Everyone was talking about Kaitou Kid. No one had ever seen a thief with such a unique style, and some people even started betting in secret on whether Batman would catch him.
In Gotham City, every well-known criminal had been caught by Batman at least once. If you hadn't been caught, you couldn't even call yourself part of the scene. Of course, for the big-league villains, getting caught and breaking out of prison was just part of the game—like a never-ending marathon.
For now, all eyes were on the charity exhibition.
Liu A'dou drove the Channel 3 broadcast van, spewing black smoke and helping Gotham's PM levels climb, straight to the hotel.
"Lovely Iselin, are you sure Kaitou's going to show up on the first day?" Liu A'dou doubted Iselin could crack the code in the notice.
Of course, she hadn't cracked it—but someone had. Someone from the talent-packed Channel 1. Iselin had just "bumped into" one of their reporters at a bar, got him drunk with a few strong drinks, and tricked the secret out of him. Another classic beauty trap—one only the beautiful or handsome could pull off.
"Trust me, this time Channel 3's ratings will beat Channel 1 again," Iselin said with full confidence. Liu A'dou held his thoughts. He had other plans tonight—he was here to steal, and whether they got any footage depended on luck.
"Look at all these VIPs. Don't miss a single shot—I want every face on camera."
"No problem," Liu A'dou replied, keeping the van moving forward until they were stopped by police at the entrance.
"No reporters allowed inside." A tall Black officer blocked the two Channel 3 staff at the door.
Iselin hadn't expected they'd be barred like this and immediately looked annoyed. "Why not?"
"Captain Gordon's orders. No press allowed."
It wasn't just Iselin. Reporters everywhere were grumbling, but the cops didn't care. One by one, they were turned away.
"This is ridiculous! The police can't just block the public from the truth." Iselin tried throwing a "freedom of information" argument at them, but it didn't work. Once the guests had entered, the police sealed both the front and back entrances. No reporters were getting in—and neither was Kaitou Kid.
"Looks like we really can't sneak in this time. I'm going to nap in the front seat. Wake me if anything happens." Liu A'dou figured it was time for Kaitou Kid to start getting ready.
"Fine." With the big scoop slipping away, Iselin slumped into the back of the van, frustrated. But every reporter there was feeling the same way.
Liu A'dou locked the doors and dozed off.
Inside the hotel, Bruce Wayne walked through the hall, glancing around while fielding flirty looks from wealthy socialites. As Gotham's young, rich playboy, getting attention from beautiful women was a given. But tonight, Bruce was focused on the venue. It was the opening night of the exhibition, with tons of celebrities present—and it matched Kaitou Kid's predicted time.
The grand ballroom was shining with gold and crystal, when suddenly the lights dimmed, and a spotlight hit the stage.
"Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention." The speaker on stage tapped a wine glass, bringing the room to silence. "This charity exhibition will last one week, and all proceeds will go to Gotham's orphanage, to help improve the lives of the children."
Applause followed.
After about half a minute, the speaker continued, "Now, please welcome Mr. Bruce Wayne to unveil the most important gem of this charity exhibition—the Black Swan's Tear. Mr. Wayne."
Bruce Wayne stepped up with his usual carefree smile and stood next to the display case at center stage, across from the speaker. "It's an honor. My father always cared deeply about charity, and I'm happy to help the orphans of Gotham. Now, let me introduce to you—the Black Swan's Tear." With that, he lifted the red cloth, revealing the gem inside.
A pale purple gem the size of a ping-pong ball. Inside, there was a faint shadow shaped like a black swan, and at the swan's eye, a tiny red droplet shimmered like a tear. That was the Black Swan's Tear.
Under the lights, the gem sparkled brilliantly, making the socialites dizzy with awe. It was beautiful. The purple held a mysterious charm, the black swan symbolized proud solitude, and the tear brought a touch of graceful sorrow. One gem carrying so much meaning, so many stories—how could these sensitive women not be moved?
Gasps and praise filled the room.
"You all know someone's after this gem, so we've invited Captain Gordon to oversee security during the exhibition. The gem will be safe," the speaker assured them.
Bruce added with a smirk, "I've heard Kaitou Kid is quite the gentleman. Maybe he'll even make a donation himself."
The witty remark got everyone laughing—they all knew Kaitou Kid dressed like a gentleman.
As the lights came back on, the ladies reluctantly turned their attention away from the gem.
The speaker smiled, knowing the event was a success. The Black Swan's Tear alone was enough to get the donations flowing.
"Next, let's give another round of thanks to Mr. Wayne for donating the first piece in this charity exhibition." The speaker gestured for the staff to bring out another large, cloth-covered item.
