Chapter 582
Chapter 582
It felt as if Steven's and my souls were tightly embracing each other.
Climbing onto the deck, we waited anxiously for rescue. However, when the rescue ship finally arrived, Genome Society's ship had not left. Instead, they actually drew closer.
"We're here to save you! Hurry and come aboard quickly." Their team quickly disguised themselves as humanitarian aid workers and commenced the rescue operation for the survivors aboard the cruise ship.
On the deck next to ours, I spotted a familiar woman. She was Lois, Michael's mother. She was wearing a raincoat and standing on the deck, the sea breeze blowing her hair. She looked unfamiliar and scary.
She stood there as she watched Michael participating in the rescue with a serious look in his eyes. Maybe she didn't expect him to be so vulnerable and felt that he was not worthy of her lifetime plans and efforts. "Mike, save me!" Yasmin's desperate cries reverberated through the waves.
She had been hiding in the room. She wore a life jacket and was holding onto the balcony railing tightly, which saved her life. Her instincts to survive danger had always been very strong.
I looked at Yasmin in the seawater and realized that she wasn't meant to die. It was such a pity that she knew too much. Even if Michael and I wanted to save her, Genome Society wouldn't allow it.
A gunshot pierced the air. Steven, Michael, and I were shocked as we witnessed Lois shoot Yasmin. "Mike..." The bright red blood was spreading, and her life jacket was deflating. She looked down in shock and fear at the blood slowly spreading around her body. In her final moments of terror, she called out Michael's name.
"Yasmin!" Michael reached out to grab her hand.
Yasmin reached out desperately to grab him too. Michael's hand was injured. Coming into contact with her could potentially infect him with HIV.
With no access to emergency antiretroviral drugs in the harsh conditions at sea, they were facing a race against time. Within the crucial 72-hour window, reaching shore and obtaining the necessary medication seemed increasingly unlikely.
I instinctively tried to stop Michael, but then I decided not to interfere. Nobody could alter someone else's destiny.
Yasmin cried and reached out to hold Michael's hand. She was such a selfish person that she definitely would not care about Michael's well-being. She was desperate for a final sense of security. However, ultimately, this selfish person chose to retract her hand.
The blood had already entered her lungs. She spat out a mouthful of blood and looked at Michael with a pale face. "Mike... don't... come over here."
She was gesturing to Michael not to come near her blood. Everyone had gotten injured to different extents, and her blood was a source of contamination.
Her final gaze at me was filled with reluctance, jealousy, and sadness. I couldn't help but wonder if she felt regret before she passed. Perhaps not. After all, conscience was inherent. It either existed or never did.
She released her grip gradually, allowing her body to submerge into the depths of the sea. Michael knelt in the boat, his eyes filled with sorrow as he glared at Lois. She responded with indifference, choosing not to speak and offer any explanation.
"Everyone, hurry up and board if you want to survive." The Genome Society members were still striving to persuade everyone to go on board.
The rescuers arrived from a rescue ship to save us. I gazed at Lois, and we couldn't look away from each other for a while.
Finally, she said first, "Stephie, I now kind of believe that you're Stephie."
I stared at her, feeling angry and sad. I wondered why she did that, but I couldn't ask the question.