Metropolis Part Three: Shadow in the Night

Metropolis Part Three: Shadow in the Night

Pushing open the antique shop's door again, Locke's easy smile returned.

The brass bell on the door rang crisply with his movement, echoing through the somewhat dim shop.

"Shopkeeper, this kid didn't cause you any trouble, did he?"

Locke ruffled Dio's golden hair.

"Nothing of the sort. And besides..." The old man adjusted his round glasses, his eyes behind the lenses curving into crescents. "Your son has quite the eye. He picked out this little trinket."

He pointed at the silver coin in Dio's hand. "I heard it's his birthday today. Consider it a small token from this old man."

"Oh?"

Taking the coin from Dio, Locke gently rubbed it between his fingers.

"Sir, how much is this silver coin? This..."

Turning over the half-black, half-white coin, he noticed that the ruby set in the snake's eye on the black side was refracting an unusual glow.

"It's rather valuable."

"It's not worth much." The old man waved a hand, his wide sleeve stirring up a cloud of dust. "Just a little trinket. As long as the child is happy."

Hiss~

Locke sucked in a breath.

This old gentleman was incredibly good at business. That line was practically a critical hit against parents!

"Then..."

Locke looked around in distress until his gaze settled on a somewhat weathered wooden globe beside the counter.

"I'll take this. Consider it a toy for the child."

"Certainly." The wrinkles on the old man's face instantly relaxed. "One hundred dollars, and we'll call it the start of a friendship."

"?!"

Locke's hand jerked, nearly dropping the globe on the floor.

There was no way this crudely made wooden thing was worth that price. Jonathan could probably carve one for him himself?!

But seeing Dio happily fiddling with the coin, Locke chose to grit his teeth and pull out his wallet.

"Dad."

Sensing his father's hesitation, a sly glint flashed through Dio's red eyes. "How about we—"

"Buy it!"

Locke slapped down the cash generously.

But just as they were about to leave, he still couldn't suppress the unease in his heart.

He asked casually,

"Sir, do you know Jackie Chan?"

"?"

"Jackie Chan?" The old man froze for a moment, then smiled. "You must be joking, sir. This old man rarely leaves his home and knows very few people."

"My apologies."

Embarrassed by his foolish thought, Locke smiled and took Dio by the hand, heading for the door.

But at the instant they stepped outside—

Out of the corner of Star Platinum's vision, Locke could still see—

The old man placing the hundred-dollar bill into a drawer already piled with several Ouroboros Silver Coins.

Damn it, I got played!

But—

Looking at Dio outside the shop, excitedly playing with his two new gifts—

Forget it. As long as Dio was happy.

"Dad, that old man was pretty good at business!"

"He knew to win over the kid first, so the parent would spend money."

"So you knew." Locke rubbed Dio's head irritably. "You enjoy watching your dad get fleeced?"

"Wrong, wrong. I'm happy because I get to see you spend money on me." Dio hummed.

"Hey!" Locke laughed. "You little brat, your smooth talking has really improved."

Well, he had to admit it.

Seeing Dio like this, he was pretty happy to have spent that hundred dollars too.

Night fell.

After spending the whole day wandering around Chinatown, the father and son decided to try something different.

After all—

"What are we... munch munch... having for dinner... munch munch...?"

"..."

Watching Dio happily gnawing on a candied hawthorn skewer, Locke pressed a hand to his forehead.

The kid had eaten his way down an entire street and still showed no signs of stopping. At this rate, he was going to eat his wallet empty.

"Beep beep~"

"We've arrived at the Daily Planet."

Getting off the sightseeing bus with Dio, the two immediately hurried toward the Daily Planet.

Right beside it was the most famous French restaurant—

'The Starry Sky.'

The Starry Sky.

It was said to be one of Metropolis's few three-Michelin-star restaurants, and reservations had to be made three months in advance.

As for how Locke had made a reservation?

Well.

Thanks to the dining voucher his good buddy Lionel had given him last Christmas. He could use it upon entering, with no reservation needed.

"Hello, you may be seated directly, Leo."

