Lorien and his companions held the photograph in silence for a long time.
Though they couldn't be sure what had happened, the appearance of two Clark Kents was clearly no simple matter.
"Lorien, this looks bad. Shouldn't we go find Clark right away?"
"We should."
If this hadn't happened right in front of him, Lorien could have ignored it. But since he had seen it with his own eyes, he had to take it seriously.
Meanwhile, the Clark Kent they were worried about had arrived in Gotham City.
The night sky was dark and oppressive, with grotesque buildings looming high overhead.
Clark Kent had heard of this place. It wasn't even that far from the city where he lived.
But he had never thought he would actually come here.
He knew all too well—it was a dangerous place.
This city was nothing like his own.
It was the most crime-ridden city in America.
'You must come here.'
That man, the one who looked exactly like him and claimed to be his future self, had told him to come.
But he hadn't revealed a single reason why.
It was awful!
Maybe it was just a trick!
He hadn't thought much of it before, but now, the more Clark Kent dwelled on it, the more convinced he became.
"If only Lorien were here. He'd know what to do."
Clark felt deep trust toward Lorien, his neighbor.
Maybe it was because he was a psychologist. Or maybe because, even when he saw through things, he never exposed them. Either way, being around him always gave Clark a sense of calm.
Even so, standing here in Gotham, unease gnawed at him.
Everyone passing by on the street looked as if they might tear him to pieces. The feeling was suffocating—terrifying.
With no idea what to do next, he decided to find a hotel.
And then, that chilling gaze crawled up from his feet to the top of his head once more.
"Done yet?"
Clark Kent rapped the tabletop.
The girl who had been staring at him blew a bubble with her gum, then casually tossed a key onto the counter.
"Two hundred bucks a night. Room 2112."
She lowered her head and ignored him after that.
What a rotten place!
Clark cursed inwardly, grabbed the key, and went to find his room.
...
While Clark Kent was being lured into Gotham, Lorien, Gwen, and Wanda were busy packing their things.
The neighbors, watching them prepare to leave, looked puzzled.
They had lived here for years. Why move all of a sudden?
"We haven't had any business here for so long, just been living off savings. We figured it was time to work hard again."
Lorien didn't share the real reason, giving this explanation instead.
But his words unlocked what the neighbors had long wanted to say but never had the chance.
"To be honest, Lorien, I've thought this for a while. Running a therapy clinic in a small town just isn't profitable."
"Ha! I mean, apart from that kid dropping by, I've hardly ever seen anyone go in."
"You must have lost a fortune these past few years..."
One after another, the neighbors chimed in, full of enthusiasm.
Lorien kept smiling. In truth, they had no reason to worry—he had enough money to last centuries.
But there was no need to mention that.
"This time you're heading to the big city, right? Business will be great there."
"Yes, the big city."
Lorien smiled as he answered.
Gotham was indeed a vast and bustling metropolis.
He was sure he, Gwen, and Wanda would enjoy their time there.
But...
Life would no doubt become busier.
Lorien was excited about his future home, though his work schedule wouldn't change.
After cheerfully deciding on their next steps, they quickly departed.
For some, leaving Gotham was a dream. For others who didn't play by the rules, Gotham was paradise.
And among those who lived outside the rules, word traveled fast.
"Recently, a psychological counseling clinic opened right in the downtown area."
"Heh heh heh—are you crazy?"
"Screw you! Anyone who dares open a counseling clinic here obviously isn't ordinary. Send someone to check them out!"
"I'll go. The clinic owner must have deep pockets—perfect timing, I'm a little short on cash anyway!"
Within a day of Lorien Su and his group settling in Gotham City, word about them had already spread like wildfire. Every corner of the city knew a psychologist had moved in.
They mocked and joked.
"Ha! A psychologist came here—think we're all nuts or what?"
"Ain't we? Ha—"
They didn't see calling themselves crazy as an insult at all.
The news didn't stop with those locals; Clark Kent, who'd been holed up in a Gotham hotel for several days, heard it too.
The second he heard "psychologist," an image of Lorien popped into his head, uncontrollably.
"Could it really be him?"
He didn't want it to be true, but a voice in his head insisted: it was Lorien Su. No other possibility.
Still, part of him refused to believe it, and that's why he felt driven to go see for himself. If he saw it with his own eyes, maybe things would make more sense.
...
While the whole city buzzed about Loren Su's arrival, Wanda stood by the window of their new home, her expression a little off.
The city felt unusually loud.
So noisy!
Wanda had never seen a place this bustling.
And when she walked the streets in daylight, she felt like countless hostile eyes were watching her.
That feeling was oddly disorienting and stirred a deep, unpleasant unease.