Metropolis IV: The Man of Scorching Fire

Metropolis IV: The Man of Scorching Fire

The next morning.

Locke and Dio took a car to Metropolis's annual technology expo.

Outside the exhibition hall, enormous holographic projections rotated in the air, displaying the latest quantum computer models. Beneath them, crowds poured in like a tide.

As for Locke—

His hand remained on Dio's shoulder the entire time.

Ever since discovering they were being followed last night, he had kept Star Platinum's sensory range restricted to a radius of ten meters.

"Dad!"

Dio tugged on Locke's arm and pointed at a massive transparent sphere. "Is that VR?"

"What a shame."

"The line's too long."

Pursing his lips as he looked at the winding queue, Dio suggested, "How about you go buy us drinks, Dad? I'll wait in line."

"..."

"But..." Locke looked tense. "You'll be by yourself."

"It's packed with people. What could happen?" Dio said helplessly. "Besides, I have The World."

"..."

"Fine."

Patting Dio on the shoulder, Locke sighed.

Maybe he was being overly sensitive.

Besides...

It was broad daylight, and all sorts of important people were attending the exhibition.

No organization or assassin could be stupid enough to cause trouble here.

What was more, the vending machine was only a few meters away, and Star Platinum could keep an eye on Dio at any time.

"Then I'll go get you a drink. Wait here."

"If anything happens, make sure you yell."

Dio nodded and slowly moved forward with the line.

However...

Just as he was about to enter the experience pod, the crowd behind him suddenly stirred.

Several excited children shoved their way forward. Dio frowned and was about to step aside to avoid the brats.

But before he could move—

A large, powerful hand suddenly gripped his shoulder.

That hand was incredibly hot. Even through his clothes, Dio could feel its scorching temperature.

He summoned The World and spun around, but all he saw was the retreating back of a burly man.

Dressed in an ordinary black jacket, with several faint dark-red marks like branding iron burns visible at his cuffs, the man pushed a cart loaded with heavy equipment and swiftly vanished into the crowd.

Meanwhile.

Locke, who had Star Platinum watching Dio while he himself furiously pressed the vending machine buttons, was already irritated.

"Whose machine is this?"

"Don't let me find out. I'm blacklisting them for life!"

Staring at the machine as it clattered uselessly yet stubbornly refused to dispense the soda bottle stuck at the exit, Locke muttered under his breath while clenching his fist, clearly ready to give the vending machine a taste of Golden Spirit.

"Sir, do you need any help?"

A gentle male voice came from behind him, interrupting Locke's Golden Spirit.

He turned around warily and saw a middle-aged man in an impeccably tailored suit smiling at him. Beside him stood a black-haired boy of around twelve.

"This vending machine belongs to Wayne Enterprises."

Yet before the middle-aged man could finish speaking, Locke's expression suddenly changed.

Dio!

Without a word, he turned and ran, abandoning even the water. He moved with astonishing speed, disappearing into the crowd in the blink of an eye.

The man from Wayne Enterprises stood there in a daze and blinked. "Well, that's certainly..."

Was the name of our company really so terrifying that Metropolis citizens ran the instant they heard it?!

Clunk!

The vending machine finally spat out the bottle of water.

"Dad." The boy bent down to pick it up, curiosity glinting in his gray-blue eyes. "Should we go after him?"

"Yes, Bruce."

Ruffling his son's hair, the man smiled. "Come on. At least return the water to that gentleman."

"What if he's gone?"

Bruce tilted his head.

"Then we can only leave it at lost and found." The man shrugged and led his son toward where Locke had vanished. "But I have a feeling we'll find him."

Standing where he was, Dio stared fixedly in the direction the man had disappeared.

The World floated at his side, guarding against everything.

The sensation of that scorching hand still lingered on his shoulder, making his entire body uncomfortable.

"Dio!" Locke came running back, panting heavily, with Star Platinum already manifested behind him. "Are you okay?"

"Dad, someone touched me." Dio lowered his voice. "There was something wrong with his hand."

Locke's face instantly turned livid.

He scanned the surroundings vigilantly, then suddenly noticed several drops of dark-red liquid evaporating on the ground nearby—

Just like what they had seen in the restaurant's back alley last night.

Clearly.

Their opponent had special abilities and was extremely professional, knowing how to use crowds and disguises to probe them.

This was no ordinary stalker.

This was a stalker who was about to get ORA'd into the ground by his fists!

Could it be...

The life-and-death crisis his future self had mentioned to Logan?!

Locke gritted his teeth.

If he were alone, he naturally would not care. But now, by his side, was—

Dio.

He was not afraid of facing an enemy head-on. What he feared was this kind of underhanded trickery from the shadows.

"Dio, before Dad finishes dealing with this."

"I want to send you to Lionel's place first." Locke grabbed Dio's wrist. "Let's leave now, okay?"

"Dad!"

Dio was somewhat dissatisfied.

They had agreed to have fun for three days!

What was the point of spending the next few days at Lionel's estate playing house with that little baldhead?

"Dio." Rubbing his temples in frustration, Locke said helplessly, "Dad apologizes, but that guy actually dared to so openly—"

"Sir, your water."

The familiar middle-aged man interrupted Locke, holding up a bottle of soda with a friendly smile. Beside him, a boy was curiously studying Dio.

"Thank... thanks."

Taking the soda warily, Locke summoned Star Platinum and quickly scanned the father and son.

Mm.

Ordinary humans.

"Hello, friend. My name is Bruce." The boy suddenly spoke, his gaze falling on the silver coin on Dio's chest. "That coin of yours is very special."

"..."

"Bruce!" the man rebuked. "Casually striking up conversations is not the conduct of a gentleman."

"Sorry, Dad." Bruce shrank behind the man and said awkwardly, "Sorry, sir."

"It's nothing. Thank you for bringing my water back." Locke nodded. "Sorry for suddenly running off just now."

"The fragrance lingers long after the hand that gives roses."

The man recited the line casually, then smiled. "I'm Thomas Wayne."

"Earlier, I thought the vending machine had displeased you."

"But now it seems..."

"You appear to have an urgent matter?"

"Then I won't disturb you any longer, sir." Stroking the black hair of the boy beside him, Thomas looked at Locke's tense expression. "Of course."

"If you need help, the Wayne Enterprises booth is at B-23."

Nodding, the man handed Locke a business card, then took Bruce's hand and left.

It seemed they were going to wander around Zone D for a while.

Wayne...

Unfortunately, this was not the time to make friends, Mr. Thomas.

After staring at the card for several seconds, Locke slipped it into his pocket.

"Come on, we're going to Zone B."

"Why?" Dio asked in confusion.

"It was marked on the exhibition map," Locke explained. "Right beside the Wayne Enterprises booth is the Special Affairs Security Center, staffed by military personnel."

"We'll hang around there for a while. I don't believe that person would attack us in a place like that."

"And we'll have time to contact your Uncle Lionel and have someone come pick you up."

Seeing Dio's smile gradually fade, Locke sighed.

"Dad promises you."

"Once I find someone to deal with this, I'll take you around Metropolis for an entire week!"