Reborn in the Enemy's Embrace

"Don’t be afraid, everyone. Please come forward one by one," the leader’s subordinates said to the people trapped on the cruise.

The Rebels wanted to capture their target. After realizing that the ones they caught were not the president of Crowdstar Group, they were told to leave. They were given some time off on the cruise. This made more people want to leave this frightening place quickly and start cooperating more actively.

"Whoever takes the test the last must be the president of Crowdstar Group," Dexter deliberately announced to the crowd just as I was contemplating how to resolve the crisis.

This sentence seemed harmless, but it caused a huge reaction among the survivors. "That’s right. I can’t be the last one. I can’t be at the end of the line."

"Let’s go and test right away so that we can leave and still have time for dinner!" someone echoed in the crowd.

In a riot with over a thousand people, what might happen if they were given guns? Similar to a flock of sheep, individuals could struggle to unite when overcome by extreme fear. This was why a shepherd dog that could easily control hundreds of sheep played a crucial role.

"I’ll do it first!"

"Let me go first!" Everyone pushed forward, eager to be at the front of the line.

Upon realizing that the situation was spiraling out of control, the leader chose not to intervene and instead allowed it to escalate. Yet, I couldn’t help but notice a peculiar smile beneath his face mask. It was as if he saw everyone as sheep. He was watching a show.

Suddenly, someone from the crowd let out a piercing scream. And then, even more screams echoed.

At that moment, the leader detected something amiss. He swiftly stood up and fired. Instantly, everyone fell to the ground, clutching their heads in terror.

"Help!" The screams continued one after another.

"Someone cut my palm! It hurts so much," someone shouted in the crowd.

Although the situation was eventually brought under control, many people suffered palm injuries. Consequently, it became difficult to identify the responsible individual accurately.

Dexter glanced at the crowd indifferently, his icy demeanor intensifying.

I looked at Dexter and noticed the bandaged palm of his hand. I never anticipated that his palm injury would cause trouble. Eventually, the leader would surely identify everyone with injured palms as their main surveillance targets.

Eason exclaimed angrily, "I knew it! The president of Crowdstar Group is an absolute genius, and he’s also extraordinarily ruthless."

The leader was furious, seemingly consumed by uncontrollable emotions. He began rampaging and smashing objects. "Do you think you can hide from me? How much longer do you think you can stay hidden?"

The leader’s laughter echoed maniacally. "Those whose palms remain uninjured, proceed with the test!"

After a full night of testing, 678 out of the 1,064 individuals on the cruise went through the test. None of them turned out to be the president of Crowdstar Group.

Of the 386 remaining individuals, all had injuries on their palms, making identification impossible. Among them was Dexter.

"To those who have completed the test, you may now leave early and enjoy a well-deserved rest. I sincerely appreciate your hard work." The leader unexpectedly showed a moment of kindness and surprised everyone by allowing them to leave and rest.

I held Dexter’s hand. "Their focus has narrowed from over 1,000 people to just 360. It’s only a matter of time before they locate the president of Crowdstar Group. We need to be proactive and ensure his safety before they do."

The leader ascended the grand podium and said once more in a peculiar tone, "By the way, I forgot to inform you of the rules of the game. The entire cruise ship is accessible and can be utilized anywhere. Everyone must fulfill their duties."

"The chefs are to promptly return to their stations and resume work. Similarly, the waiters must also return to their respective posts..."

The leader gazed at us and said, "What I want to convey to you is that among the over a thousand people before me, there are not only police officers concealing their identities but also thieves and even a serial killer with a hidden identity."

"In order to survive, you must find a way to avoid being targeted by the murderer. I’ll meet you tomorrow at 3:00 pm. Have a great time on the cruise!" After the leader finished speaking, he left.

I regarded Zion warily and asked, "Is there a serial killer here?"

Zion couldn’t help but reply, "Yes, this matter was only disclosed by my superior after you had already agreed to board the cruise. It’s a highly confidential issue.

