Heart of the Ocean

Chapter 7: The Heart of the Ocean

"Everyone."

Amiya's crisp voice rang out from the stage, instantly silencing the room.

"Thank you all for coming. This exhibition, hosted by our country, is primarily to celebrate the centennial anniversary of our nation's founding. On behalf of the royal family of Lorqing Country, I assure you that all proceeds from this event will be donated to global charitable causes. Additionally, I’d like to express my gratitude for your contributions to philanthropy worldwide."

Clap! Clap! Clap!

The entire venue erupted in applause.

Amiya bowed slightly in acknowledgment, said a few more words, and then stepped down from the stage.

The crowd of attendees immediately surged forward, only to be held back by a ring of bodyguards standing two meters away.

"Your Highness, may I have your autograph?"

"Amiya! Can I take a photo with you?"

"Princess..."

As one of the top ten most outstanding unmarried women of 2050, Amiya was clearly accustomed to the fervent attention of fans from all over.

She responded to their enthusiasm with a warm smile.

While she didn’t refuse autograph requests, she politely declined photo opportunities.

No one seemed offended, however. After all, tolerance for exceptional individuals was always high—especially when that individual was a beautiful woman.

At that moment, a young man in a checkered shirt stepped forward, handing her a piece of paper and a pen.

"Miss Amiya, if you wouldn’t mind."

Amiya accepted the pen graciously and swiftly signed her name.

But as she handed the autograph back, the young man didn’t immediately withdraw his hand.

Just as Amiya wondered what he intended to do, he snapped his fingers—middle finger and thumb pressed together—and a blue rose miraculously appeared in his palm.

"For you, the beautiful Miss Amiya."

Amiya blinked in surprise, then smiled and accepted the rose with a soft "Thank you."

The onlookers watched with envy.

Unnoticed by anyone, the moment Amiya took the flower, something tiny and exquisitely crafted slipped from the young man’s hand and landed precisely in her pocket.

Seeing his objective accomplished, Chen Feng turned and walked away without another word.

Just then, a Lorqing Country bodyguard approached with a group of about ten people.

"Your Highness, these are members of the Chinese police force. They’re here to assist with the matter of the heist notice."

"Oh?" Amiya turned curiously.

Li Qingyan stepped forward. "Miss Amiya, I’m Li Qingyan, leader of Team 1 from the Chinese Division 3 pursuit unit of the Thief Game program."

"Pleasure to meet you, Captain Li."

Amiya extended her hand for a brief shake.

As a princess of Lorqing Country, she was well aware of the internationally collaborative Thief Game—after all, her own nation had contributed twenty participants.

What puzzled her was why they had come to her. Unless… the person who issued the heist notice was a contestant from Chinese Division 3?

Her suspicion was soon confirmed.

Li Qingyan explained, "The individual who sent the notice is one of our contestants from Chinese Division 3—Chen Feng. We’re here to offer our assistance in handling this situation."

Amiya nodded. "Thank you, Captain Li. Let’s discuss this upstairs, please."

With that, she left the exhibition hall, escorted by her bodyguards, and led Li Qingyan’s team to an upper floor.

No one knew exactly what they discussed.

But after their meeting, the Lorqing Country exhibition organizers publicly decoded the true meaning of the heist notice:

The "dome" referred to the church spire north of the exhibition hall. "Northern starlight" pointed to the North Star, while "the convergence of starlight and moonlight" described the alignment where the moon, visible from the south, would cast its light through the church’s spire, intersecting with the North Star in a direct north-south line—around 10 p.m.

The third line, "Pandora’s box opens," was simpler to interpret. The second day of the exhibition—tomorrow—coincided with the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month, known as the Ghost Festival in Chinese tradition.

Legend held that on this day, the gates of the underworld would open, releasing countless spirits—a perfect parallel to Pandora’s box unleashing its demons.

In short, the notice conveyed one clear message: At 10 p.m. on the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month, the Heart of the Ocean will be stolen.

This revelation sent the internet into another frenzy.

"I thought Feng Shen was already bold by announcing his heist in advance, but I underestimated him—he even gave the exact time!"

"I’ll admit, the magic tricks during the rooftop bar livestream were stunning—no one’s figured them out yet. But magic and theft are two different things. Isn’t this pushing it?"

"Agreed. Overconfidence leads to embarrassment."

"Remember when you all swore Chen would get caught on the rooftop? And then what? He not only escaped but even shook off the surveillance system!"

"I’m with the second comment. Magic and theft don’t mix. Waiting for the humbling."

...

While the online debate raged, Chen Feng had already showered and was lounging leisurely on his hotel bed, scrolling through his laptop.

Naturally, the ID and money he used were "borrowed" from the pursuit team during the rooftop bar incident.

What could be more fitting than thieves stealing from those meant to catch them?

He’d even left them handwritten notes suggesting they file for reimbursement from the show. Whether they padded their claims was none of his concern.

Putting on headphones, Chen Feng focused on the screen.

Meanwhile, in Amiya’s penthouse suite atop the exhibition hall…

A tiny object emerged from Amiya’s pocket, slid down a coat hanger to the floor, and stealthily made its way into the living room where she sat.

Amiya was speaking with her assistant, Mill, in Lorqingese—but for Chen Feng, equipped with intermediate linguistic mastery, it posed no challenge.

"Did you bring it?"

Amiya crossed her toned legs, eyeing Mill, who stood nearby clutching an ornate little box, her expression uneasy.

"Y-Your Highness… is this really appropriate? If the royal elders find out, it won’t end well..."

Amiya smiled faintly, unbothered. "Mill, we’ll only know if it’s appropriate after we try. Now, hand it over."

With trembling hands, Mill passed her the box.

Amiya reached out and took the box, holding it in her hands as she slowly opened it.

Inside lay an exquisite necklace—a silver chain adorned with dozens of dazzling gemstones that shimmered under the light. But the most radiant of them all was the blue gem set upon a heart-shaped gilded base.

The deep blue hue glowed with an otherworldly beauty under the light, profound and magnificent, as if it held the entire ocean within its depths. This was none other than the legendary "Heart of the Ocean," renowned as the world’s largest blue sapphire!