Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
The two of them heaved a sigh of relief at their situation. Eleven pulled over her hair and saw her neatly trimmed hair ends. She smiled and said, “Good thing I was that bit faster, if not I would have lost half my brain.”
Ye Wei tapped her shoulder and smiled without speaking. As they turned to see the body, they were extremely shocked at how the body was utterly dismembered by the magnetic waves. They learnt that the dead person, a beautiful woman whom they did not know, had clearly died a grisly death. Ye Wei closed her eyes and tried to recall if she had seen anybody familiar, but to no avail.
Eleven softly said, “She was wearing an artificial mask like us.”
People like them felt that it was taboo for others to see their actual looks. Ye Wei opened her eyes and slowly nodded. “I know, but she was not the weakest as she was able to make it through seven squares. I ran through a list of all the female killers I knew, but it didn’t feel like they matched – she is too young.”
The top in their lime were mostly men, and there were female killers as well in a presumably 7:3 male to female ratio. That said, there were extremely few top female killers. Both of them took a look and then stopped. Ye Wei looked at Eleven and asked, “Have you calculated the time?”
“Five minutes.”
The two of them nodded. There was a small door to the right which had a speaker identification device. Ye Wei and Eleven looked at each other and smiled as Chu Li already gave them a recorder pen and had called Count Henry when he gave them the maps.
There was a special device on the small door which required Henry’s voice. If the door was forced open, three hidden traps would be triggered and they would be utterly shot up. As few walked out of the castle alive, nobody quite knew what hidden traps awaited them.
One must admit that Scheming Chu was indeed much more meticulous and detailed when it came to making plans.
Eleven took out the recorder pen and pressed a button. “Hi there, I am Henry,” A perfect English voice sounded.
Chu Li recorded the first greeting when he called over. As the device shone a red light, there was a light tap on the door and the door opened. A strong sinister wind blew against them, and it felt even more sinister than the great hall they were in earlier.
Ye Wei and Eleven kept their recorder pen and strode into the room.
The small door automatically closed.
This was actually the secret room where the artefacts were collected. The entire room was almost 7000 square feet and many drawings were hung on its walls whilst many artefacts were put on the floor that ranged from antique vases to precious carpets and ten-over Persian statues that formed a circle with a status of a goddess in the middle. Ye Wei gasped and could not help but walk closer.
“What happened?” Eleven curiously asked.
“Look at this status – isn’t it the one Su Man mentioned last year?” Ye Wei sounded a little excited as the goddess statue was an Athenian artefact with thousands of years of history. The sculpture, almost three meters long, was brought alive by its sculpting, and it had a wide himation and long chiton. It had a golden scepter in its hand, which in turn had a huge night pearl encrusted in its middle.
The statue seemed solemn whilst its gaze was forgiving and merciful. It gave people an impression of holiness, especially when light from the night pearl radiated her and illuminated her with a holiness that could not be desecrated.
Eleven nodded and could not help and touched the statue. “I saw the photographs, this should be the statue of the goddess.”
“What is she doing here?” Ye Wei calmly said. “Su Man had mentioned that this was an Athenian artefact that was secretly stowed away in some Pharaoh’s temple. It’s loss last year was so sensational and hearsay had it that the artefact ended up in Riyadh. Su Man even looked it up, and how did it appear in Henry’s castle? Did Henry steal it?”
How could such a large statue of a goddess, if stolen, be shipped out of Europe single handedly by Henry despite the outroar it created? Even more so, how did he manage to hide it here? It was simply unbelievable.
Ye Wei and Eleven obviously shared the same sentiments as they looked at the famous drawings in the room. They realized that many of these were the real deal that were stolen two years ago. Even three of the twelve bronze statues of the zodiac were here. While Ye Wei and Eleven were not connoisseurs of artefacts, they definitely knew that these were the cultural legacy of nations around the world that Henry had squirreled away.
The entire 200 meters of space was packed to the brim with various exotics that were priceless.
As they looked around, they had this feeling of royalty and opulence despite the slightly cold and sinister atmosphere that did not diminish the grandeur of the place by the slightest. This place was akin to a small museum.
And it was especially high-class and geared towards antiques.
