Kid Time

Chapter 9: The Kidd Moment

"Thanks!" Lyle's face lit up with delight as he eagerly took the lighter, lit his cigarette, and took a deep drag.

Exhale—

The rich aroma of nicotine intoxicated him.

By the time he thought to return the lighter to the young man, the latter had already vanished from sight.

"Huh?" Though puzzled, Lyle didn’t dwell on it—maybe the guy had slipped into one of the stalls.

Besides, finishing his smoke was far more important than returning a lighter.

With that thought, he took another deep drag, burning through a third of the cigarette in just two puffs.

Gotta admit, Chinese cigarettes had a unique flavor—though this one seemed a bit too strong… Why was he feeling drowsier with each puff…

The next second, Lyle collapsed uncontrollably to the floor, the half-smoked cigarette still clutched in his hand.

At that moment, the young man who had disappeared earlier reappeared—none other than Chen Feng in disguise.

Looking at the unconscious Lyle, Chen Feng considerately carried him into a stall and locked the door.

When he emerged again, he had completely transformed into Lyle’s likeness.

"Lyle" slowly walked up to a mirror, a smirk playing on his lips. "Showtime!"

---

Exiting the restroom, "Lyle" returned to his post.

"Huh?" Caris gave him a surprised glance. "Back so soon?"

From what he remembered, Lyle usually took at least half an hour for a smoke break in the restroom. Why was he back so quickly this time?

"Don’t even ask!" "Lyle" grumbled in frustration.

"Didn’t even get to light up before they sent orders for me to check the alarm system on the [Ocean’s Heart] display case again. Unbelievable!"

Hearing this, Caris nearly burst out laughing but held it in, almost hurting himself in the process.

He managed to console him, "Hang in there, buddy. Won’t take long. You can smoke after."

"Guess I’ve got no choice," "Lyle" sighed in resignation before picking up his toolbox and heading toward the [Ocean’s Heart] display.

Truth be told, Chen Feng already knew the gem inside was a fake. He could’ve ignored it.

But since no one else knew, and to ensure the performance remained flawless, he decided to take the counterfeit gem as well.

The area around the [Ocean’s Heart] display was the most crowded, with four burly guards stationed around it to keep the public at bay.

Fortunately, the guards recognized "Lyle," so when they saw him approaching with his toolbox, they didn’t intervene.

One even gave Chen Feng a slight nod in greeting.

In the surveillance room, a Lorqing Country security officer—his face plastered with sticky notes—suddenly noticed something unusual at the [Ocean’s Heart] display and quickly alerted the others:

"Hey, guys! Check out what’s happening at the [Ocean’s Heart] case!"

At the mention of the [Ocean’s Heart], the four men playing cards snapped to attention, their eyes darting to the monitors.

But soon, they realized it was a false alarm.

"It’s just that idiot Lyle with his damn toolbox, inspecting the case. Nothing to worry about."

The young Lorqing officer relaxed slightly but kept glancing at the monitor.

The team leader noticed his unease and reassured him, "Relax. The [Ocean’s Heart] case has the most advanced anti-theft system. Any tampering or forced entry will trigger the alarm instantly."

Hearing this, the young man finally nodded and stopped fixating on the screen.

---

Meanwhile, Chen Feng had also detected the security system. A faint smirk curled his lips as he discreetly placed a tiny device at the junction between the glass cover and the base.

After a few more perfunctory checks, he picked up his toolbox and left.

Time ticked by.

Amiya arrived with her assistant, Mill, her gaze locked onto the [Ocean’s Heart] display.

Hidden in the crowd, Li Qingyan and the rest of the pursuit team held their breath, sharpening their focus on their surroundings.

As ten o’clock approached, the audience grew eerily quiet—even the live chat slowed to a trickle.

The ticking of the wall clock’s second hand became unnervingly clear in the packed exhibition hall.

"Ten seconds left!"

"Nine!"

"Eight!"

Xixi stopped her commentary, joining the viewers in staring at the display.

Every tick of the clock tightened the tension in the room, and soon, the crowd began counting down in unison.

"Five!"

"Four!"

"Three!"

"Two!"

"One!"

Click!

The moment the second and minute hands aligned, the lights went out.

Darkness swallowed the hall, and the once-orderly crowd erupted into chaos.

The "well-trained" Lorqing royal guards only made things worse, shouting, "Protect Her Highness!" as they scrambled around.

"These idiots!" Amiya seethed inwardly, but now wasn’t the time for reprimands. She swallowed her anger.

"Not good!"

The pandemonium instantly put Li Qingyan, Lin Chuanxiong, and the pursuit team on high alert.

Dropping all pretense, they rushed toward the [Ocean’s Heart] display, determined to secure the gem at all costs.

"Stay calm! We’re with the Chinese pursuit team! Clear the way!"

Despite their efforts, before they could reach the glass case, the lights flickered back on.

All eyes turned to the display—only to find the [Ocean’s Heart] gone.

In mere seconds, under the watch of hundreds, the gem had vanished without a trace.

How was that possible?

The crowd gaped in disbelief, while the four royal guards stationed nearby turned deathly pale.

Where was the [Ocean’s Heart]?

Where was Chen Feng?

The questions burned in everyone’s minds.

"Over there!"

A shout rang out, and the crowd swiveled toward the source.

By the floor-to-ceiling window stood a figure clad in white, his signature smirk visible beneath the glint of his monocle.

The room erupted.

"Holy—! How did he do it? Where’s the [Ocean’s Heart]?"

"I always say nothing is impossible when my husband Chen Feng is around!"

"Damn, is this a movie or what? Got me all hyped up!"

"Isn't this way better than any movie?"

"My husband is so handsome!!!"