When Pangu split heaven and earth apart, after countless eons of division and reunification, the Yingchuan River spanned across the land of Shenzhou, dividing the world into two. The south was named Xuan Yuan; the north was named Dun Huang. To the east lay a vast expanse of ocean; to the west stood the Twenty-Three Peaks, their summits piercing the clouds with snow that never melted all year round.
The southern kingdom established its capital in Feng City, inhabited mostly by the Han people. Its climate was warm, its lands fertile and suitable for farming, with abundant grain. The scenery remained like spring all year round, the common folk lived and worked in peace and contentment, and the imperial court focused on the welfare of the state.
The northern kingdom established its capital in Huang City, inhabited mostly by herders. Its lands were barren, its weather harsh, its officials brutal and its politics corrupt. Stretching as far as the eye could see, hardly a shrub could be found. The people relied on hunting for survival, indulged in strong liquor and meat, and were obsessed with martial arts.
For hundreds of years, the two nations exchanged goods and trade flourished between merchants, bringing prosperity everywhere.
Perhaps peace had lasted too long, for unrest slowly stirred within. A wandering Daoist spread the prophecy: "When six stars align like jade pearls, purple jade appears in the imperial city, flood dragons reunite once more, and a celestial maiden plays in the ancient capital."
In an instant, winds rose and clouds surged; armies and horses mobilized.
A thousand years later—May 8, 21st Century. The Palace Museum.
Tick, tick, tick—bang!
At midnight, accompanied by a faint crackling sound, the bulletproof glass slowly opened.
A slender, graceful shadow slipped in with nimble speed, tapped the Bluetooth in her left ear, and extended her right hand as she said softly, "Nangua, hand it over."
Rustle, rustle, rustle.
The sound of rummaging through a bag came in bursts. In the next moment of shock, the woman in black found a long yellow object in her jade-like hand. The corner of her mouth twitched slightly. Looking at the girl behind her, she raised her elegant willow brows and asked, "What is this?"
"Imported banana. It's really fragrant." The girl called Nangua blinked her large eyes. Her curly hair was dyed golden by the moonlight. She reached out, peeled the banana directly, and took a bite, her small face full of satisfaction.
It was an operation, sure, but one had to have a midnight snack. How could you have the strength to steal if you didn't eat your fill?
The woman in black rolled her eyes and said weakly, "Mo Nan, the detector!" She had never seen such an unalert thief. The helpless part was that this person was still her partner and best friend!
"Uh, that, this... Beibei." Her two fingertips touched lightly as she lowered her eyes and head like a child who had done something wrong.
Raising her elegant brows, Mo Bei pointed at the night-operation bag behind her. "It's in here." This woman had definitely treated the mission like a picnic again, not bringing any tools and only packing snacks!
Sure enough, the girl smiled ingratiatingly and fished out a pair of gold-rimmed glasses with her small hand.
Mo Bei took them. With bright eyes and gleaming teeth, looking refined beyond measure, she pursed her lips elegantly. "Nangua, looks like they've set up an inescapable net all over the Palace Museum to catch us." Dense red infrared lines successfully isolated intruders from the raised platform. Inside, a pair of jade rings rotated, glittering brilliantly.
"Mm." The girl casually tossed the jelly cup and carelessly twisted her thin lips. "This level barely gets an eighty..." As her words fell, she removed the glasses. Her small, slender body moved like a water snake—now arched, now crouched—deftly avoiding the red-line surveillance.
"Nangua, move faster. There's rice waiting to hit the pot at home." Mo Bei crossed her arms, rubbed her chin, and smiled leisurely. There was a thermal sensor on the display case, and on the other end should be an alarm.
The longer time stretched, the greater the danger.
But then again, if they didn't cause a commotion, how would it be any fun?
She slowly curved her thin lips, an elegant and composed temperament that was unforgettable at a glance.
"Beibei, if I break the record this time, you have to take me to eat Hokkaido crab!" Her cute pink lips curled upward slightly. Unhurriedly, the girl stuck a frozen jelly onto the glass platform. The high temperature stalled, and with a swish, the diamond blade easily cut through the nano-glass.
Who could have predicted that a sharp alarm would blare, followed by curses, footsteps, and gunshots all rushing over in chaos.
At that moment, the corner of Mo Bei's lips curved into a cold arc. With a loud boom, she kicked, and all lights extinguished in an instant.
The black-clad intruders who rushed in froze in the darkness, stumbling over each other in a tangled mess. The chaos lasted only a few seconds before the Palace Museum was rapidly sealed off. Police cars screamed to the scene, officers chased them to the rooftop. Cliffs ahead, pursuers behind—they couldn't escape. Either jump down and die, or surrender and go to prison!
Of course, for Mo Bei, there was a third option.
She suddenly smiled, mysterious and alluring. "Ladies and gentlemen, game over!" Casually, she placed two fingers to her lips, and a sharp whistle rang out abruptly. In the crowd's brief stupor, she embraced Mo Nan and jumped, as nonchalant as if she were bungee jumping. A black gliding sail unfurled behind her like the fluttering wings of an angel. Her beautiful, handsome face held not a trace of fear.
Exclamations erupted. People rushed to the railings to look down. The two shadows landed beautifully. With a swish, they unlocked the ropes at their waists, struck victory V-signs, blew free flying kisses, and vanished into the vast night.
This was provocation—a gorgeous, flamboyant provocation from the Twin God Thieves!
At midnight, beneath an unknown overpass in Beijing, urgent panting sounded out. The petite girl in black squatted down.
"Beibei, I can't, I can't anymore, huff huff, I'm so tired." The sweet, coquettish murmur made one's whole body shiver.
The corner of Mo Bei's mouth twitched. This way of calling her was truly unbearable. She stepped forward and covered her lips, whispering softly, "Nangua, verify the authenticity of the jade rings." In half an hour, the contact would come to collect the goods. Although they had set up a scapegoat at an internet café, Chinese criminal police weren't so easily dealt with. It was better to offload this item sooner.
"Okay." Mo Nan nodded, holding a small flashlight between her red lips. Frowning her willow brows, she played with the jade in her palm and said unclearly, "Color, transparency, uniformity, and form are all top grade. Real jade." She smiled and put away the flashlight, then fished out a piece of Dove chocolate from her pocket and popped it into her small mouth. Casually, she asked, "Beibei, when are we going to Japan to eat crab meat?"
Mo Bei looked at her helplessly, a hint of doting affection in her otherwise calm pupils. "Once we hand over the goods." Mo Bei picked up one of the rings and illuminated it slightly. A trace of surprise entered her eyes. "There are words on this?"
"Huh? Really, it seems like the character 'Feng' (Phoenix). Haha, looks like they can even fit together." Mo Nan stared at the jade ring and muttered softly. Subconsciously, she moved the ring in her hand toward Mo Bei's...
Boom!
A bolt of lightning cracked through the sky. Inside the previously windless overpass, the air surged abnormally. Dazzling light slowly expanded from the jade rings, as if answering a summons, filling the earth step by step.
"Nangua!" Mo Bei looked at the scene before her in disbelief. There was no time to think. She subconsciously stretched out her left hand to touch it. Before her eyes, the dense white light gradually expanded and swept toward the two like a wild gale. Before they could cry out, that white light receded from existence, rapidly withdrawing.
When everything finally settled, only black and white remained as before, a crescent moon overhead. Beneath the empty overpass, where were the two young girls?
Above the night sky, the stars gleamed with faint blue light, flickering strangely amidst the ink-black darkness. The first convergence of the Six-Star Alignment in a hundred years had just crossed in that instant...