“He sure has quite the balls,” Ye Wei gasped as she squinted her eyes and took photos with a micro-camera. Eleven thought of another question and said, “The recent thefts of artefacts seems to be no accident, and I’m afraid Henry must have made away with several of these precious artefacts amidst the chaos.”
“My thoughts too. Given how tight his security is, no tom dick or harry could come close. Most typical bandits may be agile and quick to respond, but they will be overwhelmed by the number of hidden traps. That explains why Henry is so confident, not to mention how he can afford to live several lifetimes with just these ten-over statues.” Ye Wei frowned as she did not like how she immensely disliked how people squirreled away artefacts.
While he was immoral, he had bought quite a few off auctions. The majority, however, were still stolen and those were properly immoral.
“Why didn’t we find that painting we were looking for?” Eleven’s eyes scanned through the various drawings as her suspicion was aroused. Both of their eyes suddenly froze.
There was a spot at the west that was empty – a drawing was missing. Both of them squinted their eyes as a slight chill ran down their spines. Ye Wei, with her silver needles at the ready, suddenly swept her hands back and coldly ordered, “Come out!”
There was somebody else in the room.
Ye Wei, with arms akimbo, gently laughed and said, “This new friend of ours, since you are already here, stop hiding around. How about making new friends eh?”
Those who could appear here were no ordinary person.
There was no response after a half a moment, and Ye Wei gorgeously smiled. “If you already have the gall to appear here, why don’t you have the gall to see us? Can’t explain why you are here eh? Just show yourself because there are beauties here. Gorgeous ones, to be exact.”
Eleven’s lips curled into a smile. Wei Wei was simply too adorable.
Ye Wei took a few steps forward but did not see anybody come out. Eleven and her and already identified the direction the person would come from – said person was behind a statue of a lion was already there ever since they came in. While said person might not have expected them to appear and did not manage to leave, he/she could also have became greedy and decided to hang around a little while more only to be hemmed in by them. Ye Wei, thinking of something, broke into a gorgeous laughter.
The both of them could clearly feel the murderous intent in the air building up. There was only a person around, and that person – hiding behind the lion statue – was also brimming with murderous intent.
Eleven sounded cold and seemed to be surrounded by a cold air. “If I did not overguess things, the dead person in the great hall should be your friend. It’s such a pity that what was once a complete body was dismembered by us. What a pitiful end your friend has met.”
Ye Wei gently smiled as Eleven saying such adorable things with such a cold tone was utterly adorable and polite.
As her words fell, a person dashed out from behind the lion statue. The person had long hair, a slender figure and half of said person’s face was covered. Only his/her cold, pitch-black eyes and well-defined brows showed. This look was enough for them to know that the person was definitely good-looking.
And definitely a woman!
Ye Wei and Eleven did not expect the person to be a woman.
They thought they were up against partners and the round container on her back, unsurprising to them, was the artwork they were looking for.
Ye Wei made a few tsks and said, “With so many experts in the field, which side, my dear friend, are you from?”
The number of women who could make it into here were few and far between. If they almost died in the great hall earlier, let alone the rest. If they did not receive holistic special training, and given how Eleven and her had differing specialties, they would not have been able to make it past said array. If she was able to make it past, she should be no weakling.
This point was alone for Ye Wei and Eleven to not look down on her.
They ran through their minds and could not recall which woman had such an ability.
“Thief,” The woman slightly hoarse and deep. She looked at them with a cold and stern look and coldly saud, “We’re not too different. Dear friend, let’s not impede each other.”
Ye Wei smiled beautifully whilst Eleven stood aside without a second word. She blinked naughtily and said, “We are not on the same side. You’re a bandit, but we are not. Besides, you are getting in our day. The door is behind you.”
A hint of anger flashed through the woman in black and she coldly laughed. “Dear friend, if you delay me further, all of the hidden traps in the castle will be activated and none of us will be able to get out. Let’s go our separate ways and stop impeding each other.”
“Very well then!” Ye Wei smiled as the woman backed away and was about to leave. Ye Wei, sounding even more alluring, said, “Leave your painting behind and you can leave.”
The woman stopped in her tracks and said, “You want this painting?”
