"Hello, viewers, this is Gotham Channel 7, and I'm your host, Lexi White. Recently, the famous 'Hope Blue Diamond' has been publicly exhibited at the Orpheus Jewelry Exhibition Hall, sparking heated discussions among citizens."
"As soon as news of this legendary diamond broke, it attracted the attention of many thieves, including the rising master thief known as Kaito Kid. According to his official notice, he will appear at 7:51 PM tonight and steal the 'Hope Blue Diamond.'"
"Counting his first crime, which was dismissed as a prank, this will be his fifth theft."
"Though that number may seem small, every one of his crimes has been bold and high-profile. He sends a notice before committing the crime, treats each theft as a stage performance, and even performs magic tricks in front of the public, making the police look helpless."
"There are also rumors that another legendary thief has set his sights on the 'Hope Blue Diamond.' Faced with such a serious threat, can the Orpheus Jewelry Exhibition Hall protect this treasure? Let us wait and see."
Dean watched the report on his phone as he walked toward the entrance of the exhibition hall. His expression was calm, but his mind was not.
The diamond in question was not just any jewel.
It was secretly known in certain circles as the Doom Diamond.
And its power was beginning to show.
After only a few steps inside, Dean felt someone tap his shoulder.
He turned around.
Dick stood there, staring at him with a serious face.
"What's wrong, Dick?" Dean asked.
"I have a secret to tell you," Dick whispered, glancing around dramatically.
Dean raised an eyebrow.
"Actually… I am Robin."
"What did you say?!"
Dean froze.
His thoughts exploded like lightning.
Why would Dick suddenly reveal that?
Was this a test?
Did he suspect something about me?
Before Dean could decide how to react, Dick burst into laughter.
"Happy April Fool's Day! You should've seen your face!"
Dean's mouth twitched.
"Heh. You? Robin? Then I'm Kaito Kid."
Dick crossed his arms confidently.
"Nice try. I'm not falling for that."
Dean sighed.
"Alright, joke's over. You didn't come here just for that, did you?"
Dick's expression changed.
"No. Something happened with the Hope Blue Diamond."
Dean narrowed his eyes.
"Was it stolen?"
"Not yet. But things are getting strange. Come inside."
The two hurried into the independent exhibition chamber.
Before they even fully entered, a heated voice echoed inside.
"I still don't understand why an extra container is needed! It ruins the display, Director Ofe!"
It was Kailina.
Dean stepped in and saw Director Ofe, Kailina, and Biska standing near the massive ice block in the center of the room.
The sight made him pause.
The diamond was still frozen inside a towering block of ice over three meters high.
But today, something was different.
The blue diamond was no longer directly embedded in ice.
It was sealed inside a faintly blue transparent box.
Strange symbols were carved along its surface.
The box itself was then frozen into the ice.
That must be the "container" Kailina was arguing about.
Director Ofe looked tired.
"I didn't want to add the container, Miss Kailina. But after what happened last night, I had no choice."
"I cannot allow another employee to suffer misfortune!"
"That was just an accident!" Kailina shot back. "You don't really believe the legend about a cursed diamond, do you? I work with historical artifacts every day. These curse stories are marketing myths!"
"And even if there were a curse, how could this plastic-looking box stop it? Just because it has symbols carved on it?"
Dean turned to Dick quietly.
"What happened?"
Dick's face darkened.
"The employee who handled the diamond last night died in a car accident."
Dean's eyes sharpened.
The exhibition system was simple.
Each day from 7 AM to 8 PM, the diamond remained frozen in ice for display. After closing, the refrigeration unit was turned off, allowing the ice to melt. The diamond would then be removed and refrozen overnight in a new block of ice.
Last night, the assigned employee had defrosted the ice, retrieved the diamond, and prepared it for the next day's display.
On his way home, he was struck by a speeding truck.
He died instantly.
On the surface, it was a tragic but ordinary accident.
