Yet, many onboard were drenched in a cold sweat from the recent near-disaster. After all, Eileentop was currently Britain's most famous actress, having already starred in a billion-dollar blockbuster film series at a young age, promising an immeasurable future.

It might sound crass, but among the two hundred-plus guests visiting the warship today, her drowning would have caused a far greater sensation than anyone else’s. She commanded hundreds of millions of fans worldwide; more people knew of her than recognized the President of the United States!

Amidst warm applause, the speedboat convoy set off again. Wang Zhuo and Eileentop were still in the same boat, though the dashing aura they possessed at departure was gone. Both were wrapped up like zongzi in military greatcoats donated by others.

Eileen revealed only a pale yet pretty little face, shivering intermittently, letting out small whimpers to remind her companion that she needed her nose wiped. Wang Zhuo was faring much better; he even had the leisure to ask Zhao Yu to snap a commemorative photo.

Li Mingxu sighed, “That was terrifying just now. If you two had surfaced just as the next boat passed, you’d have been killed instantly.”

“Without you, Eileen would have been lost,” Kang Yangqiu stated with absolute certainty.

Even the highly professional Zhou Jiyuan shook his head repeatedly. “You’re insane. Hero saving the beauty isn't supposed to be played like that; it was too dangerous.”

Wang Zhuo smiled without speaking. China had endured over a decade of intense moral debate. Although no universally accepted conclusion had been reached, the principle that "one must assess their limits when saving others" had gained widespread recognition. His action, which outsiders might label as ‘mad’ or ‘reckless,’ was actually the result of careful calculation.

If the first speedboat hadn't reacted in time, he would have fully submerged, at least ensuring his own safety. If that boat had managed to evade them, his chance of rescuing Eileen would have been at least sixty percent.

Was it an adventure? Certainly, there was an element of risk. Who knew if this patch of ocean harbored sharks or other sea creatures? Was it madness? Not really. Onlookers saw only the immediate peril, interpreting his actions as suicidal folly, but he knew the score. No matter how bad the situation, he, at least, would be fine.

But this was knowledge best kept to himself. Explaining the precise, calculated risks would demystify the ‘heroic feat,’ turning it into a mere ‘simple task.’ Wouldn't that make him look like a complete idiot?

Seeing Wang Zhuo’s knowing smile, Li Mingxu and the others held differing opinions: ‘foolish,’ ‘righteous,’ ‘true man,’ ‘hero,’ ‘gutsy’—all such terms were applied to him. Yet, one consensus remained: Wang Zhuo was undeniably exceptional. Only he could have stepped up in that moment, only he could have brought Eileen Eileentop back completely unharmed!

“Oh, right, I recorded the entire scene,” Zhao Yu suddenly leaned in, handing his DV camera to Wang Zhuo. “Interested in watching?”

“You recorded it?” Wang Zhuo took the DV with an expression blending amusement and disbelief, looking at him. “We almost lost our lives, and you had the presence of mind to film this?”

Zhao Yu scratched his head sheepishly. “You’ll understand when you see it.”

Wang Zhuo lowered his head and looked at the screen. The recording was paused about thirty seconds in. He pressed play and instantly grasped the reason. When the accident happened, the chubby Zhao Yu was taking a selfie, framing half the shot on his own face, striking a victory sign, while the other half captured Eileen leaning back slightly, posing for her friend's camera.

Zhao Yu’s head obviously had no eyes on the back, so he didn't see Eileen slip into the water.

Indeed, the picture suddenly jolted violently as the hull met the massive wave, and then Eileen was tossed up, plunging into the sea in a style resembling a ‘wild goose descending to the sand’—rear end first. At this point, Zhao Yu was still grinning foolishly at the lens. Then, a figure shot past his side, shedding its coat mid-air, before skewering the water like a spearfish.

“Nice shot,” Wang Zhuo commented with a chuckle. Then the screen shook violently, rendering the image incomprehensible, but the audio clearly captured everyone's gasps. Clearly, Zhao Yu realized something terrible had occurred, spun around, and pointed the DV toward the rear, catching the following speedboat executing a sharp turn to avoid the spot where Eileen had fallen—the turn was so swift they almost capsized.

The subsequent footage was captured, rivaling a tense, fast-paced action film in its sheer terror. Even Wang Zhuo, the participant, felt dizzy and re-experienced the danger he had been in.

“Put that away. This is the documentary of the year,” Wang Zhuo said, smiling as he handed the DV back to the chubby kid. “Record a copy for me later; I want a memento.”

“Deal!” Zhao Yu nodded repeatedly.

