"We really are rookies, thinking we're seasoned veterans just because we survived one horror movie. In truth, we aren't prepared for so many things. Just blundering into a horror movie like this is like coming here for fun. Sigh."

Zheng Zha sighed helplessly, and Zhan Lan nodded silently, the girl continuously searching the surrounding walls of the room.

Zheng Zha asked curiously, "What are you looking for?" Zhan Lan replied without turning her head, "This is a hyper-modern starship. I refuse to believe there isn't some high-tech communication device on board. Do the plot characters have to meet face-to-face every time they say something?" As she spoke, Zhan Lan found a button panel mounted on the wall. She randomly pressed one of the buttons, and sure enough, a faint sound came from it, sounding like a phone picked up with no one on the other end.

Zhan Lan touched her forehead. "There are over forty buttons. Assuming each button corresponds to a room equipped with a communication device, that means we are in the middle section of the merchant vessel, and not too far from the control room."

Zheng Zha leaned closer. There were forty-six buttons on the communication device. The panel in front of them was labeled with the number twenty-one, and among all forty-six buttons, only twenty-seven was colored red.

He carefully considered Zhan Lan's line of reasoning. Zhan Lan implied that the entire merchant vessel was divided into forty-six sections, matching the number of buttons. One and forty-six would be near the edges of the ship, meaning room twenty-one, where they were, should be near the center. Likewise, the distinctive red twenty-seven was very likely the ship's control room.

Zheng Zha hesitated. "What if the numbers on the communicator have nothing to do with the room locations? What if all the room numbers are scrambled, and that red twenty-seven isn't the control room, but the security room or something else? You're judging our position based on this alone; it seems a bit too arbitrary, doesn't it?"

Zhan Lan let out a soft snort. "Hmph, arbitrary if it is. Isn't that better than staying here waiting for the Xenomorphs to find us? Do you really want to relive the incident where the Crawlers attacked the door? Watching the door get broken while we could do nothing? Even if room twenty-seven isn't the control room but the security office, there should be usable weapons there, right?" Zheng Zha's head immediately started to ache. Indeed, it was best not to provoke women; when they got anxious, they launched into long speeches, and their nagging alone was enough to make you dizzy. He quickly nodded. "Yes, very good, no problem. I also think we should go out and search. Staying trapped here is definitely worse. I support your decision."

Zhan Lan immediately giggled, saying repeatedly, "En en, I knew Zheng Zha was a good man, the one most accepting of a lady's opinion, hee hee. Then I'll have to rely on you. Please make sure to protect me well."

Zheng Zha tied three steel rods to his back, gripping the thickest and longest one in his hand. He didn't want to say more. Watching Zhan Lan change the room entrance indicator to a green light, he took a deep breath and rushed out... "Yes, my deductions were correct. Every important room has a communication device and a number. We just passed room twenty-five. In other words, the ship's control room is nearby."

Chu Xuan walked out of a room and briefed the other four. The other four watched their surroundings with tense expressions. Zhang Jie suddenly asked, "What good is finding the control room? I say we should focus on finding Zheng Zha and the others first; he's our most crucial combat strength."

Chu Xuan said flatly, "Setting aside whether they are dead or not, to find them, we must first locate the ship's control room. We are unfamiliar with the ship's layout and the location of various areas. We don't even know where the Xenomorphs are generally gathered, where the weapons are stored, or where the food and water are. We don't even... do you know where the restrooms are? Therefore, we must find the control room first to get a clear map of the ship. Only then will we have the capability to fight."

Zhang Jie wanted to say more, but he ultimately fell silent. Ling Dian suddenly said coldly, "Hurry up with whatever you're doing. I feel like something has been following us. Although it's still far away, that aura of danger is extremely obvious."

Bawang also nodded and spoke in halting Chinese: "Yes, very dangerous. I am certain that is a Xenomorph."

Chu Xuan frowned. "Alright, then we'll take the left passage. Everyone run forward. We must find the control room as quickly as possible. If my deduction is correct... finding the control room will significantly increase our chances of survival!" At this moment, not far from Chu Xuan and his group, Zheng Zha and the other were cautiously advancing down the corridor. After running for a short while, Zhan Lan shouted, "Stop, stop! I need to check this room. If anything happens outside... if anything happens, you'll have to judge the situation yourself."

Saying that, she slipped into the room without looking back at Zheng Zha.

Zheng Zha managed a bitter smile and muttered, "She makes it sound so easy, judging the situation myself. No matter how I judge, it will only lead to death..." Despite his words, Zheng Zha remained completely alert, scanning his surroundings. His muscles were taut, and he held the thick steel rod loosely in his hand. For some reason, he felt an unsettling sensation, as if some danger was closing in on him, which heightened his tension.

Several seconds later, Zhan Lan darted out of the room happily. She laughed, "That's wonderful! My deduction was correct. This is room twenty-three. There must be a room twenty-two in the corridors we just passed. If we proceed down this corridor, we are certain to reach the ship's control room... Huh? You look quite pale. Are you too scared?" Zheng Zha forced a smile. "I don't know why, but I have this persistent worry. Maybe we should find a place to hide for a while..." Zhan Lan quickly shook her head, composing herself. "No, we can't. Leaving the main group already means danger. Besides, we are just one step away from the control room now; we have to find it first... I know you might not be feeling well, but can you hang on?" Zheng Zha replied with a bitter laugh, "Let's go then. I'm in great shape; it's just this anxious feeling in my heart... Wow, I really have never met a girl like you. It's one thing to be insensitive, but you're also so tough. Most girls in this situation would have been scared stiff under the bed by now?" Zhan Lan turned back with a giggle. "Hee hee, I've been strong since I was little. My parents died on my twelfth birthday... They were in a car accident while buying me a birthday cake. If I weren't tough, I wouldn't have lived this long. So, you must protect a good girl like me well..."

SMACK!

As Zhan Lan turned back into the corridor while laughing at Zheng Zha, a tongue covered in sharp teeth suddenly shot out from down the passage, instantly piercing her shoulder. The splattering blood dyed Zheng Zha's face and eyes red. In that moment, the crisp sound of her laughter and her words, "You must protect me well..." echoed in his ears.

"No!" Jumping to...