Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Lu Lingzhu and Song Feifei moved fast. They scrambled back onto the display platform, shut their eyes, flopped down, and started playing dead.

They had only just lain down when the people at the entrance walked in.

I turned to look and was genuinely surprised.

“Who are you?”

There were four of them, each dressed in a black robe with their faces covered. I couldn’t even tell if they were men or women.

Jiang Haoyan asked them one by one in English and then French, “Are you museum staff? Did Mike send you?”

The newcomers didn’t answer. One of them simply raised a hand, and from beneath the black robe emerged the dark muzzle of a gun.

With a bang, a tranquilizer dart shot out of the barrel. Jiang Haoyan happened to be standing beside the display platform, so he bent at the waist on instinct-and the dart stabbed straight into Lu Lingzhu’s arm.

Lu Lingzhu let out a muffled groan. Her head lolled to the side, and she passed out on the spot.

The black-robed figures’ eyes went wide. They started speaking to each other in French.

“Did it just move?”

Seizing the chance, Jiang Haoyan and I exchanged a glance, then immediately split up and sprinted in opposite directions.

Two of the black-robed people chased after us with their guns, while the other two stayed where they were. They took out a huge canvas bag; one grabbed Lu Lingzhu by the head, the other by the legs, and together they stuffed her inside.

Gunshots kept ringing out behind me. I covered my head and scurried around like a rat, dodging in the most undignified way imaginable. No matter how good your martial arts were, you couldn’t beat modern weapons.

Fortunately, these black-robed people were cautious. They were using poachers’ tranquilizer guns, so while darts went flying all over the floor, they didn’t really damage anything in the museum.

Another bang rang out. I dropped into a roll and hid behind a display case.

A low shout came from across the room.

“Forget those two! We’ve got the goods. Pull out!”

I poked my head out and saw the four black-robed people running toward the main entrance, two of them carrying a canvas bag between them.

Jiang Haoyan chased after them. I hurried back to the display platform and took one look. Bad news-both Lu Lingzhu and Song Feifei were gone.

I ran to the entrance and told Jiang Haoyan what had happened. His eyes widened instantly.

“Holy shit. They actually came to steal the mummies? They’ve got some nerve!”

“So everything that happened before was their doing?”

This group of black-robed people must have bribed someone on the museum staff. First, they had the glass cases opened in advance. Then, using some unknown method, they faked the crocodile attack incident.

Back when the museum was operating normally, six security guards stayed on duty every night. After closing, because they were afraid the staff might get into more accidents, only three guards were left on night duty, and they were mostly stationed outside, rarely coming in to patrol.

Especially tonight, with Jiang Haoyan and me here, the people outside had let their guard down even more.

“We’re screwed. Hurry up and chase them-we have to save Lu Lingzhu and Song Feifei!”

International artifact theft rings like this were all vicious criminals. If they discovered that the mummy they had spent so long plotting to steal was fake, Lu Lingzhu was dead for sure.

I quickly pulled the two real mummies out from beneath the display platform and put them back properly, then called Mike.

“Mike, something’s happened at the museum! Get over here, now!”

Mike lived nearby, and he came speeding over in no time. He jumped out of the car and, when he saw several guards sprawled all over the entrance, his face changed dramatically.

“Oh my god! Did the crocodile mummy attack them?”

I shook my head. “No. Just now, a theft ring-”

“What!”

After getting a clear look at the tranquilizer darts sticking out of the guards’ chests, Mike’s face went deathly pale. He clutched at his chest and staggered two steps.

“Those goddamn bastards! What did they steal?”

“They stole Lu Lingzhu and Song Feifei. Hurry up and give us the car! If we’re any later, we won’t catch up.”

An enormous look of confusion appeared on Mike’s face. “?”

There was no time to explain. I snatched the car keys from Mike’s hand and tossed them to Jiang Haoyan. The two of us got into the car one after the other. Jiang Haoyan stomped on the gas and sped off in the direction the black-robed people had gone.

After driving about two kilometers, a three-way intersection appeared up ahead, and Jiang Haoyan was stumped.

“Qiao Moyu, which way do we go? Why don’t you do a divination?”

I reached into my bag-then froze. Damn it. We’d left in such a rush that I’d forgotten my backpack. I hadn’t brought a single tool of the trade with me; all I had was a stack of talismans stuffed in my back pocket.

I snapped at Jiang Haoyan.

“Divination, my ass. Can you try using a little science? Get out and check the tire tracks!”