are stories of people who swam across the sea and made it back into history. Seraphina shot him a look and asked, "Can you just stop talking?"
"Oh, okay."
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Chapter 237
Despair
Seraphina didn't know when she had fallen asleep on the leaf bed, but she did.
Kaveh sat by the campfire. He was silently watching Seraphina's peaceful face as she slept.
For the first time in a long while, Seraphina had a restful sleep, not having to worry about being roasted by
savages.
The sound of the ocean crashing against the rocks and the howling wind grew louder. It finally woke her
1. up.
When she opened her eyes, she could not see Kaveh inside the cave. She had no idea where he had gone. Kaveh returned shortly, preparing to distill seawater into fresh water.
There was no other choice; he could handle most things himself, but Seraphina was delicate and couldn't.
Seraphina gave it some thought and realized she couldn't just sit idly by. Therefore, she began collecting reflective stones along the shore and arranged them on a massive rock to spell out 'SOS'. Maybe, just maybe, a plane would pass by and see it. "Mr. Dros."
"Just call me Kaveh."
Kaveh casually sipped from a cup of precious fresh water. He winked at her with a smile, his demeanor warm and friendly.
Seraphina felt at ease with his easygoing nature.
She was momentarily stunned, then nodded. If he didn't mind, neither did she.
"Kaveh, do you have any wishes? When we get out of here, I'll help you make them come true."
Kaveh paused, then looked at her with the utmost sincerity.
"ed money."
Seraphina had suspected as much. Why else would he take on such a dangerous job?
She patted his shoulder reassuringly.
"Don't worry, I have plenty of money. Once we're out of here, as long as I'm around, you'll never worry about money again."
Kaveh's eyes lit up with sudden excitement, almost as if tears of relief were welling up in them as he looked at her.
"I'm counting on you for the rest of my life."
"No problem."
Seraphina agreed without hesitation. With her wealth, wouldn't it be that hard to take care of him?
Despair
Finished
In New Town.
As soon as Sergio emerged from the lab, he heard about Seraphina's situation. Without a second thought, he boarded his private jet and headed for the ocean, where the search was ongoing. Justin hadn't returned yet, which meant everything was still unresolved.
The high-society elites, who usually had some connection to the Crosses, didn't dare bring up anything that would add to their grief.
Yet, there were always those who thought themselves clever and found their way to Seraphina's residence, sending flowers of condolence repeatedly.
Emeris's health had only just begun to improve, but she ended up back in the hospital from sheer frustration.
Sivir issued a direct order. Anyone who dared to send another bouquet would have the flowers sent straight back to their own house.
That finally quieted the busybodies.
Discussing Seraphina's supposed demise became taboo online.
The media platforms received strict orders not to allow any mention of the incident.
It was clear to everyone now-Crosses refused to accept that Seraphina was gone. They truly cherished their daughter.
Two thousand nautical miles away from the island.
After flying for over ten hours, Sergio's plane landed on the massive ship where Justin was stationed.
They had recovered a lot of the plane wreckage, which had been shattered into pieces. Yet, not a single person had been found.
It was likely they had all been lost to the sea.
The longer it took, the darker Justin's expression grew.
When Sergio arrived on the ship, he found Justin watching footage of divers exploring the sea. Justin's eyes were bloodshot. Clearly, he hadn't slept or groomed himself in days. Thomas didn't dare try to console him, but he was visibly relieved when he saw Sergio.
"Sergio."
Sergio gave a slight nod and immediately instructed the ship to set up his computer.
"Stop drinking. Dad is already considering donating all of the family assets away, including yours."
Justin shrugged. This didn't bother him, and he appeared completely defeated.
"Let him donate it."
Sergio glanced his wav
Despair
Finished
"Have you considered what would happen if Seraphina came back and found herself penniless? What then?"
Justin frowned and replied, "Then we can't donate. Wait, you think she could come back?"
Sergio's expression was solemn as he typed furiously on his computer. He nodded directly, his eyes fixed on the rapidly flashing code.
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Chapter 238
She Might Still Be Alive
Justin shot to his feet and ran over to Sergio. Tears streamed down Justin's face at the remark.
"Really? Is it true?"
Besides Emeris, Sivir had the most authority in the family, and Sergio had the highest intellect-everyone acknowledged this.
Despite his attractive looks, Justin didn't have any other significant advantages.
After Sergio gave his analysis, Justin's confidence soared. He was filled with excitement.
Sergio's voice remained calm and steady.
The Federal Intelligence Division took the black box from the plane. I contacted a friend, who managed to get the flight records for me. In the minute before the plane exploded, its flight path showed a massive deviation, Although the crash site was indeed in this region of the ocean, there's something else.
Justin was filled with anxiety and quickly asked, "What else?"
Sergio pressed his lips together, his gaze intense as he continued.
