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Chapter 53: Next Chapter, The Death of Phantom Thief Kid
As special guests distinct from the hired extras, Jack and the boys naturally enjoyed some privileges. For instance, they didn't need to wait in the long line and could proceed directly through a separate security channel.
The overall security process remained unchanged; bodies were searched, and luggage was checked.
Jack and Tim passed through smoothly. When it was Darren's turn to be searched, Tim turned back and watched him with worry. Knowing Darren, the guy loved to hide a pile of magic props on his person. As a magician, it was a normal habit—expected, even. But in this situation, with police nerves taut, finding random gadgets on Darren might cause a misunderstanding.
Tim was already prepared to jump in and explain for him.
Unexpectedly, a few minutes later, security cleared Darren. They hadn't found anything suspicious on him.
"Surprised? I didn't bring anything today," Darren said with a grin, seeing the shock in Tim's eyes as he walked over.
Indeed, Darren was not carrying any of Kid's equipment.
"Just as I thought. There was bound to be an extremely strict inspection before boarding."
Darren had anticipated this scenario back when he first snuck onto the ship to plant the notice. The reason was simple: once the cruise ship set sail, it would essentially become an isolated island cut off from the outside world. As long as the sky and water were controlled, no one could board mid-voyage. Thus, if they verified everyone's identity strictly at the start, they might theoretically keep Phantom Thief Kid off the ship entirely.
So, Darren deliberately carried nothing today—not even his costume.
Did he plan to steal the Star of Hope empty-handed?
Of course not. To counter this exact situation, Darren had hidden all necessary equipment in various locations aboard the ship during his initial scouting trip. The hiding spots he chose were tricky and extremely unlikely to be discovered. Although accidents could always happen and absolute zero-risk plans didn't exist, he was prepared.
I need to find a chance to check if my stashed gear is still there, Darren mused as he followed Jack and Tim onto the deck.
A large crowd had already gathered on board. This included a hundred amateur extras, the entire film crew, special guests like themselves, ship operations staff, and dozens of security guards. In total, there were nearly a thousand people. Yet, with so many people on one ship, it didn't feel crowded at all; a glance around even gave a sense of spaciousness.
The Pride of Macragge, Weathers' latest luxury liner, was extraordinarily large.
Interestingly, Darren didn't spot any police officers on board. Uniformed or plainclothes—there were none.
They don't look like they're mixed into the extras either. Is the GCPD that confident in their security check?
Woooo—
Just as Darren was thinking this, a steam whistle suddenly blasted.
He watched as the gangway automatically retracted. The cruise ship's engines started, and it slowly drifted from the shore, heading toward the deep sea.
Immediately following this, over a dozen speedboats darted out from somewhere, quickly catching up to the cruise ship. They formed a protective encirclement, matching the liner's speed. These boats were black and white, emblazoned with the highly visible letters: GCPD.
"Police speedboats. I see. No wonder I couldn't find any police on the ship; they were waiting out here." Darren glanced at the flotilla trailing the vessel. "Looks like the situation is disadvantageous for me. Trapped in a dragnet before I even make a move. The GCPD did well this time; it's a bit tricky."
"Hey, stop staring. We need to go to the dining hall on Deck 6 for the banquet," Tim said, patting Darren on the shoulder.
"Tim, I just realized a problem," Darren said, turning around with a thoughtful expression.
"What now?" Tim asked warily. Was this kid about to say something shocking again?
"How many days will the ship be sailing? When do we wrap up?"
Tim froze on the spot.
"No way, you don't know either?" Darren looked incredulous. "Have you never thought about this? Shooting a movie takes months, if not a year or more. Given the size of this ship, it can sail for a long time. Are we going to be stuck here for months?"
"...Did you see where my dad went?" Tim asked after a moment of silence. He had been so focused on Phantom Thief Kid that he hadn't considered anything else. The person who tied the bell must untie it; they were here thanks to Jack, so asking him was the right move.
"Dunno. Didn't see him." Darren spread his hands.
"Forget it. Let's just go to the restaurant. Everyone will be there anyway," Tim sighed.
"Ah! Is that Darren Green?"
Just then, a surprised voice rang out behind them. A boy about their age ran over.
"And Tim, you're here too."
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