Good Luck

Meanwhile, in a cafe in Smallville Town on the outskirts of Metropolis.

General Lane stared blankly at the phone his daughter had just hung up.

Facing her father's baffled expression, Lois swallowed and handed him the disconnected phone.

"That call just now... should have been from Miss Heino Lawrence... who was kidnapped by Downton last night.

"She seemed... to have developed... Stockholm syndrome?"

"Fuck Stockholm syndrome. You don't need to make excuses for her!

"It's not like I don't understand Stockholm syndrome. It takes sufficient interaction to develop, but Heino had been kidnapped for less than an hour last night!

"What could they possibly have talked about in a single hour? That Heino either had no brain at all or had gone completely insane!"

General Lane irritably cut Lois off, then gloomily rubbed his beard.

"Still, Heino's mother is quite the figure. Michelle Lawrence has enormous influence in the Department of Defense.

"Deputy Secretary of Defense is already about as high as a woman can go. The United States has never had a female Secretary of Defense.

"But if any woman has the best chance of becoming the first female Secretary of Defense in the United States, it is probably Heino's mother, Michelle!"

As he said that, General Lane's expression darkened somewhat.

Noticing her father's expression, Lois furrowed her brow and asked softly.

"Can Heino's opinion affect her mother? Can she cause trouble for you, Father?"

"Of course she can't. Heino is just a little brat, and even Michelle doesn't have many ways to deal with me.

"It's just that Michelle holds the Department of the Army's budget for the next two years in her hands. That puts me in a very passive position."

General Lane let out a frustrated breath, then called over a guard standing nearby.

"Continue monitoring Smallville's entrances and exits. Pay special attention to vehicles that may be carrying Heino Lawrence.

"The moment Heino Lawrence appears, use tranquilizer rounds on her immediately. Those things weren't prepared solely for Downton!

"I don't intend to provoke the Lawrence family, but the Lawrence family has no reason to provoke me either. If we get Heino under control, I'll have solved a problem for Deputy Secretary Michelle as well!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the soldiers General Lane had brought sprang into action, gradually spreading throughout the town.

Just as the soldiers began moving, Lois's phone suddenly rang again!

Noticing the vibration, General Lane's expression shifted slightly, and he hurriedly returned the phone to Lois.

At the same time, on the Robert H. Kane Memorial Bridge in Gotham.

Downton's phone rang.

After casually answering it, Downton asked with a smile.

"Liv, what do you need? If you're calling to brighten my mood, then you'll have to take off your clothes and video call me!"

"Downton~"

On the other end of the line, Liv spoke to Downton in a syrupy voice.

"I have someone planted beside Zsasz. They said you took care of Yuri, so I checked your location data.

"Forgive me. You were the one who requested the tracker, and I simply couldn't stop looking at you again and again.

"Anyway, you're heading for Metropolis, right? I see you've already reached the Kane Memorial Bridge.

"If so, then I must remind you that the reporter Lois you're planning to meet has a father who is an Army general with real authority.

"The important thing is that the general mobilized the latest sonic weapons issued by the Department of the Army last night, along with a considerable number of powerful tranquilizer rounds. He even brought several viral weapons classified by the Department of Defense.

"Who do you think those little toys were prepared for? If I were you, I'd be saying thank you right about now, darling!"

"Thank you, darling~"

Downton whistled in amusement, then asked Liv.

"Your intelligence network is impressive. Did Falcone set it up for you?"

Hearing Downton's question, Liv, sitting in the Iceberg Lounge, picked up her glass and took a sip before unconsciously shaking her head.

At the same time, she replied to Downton over the phone.

"I have worked with Lord Falcone for eight full years. During those eight years, Falcone gave me nothing but complete trust.

"Facts have proven that I am a very capable woman. With Gotham, a city of thirty million people, at my back, I can accomplish many incredible things through nothing but intelligence and skill."

"Impressive, Liv. I'm appreciating you more and more."

Listening to Liv praise herself, Downton obligingly gave her the emotional validation she wanted.

Liv giggled with satisfaction, then delivered one final warning over the phone.

"It's good that I have your appreciation, but there's one more thing I need to remind you of. The man whose legs you broke was selected as Gotham's Honorary Police Officer two years ago.

"This will make Gotham's police force unite against you. The next time you encounter police officers, things may not be as harmonious as they were before."

"Haha!"

Liv's words made Downton burst into laughter. As he laughed, he said,

"A racist can be an Honorary Police Officer? That bastard must have won the award by breaking the heads of people of color.

"As for the police, when have I ever been harmonious with them? I'd love for them to grow some balls and kill me a few more times. When that happens, I'll have to thank them.

"That's enough for now. I'm about to cross the bridge. Does Metropolis have any good barbershops you can recommend? I need to get my hair done."

"I'll send you the location. Be careful, dear Boss Wraith~"

With that, Liv hung up and sent Downton the location of a barbershop.

After showing the location to Bartel, Downton finally called reporter Lois.

A moment later.

"Hello, this is Lois!"

"Not bad, Lois. You kept your promise and didn't hand the phone to anyone else."

"Yes, I..."

"No need to say more. Send me your location. Once I change clothes and get my hair done, I'll come see you."

Downton cut Lois off, making her even more nervous.

After pausing for a moment, she continued softly into the phone.

"I understand. I'll send you my location, but I'm not in Metropolis. I have a temporary interview assignment to..."

"Wait!"

Downton suddenly interrupted Lois, and the call fell silent.

On the other end, Lois's brows twisted together as she looked questioningly at her father.

General Lane was about to give her instructions when Downton spoke again!

"Even if you're staying in a military base, I will still arrive as promised.

"So don't emphasize why you are somewhere outside Metropolis. As long as certain things are left unsaid, there is no deception.

"As for the rest, we can talk when we meet."

With that, Downton hung up and began typing Lois a text message.

The message was extremely simple, consisting of just one word.

"Location!"

After receiving the text, Lois swallowed with difficulty. Once again, she sensed something unusual about Downton.

So, after taking a deep breath, she silently sent Downton a reply.

"Smallville Town, Philharmonic Cafe. Good luck!"

"Heh~"

Looking at Lois's message, Downton said to Bartel with a smile.

"That girl really is naive. She actually used 'good luck' to warn me."

With that, Downton put his phone back into his pocket and continued gazing at Metropolis through the car window.

The two great cities were truly far too close. Just how close were they?

Put it this way: when Batman lit the Bat-Signal over Gotham at night, the citizens of Metropolis could see it too!