"But in that one minute, a mysterious signal attempted to correct the flight's deviation. That signal came from Seraphina's phone. The final location of the signal was over a thousand nautical miles from the crash site."
Justin stood frozen in shock. He was too afraid to think about it and face reality. What if there was still a chance?
As Sergio finished speaking, Justin suddenly doubled over, his body shaking violently. This grown man, strong as he was, broke down in tears.
Thomas witnessed this from the sidelines. He also moved to tears, deeply empathizing with him.
Sergio glanced at him silently.
"I'm sorry. I should have come out sooner."
If it hadn't been for that secretive research project, he would have been out much earlier.
Given his high intelligence, he meticulously analyzed every detail and every possibility, correcting any discrepancies one by one.
The phone's tracking device wasn't responding, and there was no trace of it on the satellite maps-likely due to some high-tech jamming device. They should therefore expand their search area to the ocean region, which is two thousand nautical miles from their current location.
Justin quickly called off the search in their current area and ordered everyone to redirect their efforts.
Sergio kept analyzing the satellite maps on his computer, scrutinizing the details of that vast stretch of
ocean.
She Might Still Be Alive
There were many small islands, which meant there were also many dangers.
He fell into a thoughtful silence.
Finished
Energized by the hope Sergio had given him, Justin called Emeris to share the good news. He pleaded with him not to donate his assets just yet. Emeris, however, angrily chastised him for being too heartless to think about money at a time like this. Sergio noticed Justin's deflated expression and let out a cold snort.
"You're such a fool. The best idea you can get is this."
Justin wanted to retort. After a moment's thought, he decided against it. After all, when it came to intelligence, Sergio truly did surpass them all.
When one of the mercenary leaders heard where they planned to go, he voiced his doubts. They were reluctant to venture into that area.
Justin, having finally found a glimmer of hope, wasn't about to give up.
"Name your price. Money isn't an issue."
The mercenary shook his head.
"It's not about the money. That area is extremely dangerous. We might not come back alive. Because it's a pirate stronghold, no government has sent peacekeepers there. Their main base is on one of those islands. Once you're in, you don't come out." Justin felt a wave of cold dread wash over him, and he looked to Sergio for help.
What now?
Sergio hesitated for a moment before picking up the satellite phone and dialing Sivir. Before hanging up, Sivir simply said, "Understood. Wait for further instructions."
Sivir fell silent for a full minute. He held his phone as he made his way to the Dros estate. 424
Chapter 239
Finished
Only He Can Do It
At the Dros estate ...
Ramona had locked Orion in his room for two days and nights.
He hadn't eaten a thing, but the room was littered with empty bottles of alcohol.
Slumped in a corner and clutching a wine bottle, Orion kept murmuring Seraphina's name over and over again.
Lucius and Aron had tried to persuade him multiple times, but nothing worked.
The Orion they saw before them was nothing like the confident, proud man they once knew. He was utterly captivated by Seraphina and bewitched by her spell. When Sivir arrived and saw the scene, he couldn't help but frown slightly.
"Mr. Dros, what if I told you there's a chance that Seraphina might still come back?"
If he remembered correctly, when Orion first took over the Dros Group, some of the company's founding members weren't happy. They worked together to set him up.
Those people orchestrated a pirate ambush on several oil tankers passing through the Etrium waters. The oil was stolen.
At that time, no official or military force intervened in such international disputes.
Most people in that situation would have simply accepted their loss.
Orion piloted a small speedboat and charged straight into the pirate fleet. When everyone thought he wouldn't make it back alive, he survived and brought back the stolen oil with him. The incident shocked people all over the world.
Orion was the first person ever to escape from pirates unscatched, leaving them empty-handed.
Therefore, Orion could be the only source of remaining hope for this rescue mission.
Regardless of whether Orion was drunk, Sivir laid out the situation clearly.
If the pirates were only after money, that would be simple to handle.
The real fear was that they might want something far worse-lives.
As soon as Sivir left, Orion sprang to his feet in a panic. He ordered Ken to arrange for a plane and decided to leave immediately.
He retrieved an old phone and a gun from the safe and headed out.
Ramona's men couldn't stop the frenzied Orion. All they could do was watch him leave, frustrated to the point of stamping their feet in anger. As long as there was even a sliver of hope for Seraphina, Orion was willing to risk his life.
Only He Can Do It
2459%*
Finished
Seraphina sat expressionless, chewing on a piece of fish. It had no seasoning, and she couldn't taste any of its natural flavor.
The fish had been washed ashore by the sea. Kaveh had picked it up and roasted it with some dry leaves.
Aside from the salty and slightly fishy taste, it was bland and tasteless.
"I'd kill for a meal at that old restaurant on Prisa's streets, with a glass of white wine. It'd be perfect," she murmured.
Kaveh had been eating enthusiastically. He looked at her and grinned.