Bruce froze—he donated something?
"This is a famous painting," the speaker continued.
Bruce was even more confused. He hadn't donated any artwork—what was going on?
"Mr. Wayne, why don't you unveil it for everyone?" The speaker invited Bruce to pull down the cover.
Bruce, still puzzled, stepped forward. With a quick motion, he pulled the cloth down, revealing the painting underneath.
It was a beautiful painting. The scene showed a calm lake, with willow branches reflected in the water. In the distance, a few white swans played, some looking up at the clouds, some bowing their heads as if in thought, some whispering to each other. The swans were vivid and lifelike, perfectly capturing their grace on the lake. Judging by the reflections, the artist had painted this scene right at the lakeside.
"Swan's lake??!!" Bruce immediately thought of the notice. Wasn't this painting the swan's lake from the message?
Bang—
Without any warning, the lights went out again. From the sound, it seemed the bulbs had been smashed.
Bruce's body tensed. He knew—Kaitou Kid was about to make his move.
"Three…" The lights were dim, and the crowd started to panic, but the countdown rang out clearly.
Gordon shouted for everyone to calm down, and the police rushed forward.
"Two…"
Everyone was searching for the source of the voice, but they couldn't find it. They crouched low, watching the people around them, tense and nervous.
"One. Showtime!"
Whoosh—
All the white tablecloths in the room suddenly flew into the air, blocking everyone's view and sending the more timid women into shrieks.
Amid the swirling cloths, a flash of white blended with the chaos, darting swiftly across the room.
"Kaitou Kid—" someone yelled. The police, tense and on edge, drew their guns. This wasn't like the old world—Gotham cops didn't play around, and they'd shoot if startled.
"Hold it! Don't fire!" Gordon shouted, stopping them just in time.
Gordon stared hard around the room, trying to lock onto Kid's position.
But the tablecloths moved like ghosts, impossible to track, and with the dim lighting, it was even harder.
Bruce used his superhuman hearing, caught the faintest noise beside him, and lunged. He and something heavy tumbled off the stage together.
But then a new voice rang out from the center of the stage. "Ladies and gentlemen, I am Kaitou Kid." White suit, white top hat, blue shirt, orange tie. A smooth, low voice—it was him.
Bruce looked down. What he'd tackled was just a dummy. He'd been fooled. Looking up, he saw Kaitou Kid standing in full white, as flashy as ever. His cape fluttered, even without wind. The spotlight hit him, and he was the center of attention, stealing the moment with pure presence.
"Kid, you're surrounded. Give it up," Gordon and the police had fought through the flying cloths and circled the stage.
Kid stood by the display case, one hand casually in his pocket, suit sharp, calm and poised. His white gloves gleamed under the lights. He looked every bit the magician invited for a show. "It's time for a miracle."
He raised his hand, and just like that, the gem that had been inside the display case appeared in his palm, like he'd pulled it from thin air. "The Black Swan's Tear is now under my care."
Classic magician's sleight of hand—but so smooth, the crowd gasped. Bruce had been watching closely, though. Kid's hand was lightning-fast. The gem had already been taken, and the one in the case vanished in that same instant. It only looked like magic because of the speed.
"You're not getting away," Gordon growled. The whole place was locked down—there was no way this thief could fly out of here. They had enough guns to stop anyone.
"The Moonlight Magician doesn't escape—he disappears." As soon as Kid said it, thick smoke billowed from the corners of the swan lake painting behind him, quickly blinding everyone.
Tear gas.
While people coughed and shielded their eyes, Kid vanished.
The city's elite scrambled for the exits, breaking through the police lines in panic. Then someone shouted, "Look! Up there!"
Everyone turned their heads and saw a white triangle flying off the rooftop into the distance.
The cops outside immediately reported, "Captain! He's escaping over the roof!"
Gordon ran to the window and leaned out. Sure enough, a white figure was soaring away. "After him! I'm coming too!"
Bruce Wayne saw it all from the window and pulled out his phone. "Alfred, get the car ready. I'm heading back." Back to the Batcave. He'd use the tracker to find Kaitou Kid. One glance at the dummy that fooled him, and Bruce moved. Kaitou Kid's entrance had been impressive—his tricks sharp enough to fool even Bruce for a moment. But Bruce wasn't about to let him win.
The panicked crowd burst through the doors, scattering outside. The reporters smelled blood and pounced.
"Liu, did you get it? Up there! Film the sky!" Iselin banged on the van door, shouting.
Liu A'dou leaned halfway out the window, lifting the camera high, catching the streak of white in the sky.