Chương 1: Chapter 1
Snap, snap.
Ding, ding.
The soft bell chime echoed through the silent gallery. At the same time, the anti-theft glass case made a faint noise as it slowly dismantled its fucking self, the high-tech security failing miserably.
A hand snaked in, fingers snatching up the prized jade piece and plopping it on top of the casing. A smooth voice cut through the quiet, "A dragon head twined with two phoenixes, deep crimson like fertile dirt. Dope craftsmanship."
"You sure that shit's worth $30 million USD?" Skepticism oozed from the voice at the gallery entrance where another figure lingered.
The girl before the display flashed a sly smirk, not immediately turning around. With nonchalant ease, she spun the jade between her fingers before sending it sailing underhanded towards the voice. Only then did she slowly revolve, eyes glittering with amusement. "An authentic ancient treasure from Western Qin times. What d'you think, hm?"
With reflexes honed by years in the game, the other girl snatched the airborne jade. Furrowing her brow slightly, she examined the intricate carvings, turning it over in her calloused palm.
The first girl, unruffled in her white Etro jacket and slacks with a green silk scarf, exuded casual arrogance. Her smile was gentle yet haughty, eyes sparkling with hard-won confidence of a master in her field. An alluring, carefree presence surrounded her, the kind that could effortlessly draw in suckers and hold them transfixed, making her looks an afterthought.
"Gold's got a price tag," the second girl mused, continuing her examination. "But rare gems and antiques are truly priceless on the open market. This piece could fetch over $100 mil from the right buyer easy. Damn shame it landed in our hands, limiting it to a measly $30 mil sale at best." With a regretful sigh, she slipped the jade into her jacket's inner pocket.
The white-suited thief wagged a chiding finger, her genial smile sharper now. "Tsk tsk. Coming to us, it loses all value. A penny, a million, no difference. But..." Her gaze roved over the remaining treasures gleaming under the spotlights, "If it gets into the right hands, someone who really gets its worth, then it becomes utterly priceless again."
Throwing back her head, the other girl barked out a harsh laugh, at odds with her refined features. "You got that right. We're just a coupla glorified cat burglars in the end. If we want something, we take it - fuck paying. No matter how expensive or priceless, it's worthless 'cause we never use actual money."
With an elegant shrug, the white-suited thief eyed the exhibits with feigned indifference. "Lucky for this gallery, we still got a code in our...profession. You're all safe this time." Her tone dripped disdain and condescension. An unspoken rule - never touch anything not on the list, no matter how tempting. Just 'cause the owner's corrupted didn't give license to take whatever they pleased.
This renowned Manhattan gallery hosted some of the world's most precious antiquities and artifacts. The combined value could buy a small Chinese town ten times over. Cutting-edge security blanket - surveillance cams monitored every inch, assisted by top-notch motion and thermal sensors linked to a highly trained team. Yet like any system, it had crucial weaknesses for the truly skilled to exploit.
The white-suited thief was clearly a master burglar. What took others minutes, she accomplished with ease in under sixty seconds. High-tech security hinged on shortcomings of raw materials and components. A few nanocomposite diamond-coated tools could slice through the toughest glass housing without tripping alarms. Snagging this priceless relic had been child's play, slipping in and out unseen.
"Ten seconds left, Lily," the other thief remarked calmly, checking an expensive watch as Lily sized up the gallery's goods.
"More'n enough time, Misha," the white-suited Lily responded with a serene smile, already sauntering towards the exit.
The two out-of-place beauties, one in white and the other crimson, sauntered through the crowds casual as any visitor. Only at the doors did Lily pause, throwing a sidelong look back. Her mouth curved in the faintest smirk as she viciously struck the wall-mounted sensor.
The shrill wail of alarms split the air. Moments later came the thunderous footsteps as security's response flooded in. Misha raised one arched eyebrow at her partner's antics, unruffled, long-inured to the theatrics. One economical palm-strike dropped the first responding guard before he could draw his gun.
"The VIPs are gone," Lily drawled with amusement, "Yet our gracious host hasn't said bye. Rude as fuck."
Within, the situation devolved into pure chaos as every security division poured into the main hall. Confused civvies and staff added to the pandemonium, trying to suss out the disturbance amidst the blaring din. All the while, the surveillance systems mysteriously blacked out one-by-one as hidden failsafes kicked in. Amidst the mayhem, no one batted an eye at the two striking women striding towards the exit.
"Useless rabble," Misha scoffed once outside, eyeing the sleek crimson Ferrari convertible waiting to whisk them away. Sliding a loving hand across the hood, she shot her partner a derisive look. "They had the balls to claim they were the best security. Yet they missed our infiltration, let alone stop me waltzing out the front door." She withdrew the multimillion-dollar jade statuette from her pocket, examining it as they settled into the leather seats.
Behind the wheel, Lily flashed a devious smile, hair whipping around her face in the accelerating wind as they peeled out. One hand rested languidly on the door while the other worked the gearstick, the picture of calm confidence. Though the rush of the score still thrummed through her veins, she exuded electrifying satisfaction. "In this world, is there anything us pros can't snatch?" she purred, more statement than question. "I'm a tech savant when it comes to infiltration and cracking security. Paired with your mad skills, there's no system too sophisticated or secure for us to breach."
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