It turned out that the nightclub was merely a façade. The real venue lay beyond the door. Once T'Challa and the others stepped inside, they discovered that it was in fact a casino.
The people gambling here were all extraordinarily wealthy—far beyond the level of ordinary rich patrons.
The music inside the casino was far calmer than the pounding beats outside, even soothing, creating an atmosphere that put people at ease.
This was where Ulysses Klaue was truly meant to meet his buyer.
The three split up.
To give T'Challa and Nakia some space, Okoye chose to wander the casino alone, casually surveying the environment.
Nakia and T'Challa went to the bar, ordered two drinks, and chatted idly while observing their surroundings.
Okoye made her way to the second floor, choosing a spot that overlooked the entire ground floor. She leaned against the railing, pretending to be bored.
"Attention," Okoye said quietly.
"I've spotted Europeans—white males."
Nakia and T'Challa immediately followed the direction of her gaze.
Sure enough, they saw three Europeans—one man and two women. Their exact nationality was unclear.
"There are five of them total," Nakia added after scanning another direction.
"There are two more nearby—they look like bodyguards."
The two men she indicated were whispering to each other, their eyes constantly sweeping the room.
"They're not buyers," Nakia concluded after a moment of observation.
"They're agents."
"How can you tell?"
T'Challa asked.
"By the way they walk," Nakia replied.
"Agents are constantly on high alert. Their posture and gait are trained so they can draw and fire at the first sign of danger."
She demonstrated briefly with her own stance. Sure enough, the group matched her description exactly.
"It seems Klaue's theft from the British Museum has drawn official attention from the UK,"
Okoye said from upstairs. She could clearly see that those people had no interest in gambling at all—they were watching the room, just like them.
---
Outside, on the street, a convoy of luxury cars slowly pulled up in front of the fish stall.
The lead vehicle's rear door opened, and Ulysses Klaue stepped out.
He nodded briefly to Sophia, then ignored the security check entirely and walked straight inside.
With a loud bang, he pushed open the door—but the noise didn't draw any attention from the clubgoers. Klaue didn't care. He led his men straight to the casino entrance. The guards didn't dare stop him and immediately let them through.
When the door opened, Klaue stood arrogantly on the second-floor balcony, looking down like an emperor surveying his domain.
"He's here,"
Okoye reported from her corner.
"And he brought eight men with him."
"What about our people?"
T'Challa asked. He had brought several members of the Dora Milaje this time, and their escape routes were already planned.
"They're in position,"
Okoye replied, glancing at her bracelet as a discreet map appeared.
"Our withdrawal routes are secure."
"Where's the vibranium?"
T'Challa asked, keeping his back to Klaue. He knew Klaue would recognize him instantly, so he avoided a direct encounter.
"Not visible yet,"
Nakia said as she left the bar and wandered through the casino floor, searching for the buyer.
"Isn't this place supposed to prohibit weapons?"
Okoye asked suddenly.
"That's right,"
Nakia confirmed.
"Then some people are clearly ignoring the rules,"
Okoye said coldly.
"They're definitely armed."
She could tell at a glance—bulging waists, glimpses of black metal. Klaue's bodyguards weren't hiding it very well.
At that moment, Klaue seemed to spot something and began heading toward a spot on the ground floor.
"We have to move,"
Nakia said.
"Klaue is approaching the buyer—and the British agents are making their move too."
She glanced at several agents nearby who had suddenly begun murmuring into their sleeves.
"Not yet,"
T'Challa whispered.
"They're armed. The three of us don't have weapons—we can't win."
Because weapons were prohibited, Nakia and Okoye carried none at all. Only T'Challa had his necklace.
If a fight broke out now, they wouldn't be able to secure Klaue. T'Challa alone could handle the bodyguards, but Klaue would seize the chance to escape. Without weapons, Nakia and Okoye would struggle to pursue him.
Unlike T'Challa, their bodies had not been enhanced. Unarmed, they were still only highly trained humans.
---
"What about the vibranium?"
Klaue had already met the buyer. The two stood casually among the crowd.
Klaue unzipped his pants and pulled out a hard object wrapped in a paper bag from his crotch, slamming it onto the gaming table with a loud thud.
"Oh—sorry about that,"
he said with a grin.
"I wanted to put it in a nice briefcase, but I figured I'd save myself the money."
He spoke as if he had just placed something trivial on the table, not vibranium.
And that was precisely why no one nearby paid it any attention.
"Now's our best chance,"
Nakia murmured as she slowly edged closer to Klaue.
"The vibranium is right there."
"Not yet!"
Okoye barked in a low voice.
But that single word drew the attention of a nearby bodyguard.
"Hey—stop right there,"
the guard said, pointing at Okoye.
Okoye forced an awkward smile and immediately turned to leave.
"Hey! Stop!"
Seeing her attempt to retreat, the guard rushed forward to block her.
"I've been exposed!"
Okoye shouted.
She hurled her handbag straight at the guard's face, momentarily blocking his vision, then took the chance to kick him hard, sending him sprawling.
Another guard charged at her. Okoye dodged swiftly and followed up with a sharp kick to his chin, sending him tumbling over the railing.
With a loud crash, the guard slammed into a gaming table on the floor below, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
T'Challa turned his head—and locked eyes with Ulysses Klaue.
Klaue immediately drew his gun and fired three shots at T'Challa, killing the buyer with one of them.
"Grab the money and get out—now!"
Klaue ordered.
One of his men seized the cash case and fled.
T'Challa lunged forward, trying to capture Klaue—but three bodyguards instantly stepped in, blocking his path.
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