"This murderer escaped from Yesa. The Yesa police had clues, identified the suspect, and worked with the Huma police to arrest him. However, as they delved deeper into the case, they discovered that he had assumed a false identity and embarked on this cruise ship.

"With over a thousand individuals on board, pinpointing his exact location is proving to be an immense challenge. His ability to disguise himself is remarkable."

"He switches between women’s clothing and school uniforms when engaging in criminal activities. Even surveillance cameras struggle to capture his face accurately."

Violette scanned anxiously at the bustling crowd surrounding her. "With so many people, how will we find the murderer? If he continues to hide without killing anyone, won’t he become a ticking time bomb?"

"The Yesa and Huma police departments have come to a joint understanding that the perpetrator is a mentally ill individual with psychological issues, deriving pleasure from taking the lives of others. His compulsion to kill will become intolerable if he goes without for too long."

"He must kill someone every seven days, and his targets are all women. His method of killing is reminiscent of the Huma serial murder case, as he enjoys embalming his victims and turning them into dolls."

Eason approached me and said, "Initially, the Huma police suspected that the serial killer from Yesa had escaped and committed the crime but later determined that the timing did not align. The two cases are unlikely to be connected, but they can’t dismiss the possibility of a copycat crime."

"Huma is now under martial law. Why did the murderer flee from Yesa to Huma? Is he seeking for trouble?" muttered Joel.

Huma was also in a state of panic due to the series of murders.

Eason exuded an air of tranquility as he skillfully began his lessons with Joel. "Have you ever heard of criminal comparative psychology? Allow me to enlighten you."

"From the perspective of criminal psychology, murderers can be categorized into two distinct types, which are dangerous personality crime and dangerous trauma crime. The serial killer in Yesa, without a doubt, falls under the category of dangerous personality crime."

"This individual lacks empathy, remorselessly takes lives, derives pleasure from killing, engages in predatory behavior, and possesses an unnerving desire to exert control over their victims."

"The serial murder case in Huma is clearly an act of revenge. The murderer planned and carried out the killings in an organized manner, making sure not to harm innocent people. This belongs to dangerous trauma crime."

Joel cursed, "Fuck... So, this criminal with a twisted and dangerous personality believes that the serial killers in Huma were taunting him, so he hurried to his rivals’ territory and got ready to retaliate by killing and provoking them?"

This twisted mindset was truly unbelievable.

"The psychology behind this is quite straightforward. He takes pleasure in the act of killing and believes himself to be highly intelligent as he can evade detection by the police. However, when others commit similar crimes without consequence, he’s not happy."

"He feels compelled to venture into their territory and behave wildly and provocatively," Violette explained it in more simple terms.

Joel ran his fingers through his hair and glanced back at the dwindling crowd. "My goodness... if he can kill so many people without getting caught, he must be incredibly skilled. Now I can’t help but see everyone as a potential murderer."

"I think you might be one too," Eason said playfully.

Joel sneered. "If I were a murderer, you’d be the first I kill."

"Nowadays, many people can’t handle stress well. Trauma crime occurs when individuals are unable to handle intense pressure and exhibit extreme and distorted behaviors.

"What we need to be vigilant about is that the murderer among the crowd is born with a criminal personality, which is more terrifying than a traumatic criminal. He lacks empathy and sympathy for the victim. He won’t blame himself or feel guilty."

"He’ll pretend to be superior and flawless." Violette sighed.

"Have you heard of Dr. Hannibal Lecter? A highly intelligent criminal with a strong diathesis." Eason deliberately frightened Joel.

Dexter rubbed his hands and said, "To catch the serial killer, we must be smarter than him."

Joel rolled his eyes and expressed, "You really scared me. I thought you were going to compete with that murderer to determine who’s more insane."

Dexter snorted. "As long as he doesn’t harm those I care."

If someone were to challenge Dexter’s bottom line, he could be more aggressive than anyone else... I felt a chill. "The serial killer is going after women. We might be his target..."