The waiter respectfully returned the dining voucher to Locke with both hands, wearing a standard professional smile.

"Hm?"

Taking the gilded card in confusion, Locke couldn't help asking, "You don't collect this voucher?"

The young waiter paused, then quickly recovered and lowered his voice.

"Sir, this is a LuthorCorp black-gold VIP voucher. It is permanently valid at our establishment and has no limit on the number of uses."

"If you wish," he hurriedly added, "you may even bring twenty guests to dine with you at once!"

Locke's mouth twitched.

Last Christmas Eve, when Lionel had casually stuffed this voucher into his pocket, he had said—

"A decent steakhouse just opened in Metropolis. Here, have a voucher for a free main course."

"Consider it your Christmas present."

That damned rich guy!

Oh.

That rich guy was my friend?

Then it was fine.

Following the waiter through the main hall hung with Impressionist oil paintings, they found the restaurant bathed in soft lighting, its warm glow flowing across Dio's golden hair. The servers wore sharp black uniforms, gracefully pouring wine and serving dishes for the guests.

Seated at a table draped in a snow-white cloth, Dio's red eyes reflected the cold gleam of silverware. Though quite a few richly dressed guests around them were looking over the plainly dressed father and son with curiosity or scrutiny—

He remained relaxed and elegant.

"Dad."

Dio chuckled and deliberately tapped his crystal glass with a fork, producing a crisp ring.

"I bet Metropolis's noble gentlemen have never seen such a handsome farmer and his genius son."

Locke's old face reddened, and he quickly turned away.

"Children say the darndest things, children say the darndest things."

Yet the upward curve of his lips betrayed his good mood.

The appetizers arrived—

Foie gras with figs, truffle-baked escargot, and some kind of caviar dusted with gold flakes that neither Dio nor Locke had ever seen before.

The boy carefully scooped up a little with a silver spoon and put it into his mouth.

Instantly—

His eyes went wide and round.

"Wh-what is this?"

Locke smiled at him. "Is it good?"

"It has no flavor. I feel like it doesn't live up to the price."

"..."

"Really?"

Unwilling to believe it, Locke scooped up a spoonful and put it into his own mouth.

"Well?" Dio asked.

"The taste of adulthood?"

Locke smacked his lips. These fish eggs were just like the first half of his life.

Utterly bland.

The main course was pan-seared duck breast with cherry sauce, tender and juicy enough to cut with the lightest press of a knife and fork.

"Hm?"

"Mmm!"

After just one bite, Dio was too busy eating to speak. He focused on devouring the food before him, cutting it carefully and slowly, as though afraid that even a single crumb might fall and cost him a trace of flavor.

"It really is quite good." Locke couldn't help praising it as well. "It just feels like it's missing a little—"

"?!"

Before he could finish, his back suddenly tensed.

Locke felt it too.

Something was watching him?!

Not the curious diners in the restaurant, but something colder, more dangerous. That gaze slid over the back of his neck like a venomous snake, making every hair on his arms stand on end.

"Dio."

Looking at Dio, who was still eating heartily, Locke set down his wineglass and spoke calmly. "I'm going to the restroom. Eat slowly."

"Mhm."

With his mouth full of duck, Dio gave a muffled reply.

Standing up, Locke passed through the dimly lit hallway. Star Platinum's senses were fully unleashed, catching every unusual sound amid the noisy voices.

"—Click!"

Until an extremely faint, nearly imperceptible metallic clink came from the back alley.

Pretending to straighten his cuff, Locke summoned Star Platinum at his side.

Then, using its extraordinary vision, he looked through the glass window by the restaurant's back door.

There—

A burly figure wearing a pure white ceramic mask stood deep in the alley.

One second, two seconds.

The person seemed to finally notice something. He slowly turned his head and stared into the air for a while.

The next second, his figure dissipated into the darkness like smoke.

Only a small puddle of dark red liquid remained on the ground, evaporating and giving off black smoke.

Locke's heart sank.

What Dio and he had sensed—

It had not been an illusion!