The bowls and chopsticks struck the table with a sharp clatter that stood out amid the noise. Everyone stopped talking for a moment and turned to look at the indignant young man.
The room fell silent in an instant, yet the young man who had caused it seemed oblivious and continued complaining:
"Tch, if I'd known, I'd have brought more food aboard. In a bit, we still have to-"
The man who had tried to comfort him earlier saw that he had no intention of shutting up and hurriedly interrupted:
"Shh, keep your voice down. What if the captain hears you..."
Only then did the young man realize he had silenced the room. He shrugged, closed his mouth sulkily, and used his chopsticks to push the fish bones knocked loose by the impact back into his bowl.
The others gradually resumed their conversations, but they were no longer as animated as before-the young man might well have said what they were all thinking. It was just that no one else dared to bring it up.
Then they moved on to other topics. Some counted the days, wondering when they could head back, while others looked to the future and calculated how much pay they would take home.
Li Xian felt there was no need to keep listening and quietly closed the door the rest of the way. Just as he was about to stand up, he felt a faint tug on the back of his collar.
The tug was so slight that it would have been difficult to notice, but Li Xian detected it instantly.
At the same time, something cold touched the back of his neck.
A fishhook!
Li Xian instantly recalled how this thing had ripped a nail clean out of the wall and looked behind him-
A