PFC Chapter 138 Chaos
Chapter 138 Chaos
On the day of the auction, night fell over the Gulf of Siam, but the Kowloon Wall Art Center shone brightly like a dazzling pearl.
The venue was meticulously decorated to be solemn, dignified, luxurious, and mysterious, with every detail showcasing unparalleled prestige and luxury.
As Bai Li entered the venue, the first thing that caught her eye was the huge crystal chandelier hanging high on the ceiling.
Composed of countless crystals, each crystal refracts a soft yet dazzling light.
These rays of light intertwine, like lively ribbons of light, flowing freely through the magnificent hall. As if they were alive, they constantly change shape and angle with the movement of people and the flow of air, illuminating the entire space brightly and warmly.
The floor is paved with polished marble, so smooth it reflects light perfectly. It not only mirrors people's reflections but also reflects the chandelier's glow, making the entire venue appear more spacious and bright, and adding a touch of luxury.
Wealthy businessmen, collectors, and mysterious figures from all over the world flock here.
Inside the venue, everyone was dressed in glamorous attire. The men wore sharp suits with exquisite ties, while the women wore dazzling evening gowns, their necklaces sparkling with jewels.
Amid the crowd, hushed conversations rose and fell, occasionally interspersed with soft laughter, all revealing their anticipation for the auction.
Everyone comes here with their own purpose: some to collect precious works of art, some to expand their network, and others to satisfy their curiosity.
Bai Li, dressed in a low-key yet luxurious black evening gown, calmly walked into the venue with Ah Hu and the others.
The dress was tailored to fit perfectly, outlining her figure beautifully, and the skirt swayed gently with her steps.
With Bai Li's current temperament and charm, she looks exceptionally radiant even in the simplest dress.
A wealthy businessman, who was talking with his companion, found his gaze involuntarily following Bai Li's movements, his eyes filled with curiosity and inquiry.
Although her face was cleverly concealed, her unique aura was hard to ignore.
Bai Li seemed oblivious to the gazes directed at her. She tilted her head slightly, her eyes quickly scanning the room.
However, looking around, she did not see the person she wanted to see.
Also.
Jingye probably didn't receive an invitation. Given his cautious nature, if he were present today, he certainly wouldn't have mingled with the other guests in public.
Thinking of this, Bai Li felt a little disappointed and slowly withdrew her gaze.
She subtly touched the earring with her fingertips. The seemingly ordinary earring was actually a miniature scanner modified by Ah Hu, a crucial part of their plan.
It can transmit text, images, and other data to Interpol in real time, providing crucial information support for subsequent operations.
Just then, a waiter carrying a tray walked gracefully toward Bai Li.
On the tray lay exquisite champagne, each glass shimmering alluringly under the lights.
The waiter politely handed Bai Li a glass of champagne, bowed slightly, and said, "Distinguished guest, your seat is in section A, third row."
Bai Li nodded slightly, thanked him softly, took the wine glass, and gracefully walked to her designated seat to sit down.
She gently stroked the glass with her fingers, watching the crowd moving through the crystal-clear glass. She took a small sip of champagne, savoring the delicate sensation of the bubbles bursting on her tongue, while also using it to calm herself and remain alert.
As everyone eagerly awaited the start of the auction, the atmosphere gradually heated up.
The host walked onto the stage, dressed in a gorgeous gown, with a smile on her face and a loud voice, immediately attracting everyone's attention.
As the host gave a vivid introduction, one precious item after another was carefully placed on the auction stage.
The auction items were dazzling, including precious coins, paintings by famous artists, and rare jewelry, all of which aroused enthusiastic responses from the audience and triggered round after round of fierce bidding.
These are all normal auction items displayed by the Qing Teng family to cover their tracks, not illegal cultural relics that have entered the market through smuggling channels.
So she simply sat quietly in her seat, remaining still, calmly observing everything around her, waiting for her true target to appear.
Finally, amidst everyone's eager anticipation, the host's voice rang out again, with a deliberate pause and a hint of mystery in his tone: "Next, we will move on to the most exciting part of the evening—the auction of information about ancient books!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the hall fell silent.
