The Royal Military Academy's Impostor Owns a Dungeon [BL] novel Chapter 282

Chapter 282: Escalating Situation

They were almost out.

Killian Nox was familiar with the designs of these ships; after all, these had been part of many contended cases in the Ministry. Yet, only now did he appreciate taking the time to look at all those blueprints.

And right now, all they needed was to drop through one more maintenance shaft, and then they’d hit the emergency escape pods tucked behind Engineering.

Just one more.

And it would be right there.

But then it happened.

A scream.

Not a shriek of panic—it was raw, piercing, and unmistakably filled with the kind of desperation only a parent could produce.

"Let her go! P-Please—SHE’S JUST A KID!"

"!!!"

Ollie froze mid-crawl.

Killian noticed this and immediately blocked the cadet who had instinctively leaned forward at the sound.

Another scream followed, louder.

Gut-wrenching.

Then came a hollow crack.

A dull, sickening thud of something solid meeting flesh. Ollie wasn’t sure if it was just a fist or an actual blunt weapon, but he was sure that something hit the father.

Hard.

"Shut your mouth, old man!"

Ollie’s mouth went dry, and for once, he hesitated to peer down through the ventilation slits as his pulse hammered in his ears.

The main passenger lobby was now a theater of horror.

Below them stood a group of pirates—rough, armored, masked—and one man, clearly a civilian, slumped on the ground, arm bloodied from being wrenched too hard.

His hand still stretched out toward the small child being dragged across the floor.

Ollie couldn’t move.

Couldn’t blink.

The child wailed, calling for her father, her tiny voice shaking in terror. She couldn’t have been older than six. Her shoes even had cartoon stickers on them.

Characters that his brother even once liked.

"I told you, boss said no casualties!" one of the pirates snapped at the aggressor.

"And I told you," the other snarled, "we’re done waiting for Veeka’s approval."

"She’s too soft. If she won’t push the leverage, I will."

Killian’s jaw tensed.

This was likely the start of a coup.

The pirate yanked the girl forward and stepped toward the rest of the passengers. He sneered as he waved his gun at the terrified group.

"LISTEN UP!"

Every head snapped toward him.

"You all want to live? Then maybe you should start by demanding answers from the two people hiding on this ship."

He held the girl by the collar and pointed his weapon at the crowd.

"Yeah, I’m talking about the cowardly nobles who are hiding to save themselves while letting this child suffer as they sneak out!"

Murmurs started, but this time, he didn’t stop it, not when that was the goal.

A few looked toward each other, unsure.

Some just cried.

"Yeah, you’ve all heard of ’em. The big-shot guild. Dungeon Guardians. Healing your pets, saving the sick, smiling for the camera—"

He spat.

"Bastards act generous, but look! They could’ve stopped this—but didn’t."

Ollie’s stomach turned.

He felt the words hit. Hard.

But what if you were the one trapped in the vent while a girl was being used as bait for you?

But then—he heard it.

Okay, he always eavesdropped.