(Preface: The author hasn't read many fanfictions. This book follows the original setting with some subjective interpretation. If you think any setting is problematic, please refer to the original work. I'll consider reasonable suggestions and appreciate your readership.)
Shouten was extremely excited, because he had successfully infiltrated the secret treasury of the Louvre—the most difficult place to enter in the world.
Right before him floated the Mona Lisa, estimated to be worth $1 billion.
Actually, he didn't have much interest in the painting itself. Without an artistic bone in his body, he couldn't appreciate its artistic value. The reason he came to steal it was purely for fame.
He—Shouten—was hailed as the pinnacle among international thieves.
That phrase "one of" really got under his skin. From childhood to adulthood, everything he did was number one. He'd never just been "one of the best." After watching the legendary thief Chu Liuxiang as a kid, he became completely obsessed and dedicated himself to the life of crime.
With his intelligence and nimble hands, no heist ever posed a challenge. His endless string of successful heists earned him unmatched confidence and global fame. He was lovingly called Shouten—"Heaven's Hand."
But when he learned there were two others ranked equally with him, that irritation began. He challenged the other two thieves to a showdown.
The other two were also proud individuals who accepted without hesitation. The three thieves arranged the challenge online. The prize was this very painting before him—whichever thief could steal it would be crowned the best thief in the world.
This announcement shocked the entire thief community. Nearly every famous thief worldwide became eager to participate, traveling from every corner of the globe to get involved. The three agreed on a date to begin their contest.
Right now, Shouten chuckled to himself, "Hehe, these thieves are so hypocritical. Stealing is stealing, yet they insist on making a formal agreement. It's ridiculous."
As soon as the challenge was issued, Shouten had completed all preparations and came directly to the Louvre. He wanted to strike first and catch them off guard. He wouldn't be foolish enough to honor any gentleman's agreement with fellow thieves—that'd be like having rocks in your head.
Just as Shouten was about to claim the painting, a masked woman appeared beside him from out of nowhere. She wore the same harness attached to a rope, suspended midair. Elegantly, she said, "Truly worthy of the man known as Shouten. Your thieving skills are simply amazing. And such a cute little guy, too. Hehehe. Thank you so much for bringing me in. You've saved me a lot of hassle."
Shouten was momentarily stunned, then figured it out, sneering slightly, "Interesting. So you're one of the other two. Didn't expect you to show up so soon either."
The woman's facial expression couldn't be seen beneath her mask, but her voice dripped with sweet flirtation, "Of course. I've been longing to spar with you two for so long. I couldn't possibly wait a moment longer. Besides, seeing my dear little brother's handsome face has really stirred my heart. I'm practically tempted to withdraw from this contest altogether."
"Is that so? Then you can just step down. There's only one painting after all," Shouten replied coolly.
The woman spoke in a pitiful tone, "Dear little brother, why don't you let your big sister have it this time? Fine, I'll announce to everyone that you stole the painting, giving you the fame while I take the artwork. We each get what we want, how about that?"
Shouten chuckled with disdain as he responded, "Your scheme's so obvious, even my toes could see it coming—you keep the painting and I take the blame. As they say, no cruelty matches a woman's heart. Seems true enough."
The woman maintained her tone, "Then what should we do? Want to fight your dear sister? I'm quite civilized, you know."
As soon as she finished speaking, she suddenly pulled out an extremely short gun from her sleeve and aimed it at Shouten, preparing to fire.
However, having anticipated this, Shouten was unfazed. He produced a Finger Blade from his hand—quicker indeed—as his fingers moved flexibly, creating shadowy illusions. With one swift motion, he directly cut through the gun in her grasp.
Stunned by what had occurred, the woman exclaimed, "Impossible! That was made of aluminum alloy!"
"Sorry to disappoint," Shouten smirked confidently, having landed the move. "This tiny blade was forged from a fist-sized piece of Meteoric Iron, hammered countless times and alloyed with reinforced metals. A mere aluminum alloy obviously poses no challenge." Having seized the advantage, he pressed the blade against her throat.
Quickly regaining her composure, the woman removed her mask with one hand, revealing a bewitching face filled with mischievous charm—an exceptional beauty indeed. In an instant, she hugged Shouten tightly, rubbing provocatively against his body before saying enticingly, "You're not just handsome, but incredibly skilled too. Fair's fair—I'll accept the bet's outcome. The painting is yours… so am I—body and soul. How does that sound?"
Shouten gave a meaningful smile, then without hesitation slid one hand into the openings on her outfit, shamelessly taking full advantage of the tempting offer.
Letting out a moan, her face turned completely red. She seemed thoroughly enjoying herself, her eyes nearly melting with desire.
At that very moment, Shouten suddenly plunged his Finger Blade straight into her throat.
Just before death, the triumphant grin she'd begun forming instantly changed to shock—she couldn't believe she had been killed so swiftly.
Sighing slightly, Shouten gently closed her wide-open, lifeless eyes. He murmured to himself, "I did give you a chance, but you didn't care to take it. Trying seduction on me… how naive."
With her gone, Shouten retrieved a silver needle from her cold fingers.
He gave it a careful sniff. Sure enough, it was coated with deadly poison—the scent unmistakable: Cobra Venom. It would kill anyone once blood was drawn. No telling how many had died by her hand before. She received justice; ending up here at his hands wasn't undeserved.
"It seems the painting ultimately belongs to me. From now on, I shall truly become the number one thief of our generation—no more talk about limits or being among the best ever again."
With grand ambitions burning in his heart, Shouten seized the painting.
The moment he lifted it, the Louvre Vault erupted with deafening alarm bells.
Shouten smiled indifferently. Giving the rope a quick tug, he prepared to make his escape.
Suddenly, a loud explosion boomed from above. Looking up, several missiles flew toward him from the sky, accurately targeting his location for bombardment.
Shouten was instantly stunned unconscious by the immense force. In that moment, he felt his own insignificance and helplessness, a deep, unprecedented fear arising in his heart. This heat-based weapon was practically a killing machine, obliterating everything here in an instant. However, along with the massive explosion, a spatial rift suddenly appeared, swallowing Shouten whole and plunging him into an unknown world.
At this moment, Patty, hiding beside a giant computer, sipping bubble tea and munching on barbecue, muttered with a sincere expression: "You two morons really think you're even in my league? Stealing paintings is such a hassle. Just take you both out, and I'll be the undisputed number one. Though hacking into the national missile system—I hope that doesn't blow up in my face... Ah, after finishing this meal, I should hurry up and run for my life."
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