But there was one key detail.
He had handled the Doom Diamond just minutes before.
Whispers began immediately.
The Hope Blue Diamond had always carried dark rumors.
Owners who lost fortunes.
Collectors who suffered ruin.
Families that fell apart.
Now an employee was dead after touching it.
Coincidence?
Or curse?
Fear spread among the staff faster than facts.
Director Ofe, already under immense pressure from the upcoming theft threat, panicked.
Through private contacts, he acquired the strange blue container. The seller claimed it was made from special mineral crystal infused with protective energy. The symbols carved into it were said to block negative forces.
No one knew if it was real.
But belief can be powerful.
Director Ofe believed it worked.
That belief calmed the staff.
And calming the staff kept the exhibition running.
Kailina, however, was furious.
She had personally designed the entire hall layout — lighting angles, reflective surfaces, ice clarity, visitor path flow.
Everything was calculated so that the diamond's blue brilliance would appear perfect from every angle.
Now, with a tinted box inside the ice, the color appeared darker.
Subtler.
Less alive.
"It ruins the purity of the display!" she argued. "People may even think the diamond is fake!"
Director Ofe shook his head.
"I care more about my employees' lives than perfect lighting."
Biska stood between them helplessly.
Dean said nothing.
Instead, he stepped closer to the ice block.
The hall was cold, but not freezing. The ice would slowly melt during the day and be renewed at night.
He focused on the box.
On the symbols.
They were not random.
They looked old.
Older than modern superstition.
And beneath the layers of ice, something faint flickered.
For a brief second, Dean thought the diamond pulsed.
Like a heartbeat.
He narrowed his eyes.
That was no illusion.
A subtle wave of cold energy brushed against his senses.
Not physical cold.
Something deeper.
A pressure.
The Doom Diamond was reacting.
But to what?
Fear?
Attention?
Or the arrival of thieves?
Dick stepped beside him.
"You feel that too?"
Dean did not answer immediately.
Instead, he observed the surface tension of the ice.
Tiny cracks were forming near the edges of the container.
That shouldn't happen this early in the day.
Unless—
Unless the temperature around the diamond itself was fluctuating.
As if it had its own internal climate.
Suddenly, a security alarm beeped softly.
Everyone turned.
One of the temperature monitors had dropped by three degrees around the diamond's core.
"That's impossible," Kailina whispered. "The system is stable."
Director Ofe paled.
The light above flickered once.
Then steadied.
Dean's gaze hardened.
This was no simple curse rumor.
Something was awakening.
Whether mystical, scientific, or something in between, the Doom Diamond was influencing its environment.
And tonight, at 7:51 PM, when Kaito Kid would make his move…
What would happen then?
Would the diamond's power grow stronger?
Would it choose a new victim?
Or would it reveal its true nature under the pressure of theft?
Dean's mind moved quickly.
A diamond does not kill.
But energy contained within a crystalline lattice?
That was different.
Certain rare minerals could store radiation.
Others could resonate with frequencies.
And if this stone had been altered…
Or exposed to something unknown…
The legends of misfortune might not be superstition.
They might be side effects.
Director Ofe swallowed nervously.
"You see? Even the temperature is changing! The container was the right choice!"
Kailina clenched her fists.
"This proves nothing!"
Dean finally spoke.
"Has anyone tested the diamond for unusual radiation?"
The room went silent.
Director Ofe blinked.
"No… It passed all standard museum safety scans."
"Standard isn't enough," Dean said calmly.
Dick looked at him carefully.
The air felt heavier now.
As if the room itself was waiting.
Outside, reporters gathered.
Police patrols increased.
And somewhere in the city, a master thief prepared his entrance.
But none of them realized the truth.
The greatest danger tonight might not be a thief.
It might be the diamond itself.
The Doom Diamond was beginning to show its power.
And this was only the beginning.
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🕷️ End of Chapter
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