The captain swam to the cryo-pod, his beam of light piercing the shattered cover to rest upon the remains inside.
Perhaps due to the pod's protection, the clothing on this corpse was better preserved than those found elsewhere. At the very least, one could still discern that it was a high-level uniform, a garment reserved for executives at rank P40 or above.
The captain reached out and plucked the rusted ID tag from the chest of the uniform. After an optical computer scan, the corresponding identity information quickly popped up.
[Name: Victor Costa] [Rank: P43] [Codename: Iron Anchor] [Affiliation: Marketing Development Department]
"It really is Senior Victor!" one team member exclaimed through the communicator, his voice tinged with unmistakable surprise. "He didn't escape; he died right here in his own cryo-pod. It seems your previous guess was wrong, Captain."
Another member frowned. "Indeed. If Senior Victor truly colluded with the Ita and secretly moved the Azure Crystals, why would he stay on the ship?"
"Don't be so quick to judge," the captain said, leaning in closer and pointing at the body. "Even though we have Victor's ID tag, it doesn't mean this body is definitely Victor. Look, there is a clear depression in the chest of this skeleton, with smooth and regular edges at the wound."
"Clearly, this was a single strike that pierced the heart, killing him instantly. He was stuffed into the cryo-pod afterward to fake the appearance of being trapped on the ship. The impact of a Stellaron disaster only results in tearing or crushing; it would never leave a wound like this. This body is merely a double Victor used to fake his death."
Soon, the DNA comparison results came back.
"Captain, just as you said, this body isn't Victor. It's his adjutant, Raymond."
The captain chuckled. "Heh, what a clever calculation. Search this cabin thoroughly. Do not miss any possible data."
The other three members immediately fanned out, rummaging through overturned metal cabinets and scattered debris. Having been submerged for several Amber Eras, most paper documents and wooden items had long since rotted into fragile residue that crumbled at a touch. Only a few metallic objects, protected by special waterproof coatings, had managed to survive.
Just then, a team member shouted in surprise, "Captain, look here."
The captain and the others swam over. Following the member's finger, they saw a section of the wall behind the metal cabinet with a slightly different color from its surroundings, its edges marked by a faint, narrow gap.
The member pressed against the wall, and the disguised panel slowly popped open, revealing a fist-sized hidden compartment containing a data pad the size of a business card. The member took the data pad and began attempting to read its contents.
"Captain, the encryption level of this data pad is extremely high, far exceeding the permissions for standard fleet data. I'll have to use a brute-force crack. It will take at least ten minutes."
The captain nodded. "Crack it as quickly as possible. We shouldn't stay here long. It won't be long before the people from the Strategic Investment Department show up."
As he spoke, the captain and the other two looked toward the entrance with guarded expressions.
Meanwhile, Byrne, who had been watching the four-man squad, quietly adjusted his breathing. He didn't dare to act rashly; the opposition had four people, and their equipment was far superior to his. Byrne pressed his body against the rusted bulkhead, his finger lightly pressing the communication jamming key on his diving suit to ensure that his breathing and the faint hum of his equipment wouldn't be detected.
He was waiting—waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Ten minutes passed, and a short notification tone suddenly chimed within the cabin.
"The crack was successful."
The member immediately projected the decrypted data onto a virtual panel. The pale blue light shimmered slightly in the water as lines of clear text slowly emerged. It was Victor's private journal.
After the four of them finished reading the text, a heavy silence fell over the room. A moment later, the captain sighed. Closing the virtual screen, he said in a deep voice, "I never expected Victor would do such a thing back then."
Then, the captain snapped his head around, his gaze locking precisely onto the spot where Byrne was hiding. He sneered, "Friend, you've been hiding for so long. Isn't it time to show your face?"
Byrne was startled to see the captain looking directly at him. Strange. I was sure I was well-hidden. How did he find me? No, I shouldn't move yet; he might be bluffing.
The captain saw that there was still no movement from Byrne's hiding spot. He smiled, drew an energy pistol, and fired a shot toward Byrne's position.
"Enough, stop pretending. If you don't come out, I won't miss the next shot."
The pale blue energy beam struck a meter away from Byrne. Realizing the other man truly knew he was there, Byrne saw no further point in hiding. He slowly emerged from the shadows.
"Don't fire. I'm just a lost traveler who stumbled in here by accident. I mean no harm."
The captain sneered. He signaled two members to move in and flank him while mocking, "A lost traveler? Specialist Byrne, that excuse is far too clumsy."
"You know me?"
"Who in the IPC doesn't know you? You're the new favorite of Director Aventurine—a P25 clerk who struck gold with the Erato Case and landed this assignment in Lusaka."
While the captain spoke, Byrne wasn't idle. He was prepared. The moment the two members closed in, he slammed the thruster on his diving suit, his body propelling backward at high speed. Almost simultaneously, he pressed a button on his chest.
In the next second, he was like an octopus ejecting ink in the face of danger. The water in the cabin instantly became turbid, and vision was obscured by a thick mist of particles. Byrne seized the opportunity. Hugging the bulkhead, he swam rapidly toward the hatch.
He knew this confusion was only temporary. Before long, the opposition would restore order, and he had to escape before that happened.
Byrne activated his thrusters at full power, his body shooting out of the hatch like an arrow. Behind him, the murky mist filled the cabin, temporarily blocking the squad's vision and buying him time for a successful escape.
As the vision-obscuring mist began to clear, the captain barked an order: "After him! Don't let that kid get away!"
With that, the four members of the squad gave chase. Behind Byrne, one energy beam after another streaked through the water. Fortunately, Byrne had memorized the internal structure of the shipwreck and continuously used the terrain to dodge the attacks from behind.