Chapter 135: The Exhibition Begins

“Rost, did you see the news just now? That relic is going to be exhibited at the museum,” a blonde, blue-eyed woman asked the person sitting across from her.

“Carter, Chevelle, what do you two think? I believe our first step should be to get hold of the architectural plans of the exhibition hall,” Rost replied.

He took a sip of his drink, then looked at Carter and Chevelle, a flicker of possessiveness glinting in his eyes when they met Carter’s gaze.

“I already have the blueprints of the exhibition hall,” Carter said, tapping her keyboard twice. Instantly, the architectural plans appeared on the screen before them. “From what I’ve learned, special police and armed forces will be stationed there starting tomorrow when the exhibition opens.”

“Dear Carter, you truly are a top-tier hacker to obtain the museum’s blueprints so effortlessly,” Chevelle remarked, her prominent nose giving away her Russian heritage.

“What we need to do now is figure out how to enter the venue silently and take the relic without a trace,” Robert, slightly older and more authoritative than the other two, said. The three of them were renowned international thieves who had worked together for years.

“The exhibition opens tomorrow, right? We should go and inspect the relic first. Everyone must memorize the positions where the armed police are stationed. This will be crucial,” Rost suggested.

After deliberating, the trio decided to visit the museum to verify if the relic was genuine.

Meanwhile, after Chu Feng and his team finished their filming, Lao Qian was tasked with carving a replica of the relic. Inside it, they embedded a tracker. If the thieves managed to steal this fake relic and fled, the armed police could track them anywhere.

Chu Feng also set up some surveillance measures around the site, installing infrared cameras concealed in hidden spots.

At 8 a.m. the next day, before the museum doors opened, a long queue of citizens had already formed. People in Zhongyuan City knew this exhibition showcased a relic left behind by a venerable master from Shaolin Temple upon his passing, attracting a large crowd.

Since it was Friday, the attendance was moderate; it was expected to be even more crowded over the weekend. Still, Chu Feng couldn’t help but feel a shiver seeing the sea of people.

He had intended this as a trap for the three international thieves but hadn’t anticipated so many spectators would come to view the relic. Nonetheless, Chu Feng felt confident since the fake relic contained the tracker—he was simply waiting for the thieves to steal it.

By 8:30 a.m., the crowd, guided by security, entered the exhibition hall in an orderly manner. Thanks to preparations made the night before, despite the large turnout, no chaos ensued.

Chu Feng, Zi Yan, and Pi Dan blended into the crowd. They had all seen photos of the three thieves and planned to roam the exhibition, watching for any sign of them.

By 10 a.m., Chu Feng rested on a chair while Master Yuanjue, the abbot of Shaolin Temple, accompanied by his disciples, introduced the relic to the visitors.

“Brother Feng, I've scanned all the foreigners here. None match the photos of those three. Maybe they disguised themselves,” Pi Dan reported after more than an hour of scrutinizing every foreign face in the hall.

“Don’t worry. They’re patient. They won’t act now because it’s crowded. They’ll wait for a less busy time,” Chu Feng reassured. He wasn’t anxious; his plan wasn’t to catch them inside the museum but to wait for them to steal the fake relic.

The entire morning passed without encountering any of the thieves. However, a few petty thieves attempted to snatch the relic but were promptly caught by the armed police.

At 2 p.m., the exhibition resumed. This time, Chu Feng stood, pacing through the hall rather than resting.

Shortly after, three foreigners entered together but soon separated. Each carried a camera and took photos wherever they went. Pi Dan noticed one person in particular taking pictures, often capturing armed police in the background, arousing suspicion that this woman might be the only female among the three thieves.

Chu Feng and Zi Yan also spotted the other two, but since there were too many people to control, they decided not to act just yet.

“Brother Feng, when do we make our move? It looks like they’re about to leave,” Pi Dan asked as the three thieves gathered near the exit.

“We wait until they attempt to steal the relic. Moving now won’t help; without evidence, they won’t admit anything,” Chu Feng said patiently. He planned to catch them red-handed during the theft, leaving no room for denial.

Sure enough, after five or six minutes, the three appeared to have agreed to leave the hall together. Shortly after, Pi Dan followed them alone by car.

“Chu Feng, I recognize one of them—Carter. She once stole the Friendship Medal from the International Museum in the U.S.,” Zi Yan revealed after Pi Dan’s departure, astonished that Carter had dared to steal from such a prestigious institution.

“Looks like we’re facing formidable opponents. I must stay vigilant. If they manage to steal the relic under our noses and escape, we’d lose all credibility. I wouldn’t even face the team leader afterward,” Chu Feng admitted, equally shocked by Carter’s audacity.

Not long after, a dejected Pi Dan returned. He had tried to tail the targets but was outsmarted and eventually lost them.

“Don’t worry. They’re international thieves. If you could keep up with them and find their hideout, you’d deserve to take the team leader’s position,” Chu Feng encouraged. He did not blame Pi Dan; after all, Pi Dan was just an ordinary scout, only slightly better than a basic reconnaissance soldier. Compared to these international criminals, the gap was enormous.