687: Chapter 682 It's time to change owners

The entrance to the collection hall was a thirty-centimeter-thick titanium alloy door.

Password, fingerprint, iris—a triple verification.

In the face of modern technology, this was almost an insurmountable barrier.

Chen Guangke's expression was somewhat grim.

Forcibly breaking it open would instantly trigger the alarm.

Shen Yan, however, merely took out a black device the size of a USB drive from his pocket.

He pressed the device next to the keypad.

On the device's screen, countless lines of code flashed by like a waterfall.

"A little toy pangu gave me," Shen Yan said softly.

"Brute-forcing all known encryption algorithms worldwide would take about 1 second."

"More than enough for this."

As soon as he finished speaking, there was a soft 'beep'.

The several-ton titanium alloy door slowly and silently slid inward.

Behind the door was a dazzling world.

Top artworks from various eras and civilizations were meticulously categorized and displayed in climate-controlled glass cases.

Any single item here was enough to drive the directors of the world's major museums insane.

Shen Yan's gaze, however, did not linger on these treasures for even a second.

He walked straight to the deepest part of the collection hall.

There, there was only a single, independent display stand.

On the stand, a necklace composed of thousands of brilliant diamonds and one massive blue centerpiece lay quietly on a velvet cushion.

The radiance it emitted made the entire basement pale in comparison.

The star of ishtar.

Found it.

Just as Chen Guangke was about to reach for it, Shen Yan suddenly raised his hand and stopped him.

"Old senior, after watching such a good show for so long, aren't you planning to come out for a chat?"

Shen Yan turned around and looked toward the empty entrance.

The air was silent.

Chen Guangke instantly tensed up, his muscles coiled like a ready leopard.

Three seconds later, 'clap, clap, clap'.

Clear applause sounded from the shadows.

An elegant old man, dressed in a proper dressing gown with impeccably combed hair, slowly walked out leaning on a cane.

It was Vincent Moretti.

There was no trace of panic on his face; instead, there was a smile of appreciation.

"Young man, very impressive."

"You are the first people to reach this point in thirty years."

He looked at Shen Yan.

"How did you bypass my 'Hellhound' system? I intentionally left seven fatal traps in those blueprints."

Shen Yan smiled.

"Perhaps it's time for you to update your system."

"For instance, upgrading the thermal imaging probes to models that can distinguish bio-electric fields."

Moretti's pupils shrank abruptly.

That was the core secret of his entire security system that he had never disclosed to the outside world!

How could this young man know?

"Who exactly are you?"

Moretti's voice carried a hint of vigilance for the first time.

"A buyer who is somewhat interested in your collection."

Shen Yan walked toward the display stand, ignoring Moretti, and directly picked up the 'star of ishtar'.

He weighed it in his hand and slipped it into his pocket.

It was as if the priceless treasure was nothing more than a cheap trinket he picked up casually.

"I'm taking this."

"In exchange, I'll give you a piece of news."

Shen Yan turned around to face Moretti.

"The Knights Templar have surrounded your manor."

"They want more than just a necklace."

"They also want your life."

Moretti's expression finally changed completely.

The last trace of composure on Moretti's face completely crumbled the moment the words 'Knights Templar' were spoken.

It wasn't fear.

It was a complex expression mixed with astonishment, anger, and apprehension.

It was as if he had heard the name of the oldest nemesis lurking in the darkness.

Faintly, the roar of propellers cutting through the night sky could be heard from outside the manor.

It wasn't the noisy sound of police helicopters.

It was a deeper, more oppressive, military-grade sound.

"How... how did they find this place?"

Moretti's voice was dry and hoarse, and the knuckles gripping his cane turned white from the force.

Shen Yan did not answer the question.

He just calmly looked at this former legendary thief.

Time seemed to stretch at that moment.

Chen Guangke's nerves were already stretched to the limit; he quietly reached for the tactical dagger behind his waist.

One second.

Two seconds.

Moretti's tightly furrowed brow suddenly relaxed. His cloudy eyes refocused on Shen Yan.

It was an inspection, an assessment, the decision of a gambler before placing his final chip.

"Young man, what do you want?"

He asked.

Shen Yan curled his lips.

What he wanted was precisely this question.

"What I wanted, I have already obtained."

He patted the pocket containing the 'star of ishtar'.

"Now, let's talk about what you want."

"You want to survive."

Moretti's breathing became heavy.

"What are your terms?"

"No terms."

Shen Yan's answer stunned both Moretti and Chen Guangke.

"I just don't like people shouting loudly next to me while I'm taking things."

"It affects my mood."

He turned his head and said to Chen Guangke,

"Guang Ke, contact 'Sea Wolf'."

"Tell him the guest has arrived and he can come up to pick up the person."

Although Chen Guangke was full of doubt, execution was ingrained in his bones.

He immediately pressed his earpiece and quietly issued the order.

Moretti's eyes were filled with confusion.

Sea Wolf?

Pick up the person?

Here?

"Follow me."

Shen Yan turned and walked toward the bookcase on the side of the collection hall.

He seemed to know everything about this place like the back of his hand.

He didn't touch any books but walked directly to the corner between the bookcase and the wall, reaching out to tap a nondescript brick on the wall three times in a specific rhythm.

Rumble...

A muffled sound of machinery echoed.

The entire bookcase, along with the wall behind it, slowly slid to one side, revealing a deep, dark passage just wide enough for one person to pass through.

A gust of damp, salty sea breeze poured in from the passage.

"This is my emergency escape route, leading directly to the rocky coast outside the manor."

Moretti explained, but his gaze was fixed tightly on Shen Yan.

"How do you know..."

"It was marked on your 'Hellhound' system blueprints,"

Shen Yan said casually.

"Except, it was labeled as 'Abandoned Wine Cellar'."

"A clever trap, but unfortunately, it's useless against me."

A layer of cold sweat instantly broke out on Moretti's back.

This young man had not only seen through the seven traps in his blueprints but also knew his most deeply hidden escape route, which was his final trump card, inside and out!

Who on earth was he?!

Boom—!

A massive explosion came from above ground, shaking the entire basement.

It was mixed with dense gunfire and angry shouts.

The Knights Templar had begun their assault.

"Old senior, if you don't leave now, your precious collection is about to get a new owner."