Chapter 43: Invasion
The dinosaur exhibition hall on the first floor displayed an enormous number of skeletal fossils. These items were not easy to take, nor easy to sell, and their value was not that high. Therefore, there were not many guards patrolling back and forth on the first floor; the area relied more on various technological means to prevent intrusion.
This group of Black-Clothed Persons was fully armed, with dark helmets covering their faces. Their special black tactical suits were filled with various equipment, allowing them to enter the exhibition hall unimpeded.
At this moment, in the entire museum's monitoring center, three people sat there, continuously staring at the dynamic screens of a dozen key locations. However, there was no abnormality whatsoever on them, and even the alarm devices that someone had previously triggered remained silent.
This was a premeditated invasion, far from a simple theft; it was a robbery, carried out by a group of blatant bandits.
There were not many guards patrolling the first floor, and when spread out across the vast space of the first floor, they appeared even more sparse. This team of twelve Black-Clothed Persons, upon entering the exhibition hall, immediately shot and killed a guard sitting at the first-floor security checkpoint.
Immediately after, two of these twelve people changed into the guards' clothes, dragged the bodies into a hidden spot, and then sat back at the security checkpoint. The others quickly bypassed the security equipment and, without stopping, headed straight for the elevator entrance, then took the elevator to the basement level. It was clear these individuals had a specific objective.
It is important to know that the Gem and Ore Hall on the third floor of the Natural History Museum exhibits over 2,000 exquisite samples from around the world, and it is also one of the venues for the world's highest quality and largest gold exhibitions.
Aside from the underground treasure vault, that area could be said to have the highest value for theft in the entire museum. Yet, these people abandoned those items and headed to the basement level. If one were to say there was no premeditation, no one would believe it.
Compared to the exhibition halls above ground, the security in the cold basement level was much stricter. Even entering and exiting each door required different passwords and credentials. The further in they went, the more things were needed: fingerprints, palm prints, iris scans, and even increasingly higher levels of authorization. Some places were impossible to enter even with internal cooperation.
Fortunately, the target of this group of Black-Clothed Persons was only after entering the second door in the basement level.
With two 'whoosh' sounds of gunshots, two patrolling guards were killed on the spot. This group then split, with two people guarding the first door in the basement level to prevent their retreat from being blocked, while the others continued to advance.
Clearing all obstacles along the way, these people quickly reached the second door. It was evident that these individuals were very professional; even with strange treasures in scattered boxes around, they remained unfazed.
They stood vigilantly at the second door. One Black-Clothed Person took out a tablet computer and quickly hacked into the second door's computer System. Just half a minute later, the second door silently opened.
Two Black-Clothed Persons guarded behind the door, while the others quickly entered this treasure vault, which was where hundreds of dazzling jewels, exhibited during the day, were stored. This included the four highly valuable jewels and the rumored Cursed Gem.
These people were truly too professional; they didn't even glance at the hundreds of jewels easily within reach and openly displayed. Instead, they went straight for the five glass display cases at the very back of this treasure vault.
The same Black-Clothed Person with the tablet computer quickly stepped forward and began to disable the alarm System of the glass display cases.
It should be known that once the alarm here was triggered, it would directly connect to the Los Angeles Police Department's alarm platform. Almost instantly, all active officers of the Los Angeles Police Department would be notified, making it very difficult for them to escape.
"Hurry up, Third Brother, we only have five minutes." A Black-Clothed Person couldn't help but urge him. It was very rare that his companions didn't try to grab other jewels while waiting. It showed how well-trained and disciplined this team was.
"No problem." As he spoke, the Black-Clothed Person holding the tablet computer had already disabled the alarm System of the first display case. The display case instantly retracted, and the first jewel was revealed before everyone's eyes.
The Black-Clothed Person with the tablet computer didn't even look at the jewel placed inside, heading straight for the second glass display case.
Seeing the jewel appear directly before their eyes, these people, though relieved, still maintained solemn expressions. At this moment, the third Black-Clothed Person stepped forward, took out a special hollow device from his person, covered the jewel with it, and then, through the opening on top, directly picked up the jewel.
And at the same time, this device was firmly fixed onto the display stand as the jewel was taken, with even an iron plate springing out from inside to replace the jewel on the stand.
At this point, these Black-Clothed Persons finally truly breathed a sigh of relief. It was important to know that the display stand was equipped with weight sensors, which were not connected to the previous alarm System. Therefore, even a slight oversight would trigger the alarm instantly.
Everything proceeded smoothly, perhaps because they had done their homework. Four valuable gems, along with the Cursed Gem, were all taken out. The five gems were not placed together but were carried by different individuals.
Having completed all of this, the group quickly withdrew from the treasure room and swiftly headed towards the elevator entrance in the basement, which was the only exit leading outside.
The Black-Clothed Persons guarding each door quickly followed the main group, looking vigilantly around. Their route skillfully avoided the guards' patrol paths. Even if they were unlucky enough to be discovered, they would immediately kill the person who found them, completely disregarding the alarm that had already been sent to the monitoring center.
Soon, the group reached the elevator door. Ten people boarded the elevator together. However, just as the last person entered the elevator, a piercing alarm suddenly blared. All ten people's expressions changed simultaneously, and their firearms were immediately raised.
"Not good, Boss, the elevator is locked." The Black-Clothed Person holding the tablet computer immediately stepped forward and began to disable the elevator's shielding System.
"Understood!" The Black-Clothed Person's Boss, with a grim face beneath his helmet, immediately reacted by having five companions leave the elevator and head towards the door, to delay any guards who might pursue them.
Strangely, the Black-Clothed Person's Boss did not choose to retrieve the gems from his other four companions. Instead, he simply stood in the elevator with the other four, waiting, seemingly unconcerned by the gunshots echoing from the distant door.
He indeed had reason not to care, because their weapons were far more powerful than the small pistols in the guards' hands.
"Done!" The Black-Clothed Person holding the tablet computer finally breathed a sigh of relief. He had managed to unlock the elevator in time.
"Go!" The Black-Clothed Person's Boss immediately told his companions, completely disregarding the remaining five companions.
"Yes, Boss!" The Black-Clothed Person holding the tablet computer did not hesitate, immediately pressing the elevator button to ascend.
Because even he didn't know what exactly went wrong just now that caused the alarm to suddenly sound. However, he wasn't worried about the safety of his companions below, because the elevator was unlocked. As long as it wasn't locked again, it wouldn't be a problem for the companions below to retreat successfully, and they were also needed to clear the way above.
Soon, the five people reached the first floor. The elevator opened, and a rapid burst of gunfire erupted. Several bullets instantly entered the elevator, and two Black-Clothed Persons who were about to exit the elevator were immediately shot and fell to the ground.