A deep-sea treasure, priceless and rare—Deep Sea Blue.
The media was flooded with promotions. Everyone in New York knew that this gemstone would be exhibited at Times Square. The event, hosted by renowned businesswoman, philanthropist, and environmentalist Ms. Roberts, was titled a "Borderless Exhibition"—meaning only a basic security line would be present, allowing everyone to admire the gemstone up close in Times Square.
"Ms. Roberts, why would you choose to display such a valuable gem in a crowded and noisy place like Times Square?" a reporter asked.
Ms. Roberts, a capable woman in her sixties, was elegantly dressed. Though time had left wrinkles around her eyes, it couldn't hide her grace. "As you may know, besides being a businesswoman, I'm also an environmental advocate. I want this exhibition to send a message—that the ocean belongs to all humanity, and we cannot allow it to be polluted."
"Will the police be involved in this 'Borderless Exhibition'?" another reporter asked.
"This exhibition will not involve the police. I've only arranged a small number of private security personnel to manage the area," Ms. Roberts replied, while reporters jotted down her comments.
Then a reporter asked the one question that chilled the atmosphere: "Ms. Roberts, what will you do if Kaitou Kid sends a calling card?"
Silence.
Kaitou Kid was a figure so elusive that reporters struggled to describe him. It had already been two months since his flamboyant appearance at Stark Industries. Now, with his name suddenly mentioned, even Ms. Roberts froze for a moment before answering, "We haven't received any notice from Kaitou Kid yet."
"If Kaitou Kid does send a calling card, will you contact the authorities?"
"Maintaining public order is the duty of every New Yorker. If I receive a notice, I will inform the police," Ms. Roberts said.
"If a notice is sent, will the exhibition be canceled?"
Clearly annoyed by the repeated line of questioning, Ms. Roberts responded, "No matter what happens, the exhibition will go on as planned."
Watching her response on TV, Liu A'dou smirked. "Even if the police show up, I'm still stealing it." Since the exhibition would begin on April 1st, it was a perfect opportunity for a little April Fool's prank. His notice read:
"Swim the ocean of fools and take the ocean's treasure—Kaitou Kid."
"Perfect. The crowd will be huge. I'll dive into the sea of people and easily walk away with Deep Sea Blue, the ocean's jewel. That's what you call well-deserved."
Usually, delivering a calling card meant sneaking around in disguise, but this time Liu A'dou decided to switch things up.
On the morning of March 31st, Liu A'dou left his place carrying a briefcase, looking no different from any average office worker. He boarded a city bus bound for downtown.
Since most people in the suburbs had their own cars, the bus wasn't crowded. Liu A'dou found a seat toward the back and sat down, already mulling over how to create a real spectacle. His appearance at the Stark Expo hadn't done much to sway Iron Man's fanbase, but Times Square would be packed with potential new followers. He planned to go big.
New York's icon, Times Square—also known as the Crossroads of the World—was a global shopping hotspot. Tourists from all over came here to shop. All the buildings around the square were covered in digital billboards. Advertising time was sold by the second. Here, time really was money.
Liu A'dou had been in New York for a few months now, so the place wasn't unfamiliar. Carrying a briefcase, he walked into a local diner. He ordered two dim sum dishes and a drink, then opened the case. Inside were a laptop and some electronic gear.
The waiter didn't find this strange at all—plenty of people came to the diners around here to work or relax. In a way, Liu A'dou really was working—just preparing to steal something.
In no time, Liu A'dou had hacked into all the nearby advertising billboards. Since he wanted to go big this time, he had to make sure everyone knew Kaitou Kid had arrived.
A grin spread across his face. "Here we go." He hit the enter key.
Outside, all the colorful digital billboards turned stark white at once—each displaying Kaitou Kid's calling card.
Shoppers and tourists lifted their heads in shock, stunned by the impossible sight. It was as if they had stepped into Kaitou's personal palace. Everything had been taken over. Everything was under Kaitou Kid's control.
"Oh my God!" No one expected Kaitou to be so bold, hijacking every billboard to announce he would steal Deep Sea Blue the next day.
Liu A'dou could hear the gasps from outside and could already imagine the furious reactions of the billboard companies. His move probably cost them a lot of money. But that was the point. Seeing people rush out from the diner to check what was going on, he knew the message would spread fast. Tomorrow was going to be a circus.
Tourists pointed their camcorders at the billboards, spinning around to capture as many screens as possible in one sweep. It was too overwhelming. Every screen was blinding white. One tourist, filming the whole rotation, read the message printed across them all: "Swim the ocean of fools and take the ocean's treasure—Kaitou Kid."
They had heard of Kaitou before, but always thought it was just fan hype. Most of Kaitou's fans were from Gotham City. Only they knew what it felt like to be saved from a nuclear bomb by him. New Yorkers had heard of Kaitou Kid, but never really believed a thief could be that impressive. Even when Liu A'dou stole Iron Man's model suit, they brushed it off as a piece of old junk that Tony Stark didn't care about.
But now, Liu A'dou had shown them why Kaitou Kid had such massive influence in Gotham—because he was bold, and he was brilliant.
An over-the-top thief. So over-the-top it left people speechless. He didn't just send a calling card. He made sure everyone saw it.
"Cool!" The young crowd loved this kind of flashy arrogance.
Everyone in Times Square was caught in a feeling they couldn't explain. They knew Kaitou was a thief and that they weren't supposed to like him. But his stunning performance made their hearts race. It was that feeling of saying no with your mouth while your body said yes. They knew they shouldn't admire a criminal. And yet, Kaitou Kid's showmanship won them over every time.
That was Kaitou's magic. Irresistible.
Kaitou Kid would strike on April 1st. The news spread across the United States like it had wings. Diehard fans from Gotham City dropped everything and set off on spontaneous trips.
As soon as the police got word, they went straight to Ms. Roberts. This was no longer something she could handle on her own. Law enforcement had to get involved.
Even Spider-Man couldn't help but want to meet Kaitou Kid in person. With a thief this flashy, he had to see for himself if the guy had extra arms or legs hidden somewhere.