Li Mingxu interjected from the side, “You absolutely cannot upload this online, it would look bad.”

Zhao Yu gave a fawning smile. “I know that, but showing it off to my friends should be fine, right?”

Just as he said this, Eileen on the other side of the boat suddenly called out sweetly, extending a small white hand from inside her greatcoat to wave at Zhao Yu.

“Take it over for her to see,” Wang Zhuo exchanged a knowing look with Eileen and instructed Zhao Yu.

...

The mishap caused considerable headaches for Moning and Churchill.

Fortunately, the scare ended without permanent injury. That Chinese man, Wang, who had caused some trouble earlier, had stepped up at the critical moment, saving the life of Eileen, the commoner princess of Britain. Reflecting on it, they were still shaken. If Eileen hadn't been on the same boat as Wang Zhuo, the day could have led to enormous trouble, possibly costing them their rank insignia.

After landing, the Ministry of Defence naturally exerted every effort to manage the aftermath. Moning felt genuinely wronged; the auctioning of the Royal Princess felt more like a commercial venture than a military affair. These guests were sightseeing and taking photos—where was the secrecy?

As expected, despite his plea for everyone not to release photos or footage, Eileen refused to comply. However, persuaded by old Mac, she agreed to downplay the incident, reframing its context as merely “a sightseeing tour.” It certainly proved that being beautiful was a privilege; Moning’s superiors reported up the chain, and the brass in the military surprisingly agreed!

It was all a mess. Moning’s only solace was that the “Chinese King” had shown significant interest in the Royal Princess, mentioning he felt ‘fated’ to be connected to the vessel. China was a nation that valued destiny; Moning could only hope the Chinese royal would offer a price satisfactory to him and his superiors.

The rest of the day was spent under the lingering shadow of the accident. Since the itinerary was disrupted, Wang Zhuo gave Li Mingxu and the others a thousand Euros for entertainment expenses and sent them off to shop.

Once the four men left, Wang Zhuo remained alone in the hotel, feeling a touch of fatigue. He hadn’t used his powers extensively that day, less even than the first time he strained them in the Red Room. However, this was the first time he’d used them under severe oxygen deprivation, and he realized such exertion did lead to physical exhaustion.

But it didn't matter. Saving the life of a charming foreign girl made a little fatigue worthwhile, didn't it?

As he lay on the sofa, listening to soft music with his eyes closed, a melodious chime from the doorbell sounded. Wang Zhuo opened his eyes, too lazy to get up immediately, and casually peered out with his X-ray vision.

“Oh, my.” All languor vanished instantly. Standing gracefully outside the door was a stunning beauty. Though she wore large black sunglasses, her mere presence radiated star power, style, and attitude. She had the body of a fiercely attractive woman but appeared only fifteen or sixteen years old. It was Eileen.

Hadn't she already thanked him? Why was she here alone now? Wang Zhuo stood up, puzzled, and quickly walked to the door, glancing at the clock on the wall—it was already 8 PM. What brought her here?

“Hi,” Eileen said with a sweet smile after he opened the door.

“Hi, welcome.” Wang Zhuo feigned surprise and delight upon seeing her, ushering her quickly into the room.

Once seated, Wang Zhuo asked curiously, “Didn't you go home? How did you end up here?”

“My home is in the deep countryside; I only said that to throw people off the scent,” Eileen blinked her long lashes, her sky-blue irises shimmering with captivating color. “It’s incredible, you actually saved my life.”

“Indeed, I find the whole thing quite dramatic,” Wang Zhuo shrugged and smiled, teasing her, “How do you plan to repay your savior?”

“I haven't decided yet,” Eileen playfully wrinkled her nose.

Their relationship had turned into easy friendship when they were 'smuggling' MN on the ship, and the heroic rescue only solidified it. In Eileen’s eyes, Wang Zhuo had risked his life for her, so there were no barriers between them now.

“Then take your time deciding. But if you owe me too long, I’ll start charging interest,” Wang Zhuo said, stretching languidly.

Having spent time in the icy seawater and then being buffeted by the sea wind, Wang Zhuo had turned the air conditioning up quite high after returning. After a hot shower, he wasn't wearing formal attire; he was clad only in the hotel-provided silk pajamas, completely bare underneath.

It was late February, the cusp of winter and spring, so the pajamas were quite thick. While sitting still, he looked fine, but as he stretched, the defined contours of his chest muscles faintly revealed themselves.

Watching this man naturally and casually display his physique, a door suddenly seemed to swing open in Eileen’s heart, and an emotion known as a heart-leap overwhelmed her body and mind.