Chapter 23: I’m Outta Here

“Damn it, this piece of junk broke down again.”

In the security room, the guard stared at the full screen of static, cursing as he slapped the monitor.

The museum’s surveillance system was years old and malfunctioned every couple of days. Everyone had long since gotten used to it.

He slapped it a few more times, but the screen remained a mess of snow, not even a silhouette visible.

He sighed, picked up the walkie-talkie, and pressed the transmit button.

“Hey, Old Zhang, when you’re on patrol, check if the camera on the top-floor exhibition hall has dust on it. The picture’s completely scrambled.”

The walkie-talkie crackled with static, then Old Zhang’s voice came through: “Roger that. I’ll go take a look.”

In the hallway, the security guard Old Zhang stopped mid-step as he was about to head downstairs. He looked up at the staircase.

The top-floor exhibition hall?

He had just come down from there.

“Tch.”

He grumbled, turned around reluctantly, and headed back upstairs.

—

Meanwhile, a cold wind howled through the exhibition hall, and low-temperature ice crystals condensed on White Li’s fingertips.

She crouched in front of the display case, staring at the small electronic screen.

The words “Locked” stood out sharply in the darkness.

She reached out her right hand, fingers spread, and gently placed it an inch above the screen.

White Li closed her eyes and began channeling the magic within her.

Cold air seeped from her palm, and the screen’s surface temperature began to drop rapidly.

The refresh rate of the LCD slowed, the flickering of the characters becoming sluggish.

“Heh heh, didn’t expect that, did you?”

White Li hummed softly, increasing her output.

Ripples appeared at the edges of the word “Locked,” like stones thrown into still water.

The screen shifted from blue-white to gray-white, then solidified completely.

Crack, crack—

A very faint brittle sound, and the screen froze solid, instantly going black.

It worked.

White Li opened her eyes, a smirk curling at the corner of her mouth. She tapped the lock body with her finger.

Frost spread from her fingertip, enveloping the entire lock.

The weak solder joints became as fragile as glass under the extreme cold, emitting tiny crackling sounds from within.

She pulled a thin blade from her tool pouch and gently pried at the lock’s seam.

Snap. The lock cover popped open.

Inside were exposed circuit boards and a micro motor that should have been gripping the latch tightly.

The motor was frozen solid and couldn’t move.

White Li took a deep breath, reached her hand into the keyhole, and pushed her magic to maximum output.

Click.

The latch violently retracted and slid out of the hole.

The glass cover unlocked and bounced up slightly.

White Li looked up at the staff lying inside the case.

No time to overthink. She quickly lifted the glass cover.

“Ugh… it’s heavy!”

The glass cover was much heavier than she’d imagined—at least 20 to 30 pounds.

Gritting her teeth, she used both arms to lift it inch by inch until it was high enough for her to reach inside.

The staff was right there, just a hand away.

“Who’s there?!”

Shit!

White Li quickly crouched down, hiding in the shadow of the display case.

A pale beam of light shot from afar, piercing through the glass cover and illuminating the entire exhibition hall like broad daylight.

The beam swept over her head, then moved away, wandering between the cases.

“—What’s going on? Did someone set the AC too low?”

Security guard Old Zhang rubbed his hands together and breathed warmth into his palms.

White Li shrank beneath the display case, not daring to breathe.

She could already see his feet—black leather shoes, deep navy blue pants.

The beam swept over again, grazing her head.

Old Zhang stopped.

“Hmm?”

He tilted his head, and the flashlight beam locked onto the central display case.

In the light, the surface of the glass cover was covered with a fine layer of frost.

Old Zhang frowned and stepped forward.

The beam fell on the base of the case. The electronic lock’s screen was completely black, and the lock cover was askew, exposing the bare circuit board.

“What is this?”

White Li’s heart jumped into her throat.

No time.

Her right hand reached for her tool pouch, her fingertips touching the thin blade.

Whoosh—

The blade cut through the air and embedded itself in a pillar 15 feet away with a sharp clink.

“Who?!”

Old Zhang spun around, his flashlight beam chasing the afterimage.

His back was exposed. A good chance.

White Li kicked off the ground, closing the distance like a black lightning bolt.

She raised her arm and struck the back of his head.

Bang!

Old Zhang lost consciousness instantly. The flashlight flew from his hand, rolling on the floor, its beam spinning wildly.

“Ugh…”

His legs gave out, and he dropped straight to his knees, then collapsed on his side, motionless.

White Li stood there, panting heavily.

She looked down at the unconscious guard, her hands still trembling slightly.

“I’m sorry, sorry, sorry…” she muttered quietly, “I really didn’t mean to… Just sleep for a little while… just a little while…”

No time. She turned and dashed back to the display case.

She lifted the glass cover to a height where she could reach in and quickly grabbed the staff.

“Aaah—!”

The instant her fingertips touched the staff, a piercing pain shot through her.

White Li jerked her hand back reflexively. She looked down and saw several thin cuts on her fingertips, blood beading up.

“What the hell?”

She leaned in for a closer look.

That’s when she noticed the space around the staff was slightly distorted. Countless tiny wind blades were slowly spinning around it.

‘Oh right, I need to use what Madam gave me.’

White Li quickly pulled the gloves Madam had given her from her pouch, gripped the staff, and lifted it out of the case.

The staff was lighter than she expected, almost weightless in her hand.

The gem embedded in the staff seemed to sense something, emitting a faint hum before quieting down.

She swung it sideways, ready to slide it into the special harness on her back.

Beep, beep—beep, beep—beep, beep—!

A piercing alarm blared through the hall, red warning lights flashing everywhere.

“Warning — Case intrusion — Case intrusion — All personnel report immediately —”

White Li’s scalp tingled.

‘Damn, I forgot the surveillance interference timed out.’

She shoved the staff into the harness and bolted.

Footsteps echoed from all directions. Guards’ shouts rose and fell.

“He’s in the central hall!”

“Hurry! Surround him!”

White Li clenched her teeth, pushed off her legs, and sprinted toward the escape route she had memorized.

Ice condensed beneath her feet, leaving a flower of frost with every step, making her even faster.

She turned, charged up the stairs, and pushed open the fire door.

The footsteps behind her grew closer.

She burst into the side corridor and ran straight for the window at the end, which opened onto the street.

The window drew near. White Li leaped and crashed into it.

Bang—!

Glass shattered. She flew out of the window and landed on the street.

She rolled several times to absorb the impact, then scrambled up and kept running.

“Call the police! After him!”

Behind her, the museum blazed with light as guards poured out of every exit.

But White Li had already disappeared into the night.