Chapter 172: Chapter 172

Hua Xiaomo’s eyes paused for a moment as she looked at Qi Longbing; she had already changed her initial idea of seizing the treasure on the spot.

The moment Qi Longbing stepped onto the stage, suddenly, all the lights at the exhibition went out. Darkness enveloped the area.

"Uh, why did the lights go out?"

The venue instantly became somewhat chaotic.

Immediately after, WITH A BANG, Jiang Shuying, the woman on stage, somehow fell onto Qi Longbing.

Lying in his embrace, Jiang Shuying looked up and met his gaze. She paused for a moment, but then, realizing something, shouted, "Someone is stealing the Blue Moon!"

But she was a step too late. A figure in a grey servant’s uniform had already snatched the crystal box from the display stand beside her. He grabbed it and leaped through the crowd, attempting to jump out the window.

It all happened in a second, too fast for anyone to react.

Yu Bao immediately leaped onto the stage beside Qi Longbing, asking anxiously, "President Qi... are you all right?"

"I’m fine! Go chase the Blue Moon!" Qi Longbing ordered immediately. Thᴇ link to the origɪn of this information rᴇsts ɪn 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡⚫𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢⚫𝘯𝘦𝘵

"Yes, sir!" Yu Bao replied, quickly taking off after the fleeing servant.

However, before he could begin his pursuit, another lithe figure had already darted ahead.

"Think you can escape? I’d like to see where you run," Hua Xiaomo said, cornering the fleeing man against a window. She used her body to block his exit, preventing him from jumping.

From experience, this person must also be from the industry—a professional thief hired for the job, quick to act in such a situation.

But how could he escape right under my watch? Isn’t he trying to steal business from me, Little K?

Hua Xiaomo sneered. "Leave the item, and Sister K will let you jump out the window!"

The man sneered back, eyeing her up and down, his eyes gleaming. "So, the world-renowned Divine Thief Xiao K is such a stunning piece. Perhaps I should steal you too?"

"If you think you have the skills, you’re welcome to try," Hua Xiaomo chuckled, a gentle smile playing on her exquisite features, though her hands clenched tightly.

"Good. Not many dare to challenge me, Sha Po Lang. I’ll remember you," he retorted. He suddenly produced a Six-Leaf Dart from his clothes and sneered at her, "Block my path again, and you die!"

WHOOSH! He hurled the dart toward her.

Hua Xiaomo dodged swiftly. Taking advantage of the moment, the man leaped out the window and began to scale down the building’s outer glass wall like Spider-Man.

"Damn!" Hua Xiaomo cursed, watching the man outside the window. His movements were incredibly swift, and he was using specialized climbing gear.

No, I can’t let him steal the Blue Moon!

Hua Xiaomo sprinted for the elevator. She had to get downstairs quickly, hoping to intercept him before he reached the ground floor.

Jiang Shuying had twisted her ankle and couldn’t walk.

Qi Longbing glanced at her. He had initially intended to leave her, but for some reason, he still helped her up. "Shall I help you to a nearby seat to rest for a while?"

"Thank you, President Qi. But if it’s not too much trouble, could you take me downstairs? My room is Room 9 on the eleventh floor," Jiang Shuying said, her face slightly flushed.

Qi Longbing was about to refuse, but then he remembered he was going downstairs anyway.

"Fine," he said. Without another word, he helped her toward the elevator.

They quickly entered the elevator.

Just then, a dangerous shadow began to silently follow them...

The other elevator had also stopped on the eleventh floor and wouldn’t go down any further.

"What rotten luck! Is this elevator broken too?" Hua Xiaomo complained angrily as she stepped out onto the eleventh floor.

Before she could head to another elevator, she noticed two furtive figures. One of them was limping.

Huh? Why does that back look so familiar?

Her gaze shifted further ahead. She saw a tall, slender figure in purple. If that isn’t Qi Longbing, who else could it be? He was escorting a woman toward a room.

And those two furtive figures were still following them.

Is this a case of the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind?

Hua Xiaomo’s eyes narrowed. She couldn’t be bothered to chase Sha Po Lang now; this situation felt too strange.

She immediately lightened her steps and crept closely behind the two men, heading further in.

"This is it. Thank you, President Qi. You’re such a good person!" Jiang Shuying said, touched, her eyes filled with adoration for him.

Qi Longbing glanced at her and said flatly, "I’ll be going then."

But just as he turned, the glint of a blade flashed as it swung toward him.

"Thinking of leaving? I’ll cut you down first!" shouted Brother Lan, the one with the limp, launching a ferocious attack.

Qi Longbing dodged swiftly, narrowly avoiding the blade, but his assailant relentlessly pressed the attack.

The air in the room tensed—then a high-pitched scream tore through the silence.

But one of Brother Lan’s henchmen immediately and easily subdued Jiang Shuying.

"Don’t scream! One more sound, and I’ll cut you first!"

Jiang Shuying was so terrified she couldn’t utter a word, shaking uncontrollably.

Meanwhile, Brother Lan, wielding a long knife, was inching closer to Qi Longbing.

"...What do you want?" Qi Longbing asked, his eyes growing colder as he faced the man’s savage expression. I’m in turmoil, but I need to stay composed.

It seems the biggest mistake I’ve made was not learning self-defense. No matter how skilled bodyguards are, they can’t be by my side every second.

Still, I’m not entirely defenseless. Reaching an intermediate level in Taekwondo wasn’t easy, even if I spent most of my time making money.

But I haven’t tested that intermediate skill against an opponent in a long time. Whether I can take down this tall man wielding a long machete remains to be seen.

"Qi Longbing, President of the Qi Imperial Court! So you finally see what’s coming to you, huh? I’m going to cripple you today!" Brother Lan bellowed, raising his knife fiercely again.

"Hold on!" Qi Longbing shouted, a desperate idea striking him. He tried to reason with him, "Everyone only gets one life. If you kill me, you won’t escape either. How about I give you money so you can live well?"

"Live well? Do I look like I can live well?" Brother Lan glared, then pointed at his own leg and raged, "This damn leg is crippled, and it’s all your fault, President Qi! If you hadn’t ordered people to cripple my leg, would I be today?"