Just then, the Autumn Glow gave a violent lurch. Its metal hull creaked under the strain, and a piercing alarm instantly tore through the cabin's peace.
Qian Fan's pupils contracted, and his face went deathly pale. Almost by reflex, he swept out an arm and shielded Xu Yuan'er behind him.
His gaze swept warily around them, his voice low and grave. "Yuan'er, stay here and don't move. I'll go see what happened."
Xu Yuan'er clutched the hem of Qian Fan's clothes, her beautiful eyes filled with worry and unease. "I'm going with you."
"No!" Qian Fan's tone was firm and brooked no argument. He gently patted Xu Yuan'er's hand and reassured her, "It's safe here. Be good and stay put. Wait for me to come back."
With that, he darted out of the private cabin like an arrow loosed from a bow. "What on earth happened?" Qian Fan rushed into the cockpit, his brows tightly furrowed and his eyes full of suspicion.
He strode over to Tiger King and asked anxiously, "Why did the alarm suddenly go off?"
Tiger King's face was livid, his tiger eyes fixed on the red exclamation marks filling the screen. Veins bulged on his forehead.
His hands hammered frantically at the controls, his movements so rough that he seemed intent on driving the buttons straight into the console.
Yet no matter what he did, the alarm refused to stop. Instead, it grew ever more urgent and shrill.
"Fuck!" Finally pushed beyond endurance, Tiger King kicked the console hard. The clang of metal echoed through the cabin alongside his roar. "How the fuck should I know what's gotten into this piece of junk? Everything around us is perfectly calm, but this damned thing's having a fit, beeping nonstop!"
Qian Fan narrowed his eyes slightly, staring at