dmims Page 139
Page 139
Yuki Takada and Miwako Sato left the suite.
The two remained silent in the elevator.
Upon returning to Yuki Takada's room, Yumi Miyamoto immediately greeted him.
Yuki Takada briefly explained the situation to her, and then promptly contacted his superior, Section Chief Kiyoshi Matsumoto.
Matsumoto Kiyoshi's voice on the other end of the phone was extremely serious. He had listened to Takada Yuki's report, which was also a carefully considered version.
After a long silence, he said in a deep voice, "Takada Yuki, Sato, Yumi, your safety is the top priority."
"But since we've already been drawn in, and the other side has proposed cooperation... Inspector Megure and I will urgently communicate with the French Embassy."
"Until further instructions are given, I authorize you to act as you see fit, but on the condition that you do everything in your power to ensure your own safety! Understand?"
"Understood!" the three replied in unison.
After hanging up the phone, Yuuki Takada looked at Miwako Sato and Yumi Miyamoto.
Although Miyamoto Yumi was afraid, she looked at Takada Yuuki with a firm gaze and said, "I'll do as you say."
Miwako Sato took a deep breath and looked at Yuuki Takada: "Takada-senpai, what do you think?"
Yuki Takada walked to the window, looking down at the faintly visible figures of the guards belonging to Matthew's group, and then looked up at the blurry outline of the Louvre in the darkness in the distance.
The museum, which holds secrets, now resembles a lurking beast.
“It seems we have no better option,” Yuki Takada said slowly. “Instead of passively waiting for another attack that may come at any time, we should take the initiative and seize some control.”
Sato Miwako's eyes sharpened, and she nodded in agreement: "I agree with Takada-senpai's opinion. As police officers, there is no reason to back down when facing a criminal organization. Moreover, this may indeed be the best way to ensure our safe return home."
Although Miyamoto Yumi clenched her hands nervously, she said firmly, "I believe in you! We'll face this together."
Afterwards, the two of them returned to their own room.
The decision has been made.
Yuuki Takada walked to the balcony of his room and nodded slightly towards the seemingly randomly parked cars below.
A moment later, the phone in the room rang again. It was Matthew's voice: "Mr. Takada, Miss Ariel is aware of your decision."
"Please rest for now. I will come to pick you up at 8:00 AM tomorrow. Until then, please do not leave your rooms. Dinner will be delivered to your rooms."
No one is destined to sleep this night.
Yuuki Takada lay in bed, his mind racing, trying to piece together all the clues.
The Twilight Foundation, the Louvre, the Silent Mona Lisa, Saori Chishima, power struggles, radical factions...
What is the real purpose of the EU joint group behind Ariel Kruger?
Is it merely to combat art-related crimes?
He recalled the meaningful look in Ariel's eyes when she mentioned his "other identity."
Does she know more than she appears to?
Is this collaboration truly mutually beneficial, or are they gradually falling into another meticulously designed trap?
In the next room, Miwako Sato was also tossing and turning in bed.
She carefully recalled every detail of her encounter with Saori Chishima at the Louvre, trying to find any overlooked clues.
Miyamoto Yumi calmed herself down, forced herself to stay calm, and thought about how not to become a burden in the next operation.
As night deepens in Paris, the lights of the cruise ships on the Seine flow slowly, reflecting the secrets of this ancient city where light and darkness intertwine.
At exactly eight o'clock the next morning, Matthew knocked on Yuki Takada's door.
All three were ready, their weariness replaced by vigilance and determination.
Matthew led them to another private meeting room in the hotel that was not open to the public.
Ariel Kruger was already there waiting, with several tablets and a pile of documents in front of her.
"Good morning." Ariel's expression was more serious than last night. "Time is of the essence, so let's get started. First of all, thank you all for your trust and courage."
She used her tablet to bring up a diagram of the Louvre's interior structure, as well as a high-resolution image of the "Silent Mona Lisa".
"According to our latest intelligence, Saori Chishima is likely to use her position to try to extract the hidden clues in the painting or move the painting itself before the museum closes this evening. She is under a lot of pressure from the radicals in the foundation and must act as soon as possible."
“Our plan is…” Ariel pointed to several points on the structural diagram, carefully analyzing the current situation: “Mr. Takada and Ms. Sato, you need to re-enter the Louvre and get close to Saori Chishima.”
“You are the people she has contacted and suspects, and her attention will be focused on you. This can create opportunities for the rest of us to act.”
"And what about me?" Miyamoto Yumi asked.
"Ms. Miyamoto, you and one of our teams will stay in the command vehicle to monitor the cameras inside the Louvre, as well as the real-time location of Saori Chishima and Mr. Takada, and coordinate operations."
Ariel explained, then looked at Matthew and instructed, "Matthew, lead another group to blend in with the tourists and stand by at key locations to prevent radicals from taking direct action inside the museum and to ensure Mr. Takada and Ms. Sato's escape route."
"What specific things do we need to do to attract Saori Chishima's attention?" Yuki Takada asked.
“They showed an unusual interest in the painting, and even deliberately revealed some vague information, such as ‘I heard there’s more to this painting than meets the eye’, or ‘Someone asked us to come and take a look.’”
Ariel was giving the two a hint: "Make her believe that you are people sent by the Foundation to take over or supervise her, disrupt her rhythm, and force her to act ahead of time. As long as she makes any unusual moves, we can seize the evidence and follow the clues to find the source."
This is a very risky plan, essentially using oneself as bait.
Yuki Takada and Miwako Sato exchanged a glance, both seeing the determination in each other's eyes.
“We understand,” Yuuki Takada said in a deep voice.