An ancient book, displayed in a specially made glass case, was slowly pushed onto the stage.
The lights in the venue focused on the ancient book, clearly presenting every detail of it, and everyone's eyes were drawn to it.
In the crowd, all sorts of gazes mingled together: some curious, some greedy, and of course, some wary and scrutinizing.
The staff on site began to display photos of some of the ancient books, and the contents were clearly displayed on the projection screen.
—This is a detailed section on some of the counterfeiting techniques.
Upon seeing this, Bai Li's eyes narrowed slightly. She raised her hand without making a sound, seemingly casually brushing her hair behind her ear, but in reality, she quietly activated the transmission channel in the earring.
Her gaze remained calm as she swept across the room, ensuring that all images were successfully transmitted to Interpol.
Once this evidence is obtained, it will undoubtedly become a powerful weapon to strike at the Qing Teng family and the key to uncovering their criminal activities.
Just then, Bai Li, who had been on high alert, suddenly spotted several suspicious figures with her keen eyes.
Those men with fierce eyes moved through the crowd, seemingly walking around casually, sometimes stopping to chat with others, sometimes taking a sip of wine, but their eyes kept lingering on certain spots in the venue.
Their gazes darted around the corners of the venue, around the pillars, and between the various entrances and exits, as if searching for something.
Bai Li's heart skipped a beat, and a bad premonition welled up in her mind.
Her mind raced, and suddenly she understood something.
—I may have already been exposed.
Although the [Information Insight Card] is very authoritative, it is ultimately a one-time use item.
It had already been used up by Bai Li a month ago.
This card only reflects information at the point of use.
Information has a time limit; as long as it is information, it will eventually expire.
When the card was used, there was no information on it indicating that there were spies planted by the Qing Teng family in Interpol or the Bureau of Antiquities.
That's why Shirai chose to cooperate with them.
But times have changed, and no one can guarantee that things haven't changed during that time.
These suspicious individuals appeared right after she sent the images, and they seemed to be searching for something with great urgency.
She couldn't help but suspect that there was a Qing Teng family mole within Interpol or the Bureau of Antiquities, otherwise why would they have taken action so quickly?
As for what they were looking for, they were looking for the best angle to take the picture!
Bai Li immediately realized that she was in a very dangerous situation.
"Ah Hu, be careful, there's danger."
Bai Li lowered her voice and spoke almost inaudibly to Ah Hu beside her.
Ah Hu immediately understood. His expression remained unchanged, still calm and composed, but his hand quietly moved to the spot where he concealed his weapon at his waist, ready to deal with any unexpected situation. His muscles were tense, poised to strike.
Just then, a sharp buzzing sound suddenly rang in my ears.
As her soul ascended into the sky, she heard only a loud gunshot, the sound like a heavy bomb exploding in her ears, making her eardrums ache.
Then came more gunfire.
Amidst the chaos and screams, the entire venue descended into disarray.
The huge crystal chandelier overhead was struck in the chaos and teetered on the brink of collapse.
When Bai Li regained consciousness, she felt cold sweat all over her body.
[Crisis Warning] Activated!
With only three seconds to react, Bai Li couldn't explain much. She made a quick and decisive order: "Go!" At the same time, she quickly got up and, under Ah Hu's cover, hurried away in a safe direction.
Ah Hu stayed close to her, vigilantly observing their surroundings and shielding her from any potential dangers.
The moment she stepped out of her seat, gunshots rang out, "bang bang bang," one after another.
Chaos, utter chaos.
In the chaos, the crystal chandelier hanging above the venue crashed down.
Suddenly, the venue was plunged into immense darkness and chaos.
People fled in panic, screams and shouts mingling together.
The immense impact caused glass shards to rain down, crashing to the ground with a loud, crisp sound.
The shards of glass flew everywhere like sharp blades, some embedding themselves deeply into the surrounding walls and furniture, while others bounced up and shot out, injuring many people who couldn't get out of the way in time.
"careful!"
Bai Li was pulled into an embrace, enveloped in a familiar scent.
A pair of icy blue eyes gleamed in the darkness: "Miss shouldn't have come here..."