Loren was still explaining the origins of Gotham City.
He told Gino how the Court of Owls, under the leadership of the Elliot Family, had grown stronger, achieved glory, and become the behemoth that overshadowed Gotham City.
Loren closed his eyes, lost in thought, and murmured, "Beware the Court of Owls, that watch all the time."
"Ruling Gotham from a shadowed perch, watching from the low wall's reach."
"Living in the home, he's always there, in the bedchamber, he is aware."
"Speak not his name, or he'll be near, the Talons will come and fill you with fear."
Loren opened his eyes and looked at Gino, who had a look of indifference. "This Gotham nursery rhyme isn't a lie. The Court of Owls possesses wealth and power far beyond your imagination."
"They have Gotham City's most powerful assassins, used to eliminate those who oppose the Court of Owls."
"So." Keno ignored Loren's praise of the Court of Owls and focused his gaze on the last image.
On that scroll, a downcast figure was hunched over, walking out of a dark hall.
The young man's blue eyes stared at Loren. "The Elliot Family was kicked out of the Court of Owls?"
Keno's words plunged Loren into silence, his face flushed. He retorted, "I left voluntarily!"
Hearing the old man's words, Keno understood.
The young man curled the corner of his mouth into a playful smile, looking at Loren. "So, you did something wrong and were kicked out of the Court of Owls by these people, right?"
Loren didn't answer, but Keno walked around him. "Let me guess."
"Why are you telling me about Amber Gold?"
"You want me to help you achieve the dream you've always had, to return to the Court of Owls, right?"
Duy wasn't fazed by Gino's bluntness. The old man, who had been furious just moments before, calmed down and sat back on the sofa, trembling slightly. He looked at Gino and said, "Child, you remind me of myself when I was young. I can see the ambition burning in your eyes; you desire many things."
"And the Elliot Family name can help you."
Loren outlined his plan, "I originally intended for Thomas to inherit my wishes, but he only wanted to study medicine and become a foolish doctor."
"So you came to me?" Gino scoffed.
"Hear me out," Duy gestured for Gino to be quiet, and continued, "I once did something foolish and was expelled from the Court of Owls."
"But they gave me a chance, a chance for my heir to join the Court of Owls."
罗伦再度站起身,从柜子里拿出 White Owl Mask.
他将面具塞入基诺手上:"拿着它,你有一半的血脉属于 Gotham City,他们不会拒绝你,你可以加入到那个组织,享受整座城市的供养."
"Talon Assassins 将受你驱使,Amber Gold 将延续你的生命."
基诺拿起罗伦递来的面具,这张入手轻薄,正片白色面具上只有一对露出眼睛与鼻孔的地方.
他把玩着手上的面具,扭头盯着罗伦,轻笑道:"你被狼狈的逐出法庭,但他们却给了你一个名额."
"你知道这种行为在我看来像什么吗?"
"像是主人给被赶出家门的狗丢了一块狗骨头."
基诺的声音逐渐凌厉,他缓缓挺直身子,那高大威猛的身躯散发着一股摄人的气势.
"The Court of Owls belongs to the Elliot Family to begin with."
Duy's voice grew lower, his blue eyes fixed on Loren. "And now, you want me to go grovel to these thieves, begging for scraps?"
"Sorry, I don't like accepting charity."
Kino gently clenched his left hand, the one holding the mask. The white mask shattered under the pressure, the ceramic-like fragments scattering on the floor.
"No!" Loren let out a shrill cry, collapsing onto the carpet in a heap, kicking up dust.
The old man trembled as he picked up the mask fragments from the floor, glaring up at Kino. "Look what you've done!?"
"You've ruined the only chance!"
"No!" Kino's voice was louder than Loren's. The old man was surprised to see blue light shining in Kino's eyes, a brilliance far more dazzling than the Amber Gold in the box.
Wisps of cold mist swirled around the youth, spreading from his eyes, and a thick layer of frost covered the surrounding furniture.
He heard his grandson sneer, "What I want, I'll take myself."
Gino gazed at the oil painting on the wall, seemingly talking to himself:
"Amber Gold, mine."
"The Talon Assassins will be mine too."
"The Court of Owls will also be mine."
"The secrets they hold will all be mine."
Gino cracked his neck, producing a crisp sound. "Anything I want, will be mine."
He couldn't understand why, when he could just take things by force, he'd stoop to Lauren's level and go beg like a dog? If something was good, and its owner was a villain, he'd just take it. That was Gino's way.
He wouldn't show mercy to a pack of things that deserved to be hanged from lampposts.
Besides, the Court of Owls was founded by his mother's ancestors; taking it back was just returning it to its rightful owner. "You, you!"
Loren stared at Duy's icy blue eyes and his terrifying, arrogant aura. The experienced old man realized he'd never truly understood his grandson.
The youth before him was far more mysterious and terrifying than he'd imagined.
The killing intent emanating from Duy reminded him of the Talon Assassins in the Court.
Duy ignored Loren's current state of mind. He leaned down and whispered in the old man's ear, "Tell me now, where is their lair?"
Duy's words brought Loren back to reality. He pursed his lips and took a deep breath, "I don't know."
Duy frowned, "You really don't know?"
The old man said righteously, "Of course. The Court of Owls is very cautious. They have hundreds of bases throughout the Gotham underground tunnels."
"They change locations every so often."
Keno listened in silence, inwardly complaining. These rich people really had too much time on their hands, building so many bases.
As if they were afraid of being caught one day and hanged on a lamppost, right?
Loren sighed, "Originally, if you kept the mask, you'd just need to wear it and walk around Gotham City, and someone would find you. But now, your only chance is ruined."
"You mean the mask?" Keno glanced at the fragments on the ground. Then, he looked at Loren, and a new plan brewed in his mind.
The young man pointed at the shattered mask, "Then, why not put it back together?"
"That won't work. Seeing the broken mask will only alarm them, making them hide even deeper."
"Is that so?" Keno looked thoughtfully at the mask.
It seemed that the so-called Court of Owls was very cautious…
Thinking for a moment, Duy sneered, "If they don't want to show themselves, then I'll lure them out."
"Do you know what the Talon Assassins look like?"
------------------------
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