“These are our communication devices…” Matthew handed over two devices that looked like ordinary Bluetooth headsets, but were smaller and more discreet. “Please stay in touch, and we will keep you informed of the situation around you.”
Over the next few hours, the group conducted a detailed rehearsal, familiarized themselves with the routes within the Louvre, and set up meeting points and evacuation plans for emergencies.
Ariel showed blurry photos of some known members of the Twilight Foundation, warning them to be wary of potentially dangerous individuals.
The operation began at 2 PM.
Yuki Takada and Miwako Sato, like ordinary tourists, bought tickets again to enter the Louvre.
Yumi Miyamoto, escorted by one of Matthew's men, entered the command vehicle parked on a quiet street near the Louvre.
Ariel and Matthew then took their places.
The Louvre was still teeming with people, its temple of art concealing the undercurrents beneath.
Chapter 179 Regeneration and Mutation
Yuuki Takada and the others followed Ariel's previous plan.
After wandering around the other exhibition halls to make sure there were no obvious followers, I slowly walked toward the side hall where the "Silent Mona Lisa" was located.
"We've spotted Chishima Saori..." came Miyamoto Yumi's slightly nervous voice through the earpiece. "She's near the 'Silent Mona Lisa' exhibition hall, talking to a staff member."
"Received." Yuki Takada responded softly, exchanged a glance with Miwako Sato, and stepped into the exhibition hall.
The portrait of the woman sitting sideways still hangs there quietly, attracting a few tourists to stop and look.
As expected, Chishima Saori was present. Today, she was wearing a dark business suit, which made her look even more capable, but also seemed to add a hint of imperceptible anxiety.
She quickly noticed Takada Yuuki and his companion returning, a very subtle hint of surprise flashing in her eyes, which was then concealed by a perfectly professional smile.
"Mr. Takada, Ms. Sato, good afternoon," Chishima Saori greeted them. "Have you two come here again to admire this painting?"
“Yes.” Yuuki Takada gave a slightly meaningful smile. “I feel that this painting… is very special, as if it hides something. As an expert, Ms. Chishima, have you heard any… legends about it?”
Chishima Saori's smile froze for a split second, but it didn't escape the keen eyes of Takada Yuki and Sato Miwako.
"Legend?" Feigning nonchalance, Chishima Saori breathed a sigh of relief and put on her usual smile. "Every ancient painting has a story, but the authentication of this painting is not yet complete, and there are not many related historical records."
Miwako Sato interjected, "Really? But we've heard that this painting seems to be related to some... old story of a 'foundation'?"
She deliberately emphasized the word "foundation" very softly, as if testing the waters.
Chishima Saori's pupils contracted almost imperceptibly.
She glanced around and lowered her voice: "This isn't the place to talk. If you two are really interested... please wait for me at entrance B-7 in the underground storage area half an hour before closing time. There's usually no one there."
After she finished speaking, without waiting for Yuki Takada's response, she bowed slightly, turned around and left quickly, as if she had just completed an ordinary guided tour and exchange.
“She’s taken the bait.” Ariel’s calm voice came through the earpiece. “She’s invited you to the underground warehouse, which is a blind spot for surveillance and one of the entrances to the Foundation’s suspected secret hideout. Be careful when you go in; it could be a trap.”
"Understood," Yuuki Takada replied softly.
For the rest of the time, the two pretended to continue their tour, but were actually on high alert.
They could sense that more than one pair of eyes were watching them from the shadows.
Half an hour before closing time, the number of tourists inside the Louvre gradually decreased.
Following instructions, Yuki Takada and Miwako Sato avoided the patrolling security guards and arrived at the dimly lit underground warehouse area deep inside the museum.
The entrance to B-7 is an inconspicuous gray metal door, with some miscellaneous items piled up next to it.
The surroundings were completely silent, with only the faint sound of footsteps and breathing coming from afar.
"We've arrived," Yuuki Takada whispered into the communicator.
"Matthew's team has infiltrated the underground area and is closing in on your location. We detected multiple signals behind the door using thermal sensors... Be careful," Ariel's voice warned.
Yuki Takada took a deep breath, and he and Miwako Sato leaned against the door on either side, then gently pushed open the slightly ajar metal door.
Behind the door was a narrow staircase leading downwards, the lighting was even dimmer, and the air was filled with the smell of dust and old paper.
The two of them carefully descended the stairs to a spacious storage room filled with various wooden crates, easels, and discarded statues.
Chishima Saori stood in the center of the storage room, her back to them.
But besides her, four other men dressed in black combat uniforms with cold faces, holding silenced pistols, silently surrounded them, blocking their escape route.
"As expected, you've arrived." Chishima Saori turned around, her face no longer bearing the professional smile, but instead showing a hint of weariness and determination. "I knew it. You weren't ordinary tourists. Were you sent by headquarters to monitor me, or... by a 'traitor' to steal my spoils?"
Yuki Takada felt a chill run down his spine; it seemed the internal struggles within the foundation were more intense than he had imagined.
“Who we are is not important,” Yuuki Takada calmly replied, trying to extract more information. “What is important is that you shouldn’t keep the secret of that painting to yourself.”
"Swallow it all?" Chishima Saori sneered. "I've served the foundation for so many years, and what have I received in return? Endless suspicion and the constant threat of being purged! This treasure should belong to someone who can truly realize its value!"
Her words confirmed Ariel's suspicions about an internal power struggle.
At this moment, another change occurred!
Suddenly, a corner piled with canvases on the side of the storage room was kicked open, and two figures dressed in the same black combat uniforms, but with slightly different armbands, rushed out, their weapons aimed directly at Chishima Saori and the two people beside her!