The hall reports headcount every ten minutes. I need to take out everyone except the main hall squad within that window, or I will get blocked during escape.
The first floor had three side exhibition rooms. Each room held two guards who were forbidden to leave their posts without Marc's direct command.
The corridors were filled with infrared alarms, so Jace could only move through the ventilation ducts.
Ten minutes. Three locations. Six people.
He repeated the same trick. Ghostreach Grasp.
The vent grid lost its screws and fell straight down. Jace followed immediately.
One guard stood directly beneath him, fully armed.
To disrupt Grey Hat's vision, the exhibition hall lights were all turned off. The guards wore night vision goggles to detect any movement in the dark.
That did nothing against Jace.
The moment his head emerged, the two guards' blood vessels, organs, and even heartbeats became completely transparent to him.
Heaven Ripper Saga first form. Skyseer Vision.
It allowed him to observe everything within a body. Muscles, organs, meridians. He could predict attacks by reading internal tension.
Grabbing the vent grid with one hand, Jace twisted midair and delivered a precise hand strike from behind, knocking out the first guard.
He placed the falling vent grid quietly on the ground, alerting the second guard.
You...
Jace slid forward, disarmed the tranquilizer gun with his bare hands, and knocked the guard out with an elbow strike.
He chose not to kill.
A thief who steals without killing becomes a legend. A thief who kills becomes a terrorist.
For three years, Grey Hat and the gemstone collectors had an unspoken partnership.
He stole, they profited from the hype.
If someone died, the relationship collapsed, and the government would come down hard.
Even criminals hiding in gutters knew some rules must never be broken.
Jace shook out his hands and moved through the ducts toward the next rooms.
Soon, all six guards in the three side halls were down.
Not a single sound.
Most of them were barely above level thirty. Jace had little trouble with that.
The remaining threats were the captain and vice captain, both around level forty.
Winning was easy. Winning without alarming anyone outside was the real problem.
Especially Marc, a level forty two martial artist with strong resistance to tranquilizers. Incapacitating him without killing would be troublesome.
Eight minutes thirteen seconds. Still workable.
Besides the captain and vice captain, there were two other guards in the main hall.
The ventilation system between the two floors was connected only in the main hall. The closest drop point was near the escalator, surrounded by dense infrared beams.
Jace needed extra time to get through them.
Which meant he needed a distraction from the four men nearby.
An instant is enough.
He watched for the perfect moment when all four shifted their gaze. Jace dropped, flicking a coin with his thumb.
As the countdown reached the next report interval, Marc activated his radio.
Everyone, check in.
The radio crackled, but silence followed.
Hello Did you hear me
Marc frowned. At this distance, interference was impossible.
Clink.
A crisp sound cut through the quiet darkness. Marc immediately stiffened.
Who is there Show yourself.
As they approached the sound of the falling coin, Jace slipped past the infrared beams and entered the main hall.
At the escalator, Lloyd suddenly shouted, Careful.
What
Marc spun around. A shadow was already behind him.
His instincts screamed danger.
When did he get here
Jace exhaled.
Of course he was discovered.
No choice. Finish this fast.
Marc. Please do not move. If I miss the acupuncture point, that would be bad.
Three silver needles appeared between Jace's fingers.
Under Skyseer Vision, Marc's meridians and muscle lines were exposed.
Jace inserted the needles into three precise spots.
Marc stiffened, then grinned.
Good. Very good. To sneak in without a sound and face me directly. You deserve a real fight.
For someone at his level, cold weapons were superior to firearms unless the opponent was a mechanist.
My blade has not left its sheath since I retired. Tonight I will test it on you.
Marc reached for his刀 but grasped only air.
Where is my blade
Jace tossed the stolen saber like a dart. It struck one of Lloyd's electromagnetic cannons, destroying its inner core.
Lloyd shouted, Do not underestimate him. He is not level twenty or thirty.
Damn it. Faulty intel. Which idiot claimed Grey Hat was only level thirty
I just lost a perfectly good toy.
The two guards finally reacted. Jace decided to take down the mechanist first.
Seeing Grey Hat rush forward, the broken cannon disassembled itself. Its components wrapped around Lloyd's arm, forming a compact energy launcher.
Before it could charge, Jace was already in front of him.
So fast Lloyd panicked.
Mechanists were fragile. Without distance, they fell quickly.
Three poisoned needles struck his skin. His eyes rolled back and he collapsed.
Grey Hat. Marc cracked his knuckles.
You know you cannot escape now. Surrender peacefully.
Even without a weapon, he was confident.
Jace smiled. Good night.
Huh
Thud.
Before Marc could ask, the two remaining guards collapsed. Then a heavy dizziness hit him.
What did you...
He fainted mid sentence.
The needles were not part of the Thief class. They were miscellaneous techniques taught by the old man who raised Jace. All three children learned them.
Used on the right pressure points, three needles were enough to topple anyone.
Jace stepped toward the only passage leading to the gemstone on the second floor.
Footsteps echoed in the dim corridor. Three figures emerged soon after.
Jace looked them over. They did not seem different from any other swordsman.
Wow. You really are Grey Hat. Eva's eyes sparkled.
You are amazing. That guy downstairs is a level forty two martial artist. He probably lasted less than ten rounds against you. We could not even get there before the fight ended.
It was not even a fight... Jace muttered internally.
Three swords slid free in the darkness. Their playful attitudes vanished, replaced by cold composure.
Eva said calmly,
For the sake of the patriarch's mission and our trial, Mr. Grey Hat...
Could you please lie down on the floor for us