"If you don't want it, I'll gladly take it off your hands."
As he reached for her piece of fish, Seraphina jerked away and glared at him protectively.
"Get lost! No one touches my food."
Kaveh suggested tentatively, "If you're bored, you could put on the tribal clothes, and I'll take you to see their village." Seraphina immediately shook her head, Was he suggesting that boredom should lead to suicide?
The mere thought of putting on those tribal clothes or even hearing the word 'tribesmen' made her shudder with fear. She would never do that.
The sky was a clear, brilliant blue, with not a cloud in sight. The sea breeze blew refreshingly across the shore.
Seraphina had no interest in the beauty around her. She just wondered when these days of anxiety and danger would finally come to an end.
Lost in her sadness, she suddenly heard the distant roar of an engine approaching from the sea.
Before Kaveh could react, Seraphina bolted out. She frantically waved her arms from a high point toward the small figure in the distance. ""Help! Over here!"
The speedboat came closer and closer, the sound growing louder.
When Seraphina began to feel a flicker of hope, Kaveh grabbed her and started running. His voice was both cold and urgent. "Run! It's the pirates!"
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Finished
The Pirates Attack
Chapter 240
The Pirates Attack
"Run into the forest!"
Seraphina spoke slowly, but her feet were constantly moving.
"Aren't those savages there?"
"They're kinder than pirates!"
True enough!
The two ran without looking back, their steps determined and resolute. The cold wind lashed against their faces, biting and painful.
They ran breathlessly and dared not stop for a second. The situation was far more perilous than it had been that night.
They could hear the chaotic footsteps and wild laughter of the pursuers behind them, along with the occasional gunshot warning.
It felt like a primitive, brutal hunting game.
They were the targets of the hunt.
Seraphina had never felt so grounded in her life. Every nerve in her body trembled with terror.
Suddenly, her foot slipped, and she crashed to the ground. Her knee was slamming down with a dull thud/ as if her bones had shattered.
Kaveh turned around and saw her biting her lip in pain, her face was pale. He turned around to lift her onto his back.
Seraphina pushed him away. She gritted her teeth as she used her hands to push herself up. She forced a faint, pained smile. "Save your strength. I can still run."
Kaveh looked at her. He nodded, grabbed her arm, and pulled her along. They didn't stop.
The pain in her knee was excruciating, as if her entire leg was about to give out.
She couldn't stop. Seraphina kept running, her forehead covered with sweat, betraying the agony she was enduring.
The gunshots behind them grew louder, and the footsteps drew closer.
Seraphina's heart pounded violently, as if a hand were squeezing her throat. Her body's limits were warring with her mind.
Without hesitation, she obeyed the commands of her willpower.
The cold wind carried the sharp cracks of gunfire. They didn't dare to relax for even a second.
The Pirates Attack
Finished
The pirates must have spotted the distressed sign Seraphina had left, leading them right to the savages.
As they neared the smoke rising from the savage village, their breathing eased. Kaveh led her to the side, circling around to a large tree behind the village.
This was where they stored dry branches, with the smell of fish oil still lingering on them.
"Bang-"
A gunshot rang out, startling the savages. They jumped up and gripped their wooden sticks in alarm.
Seraphina and Kaveh exchanged a glance. His expression was uncharacteristically serious. He raised a finger to his lips, signaling for silence.
Immediately after, they heard a flurry of footsteps as the savages ran. Their feet were crunching over the branches. They shouted in their own language, issuing what sounded like stern warnings. The pirates cursed as their gunfire echoed. The atmosphere was tense.
The pirates were armed with guns. Naturally, they weren't afraid of the savages.
They faced an overwhelming number of opponents and had a limited supply of bullets. Therefore, their advantage wasn't as overwhelming as they'd hoped.
Their frustration grew as they realized they had followed their prey here, only to find nothing but savages.
They had been tricked.
"There are savages here? Damn it, it's a waste of bullets to kill them!"
"That explorer must be close by. Think he'll be a good catch?"
"Let's catch him and find out. If not, we'll gut him."
There were only three pirates, and their conversation in a foreign language sent chills down Seraphina's spine.
Her heart pounded in her chest, nearly bursting from fear.
The pirates began firing recklessly. Whether they hit someone or not, some of the savages panicked and scattered.
The savages' makeshift weapons were no match for the pirates' guns.
The pirates rampaged through the village, overturning tents and firewood and brutally kicking the weaker savages aside.
The savages' screams and the pirates' wild laughter blended into one horrifying symphony.
The noise grew louder, almost as if it were coming from just behind the tree where they hid.
Seraphina held her breath. Her entire body was stiff with fear, not daring to make a sound.
It felt as though eyes were watching them from above. A tingling sensation was creeping down her spine, slowly pushing them towards death The anxiety was unbearable sending chills down her back.