Eleven coldly laughed and said, “Are you acting stupid or what? Didn’t you hear us earlier? If you do not want to get in our way, leave the drawing behind first.”
“Dear friend, I got to this painting first. Be reasonable,” the woman coldly said with a hint of mockery.
Ye Wei covered her mouth and laughed melodiously. “Does reason still work these days? Henry stole somebody else’s painting and here you are stealing it in return. This painting was never yours to begin with, and what is wrong with me stealing it again? Even mistresses are as significant these days, so there is no such thing as fastest fingers first.”
Eleven gently smiled.
The woman’s gaze slightly darkened and she said, “There are HUNDREDS of famous paintings here that are way more valuable than this. Why are you so insistent on this? Surely you don’t want to startle those who are below?”
“I’ll return you what you said word for word, and add something to it – for all you know, your friend is waiting for you.Y’know, best partners,” Ye Wei gently smiled. The woman’s hands moved, and Eleven squinted her eyes. The woman felt it and stopped moving.
She took off the round container she carried and coldly smiled. “This painting is not the most precious here, so why are you after it?”
“Other people have offered money for it, and I will naturally give it to them. Do I look like I am in need of money?” Ye Wei smiled beautifully and gorgeously. “If I compromise my own reputation, how would people get me to do work on their behalf in the future?”
“If you aren’t messing your own reputation up, what right do you have to mess others’ reputation up?” The woman coldly smiled.
Ye Wei would not stop with her provocative statements. She said, “I love feathers and will definitely dye the feathers of those around me back. Whoever set you on the same target as me? If you need money, help yourself to ANY painting here.”
The woman in black coldly harrumphed and said, “Since you want it, here you go!” through gritted teeth.
As she said, she threw the container at Ye Wei. As she threw the container, Ye Wei and Eleven moved and they both ducked behind the statue. At the same time, two willow leaf blades passed through where they were and smashed two antique vases after they boomeranged back.
The painting was in the middle and nobody could be bothered about it. Ye Wei and Eleven showed themselves at once and moved forward with the agility of a phantom. The woman, not avoiding, immediately came forth and they clashed.
Ye Wei and Eleven acted at once – one going high and the other going low – and wholly targeted her vulnerable spots. The woman, who was agile, grabbed Ye Wei’s wrists after avoiding Eleven and was about to lock her in a reverse grip.
Ye Wei coldly laughed as she feigned a move with her feet and viciously punched the woman in her abdomen. The woman grunted and Ye Wei whistled. Since Gorgeous Mo Jue loved to punch her abdomen, she used the same move against other people and it felt good. The woman, in a rage, swung her hand over. As she swung her hand as quickly as lightning, Ye Wei ducked and her punch viciously landed deep in a tiger statue and chipped it.
Ye Wei secretly gawked at how strong she was.
Eleven came from the back with a fling kick and the distracted woman was kicked hard by Eleven. She rolled far out and knocked onto a metal frame. A sword fell off the rack and landed on her.
The lady quickly got up and squinted at them dangerously. She could not believe that she had been beaten twice after a few minutes.
Ye Wei smiled beautifully. This woman was actually pretty capable, but it was a shame that she had to go up against her and Eleven at once. Since Gorgeous Mo Jue could not match them move for move, let alone her.
They had worked together for many years and had a developed tacit understanding and teamwork to when they had to reveal their weaknesses to allow the other person to exploit it. They knew too well that Ye Wei and Eleven were one.
If the woman decided to go against them by sheer force, she would not end up well – that was clear from the onset.
They could not use guns as the sound of guns would attract the mercenaries below and they would surely be dead meat. The woman stepped on the sword and the sword was in her hands. She removed the sword from the sheath and came for Ye Wei.
Ye Wei tapped her feet and quickly backed off. The woman quickly rushed at her nose. Eleven broke into a cold smile and swept her feet. The woman had to change her direction and flip as she backed away. The sword slashed a priceless painting.
“Hi gorgeous, please treasure this precious artefact will you? How many priceless artefacts have you destroyed?” Ye Wei gently smiled. Just as Eleven was about to act, Ye Wei smiled and said, “Eleven, stand aside. She seems to have quite an opinion of me. I’ll take her on personally.”