"Excuse me, gentlemen."
A waitress approached the table, balancing a tray as she placed dishes filled with delicious food and refreshing drinks on the table. With a smile, she said:
"Here's your Aragosta, Sicilian pizza, Aliciotti, and two Titan Colas. Will you be paying in cash or by scan?"
"Scan, please."
Leon pulled out a civilian version of the Titan smartphone, scanned the QR code on the corner of the table, and quickly completed the payment for both him and his companion, leaving a generous 30% tip in the process.
"Thank you!" The waitress's smile was genuine, not a hint of pretense, as she responded in Italian, "May you and your friend have a wonderful day. Please enjoy your meal."
"Thank you for your kind wishes, miss."
The waitress was visibly surprised by Leon's fluency in Italian. However, Leon had already turned his attention back to the table, smiling at his companion sitting across from him—Mike Monetti, who was also on this investigative mission.
"What are you looking at? Start eating already, I'm starving."
"Tsk, tsk." Mike, with his neatly trimmed short hair and slightly longer beard, shook his head lightly. His gaze, hidden behind his sunglasses, glanced at the departing waitress. He rubbed his chin with his left hand and remarked, "Looks like I should shave more often. I can't keep looking so scruffy."
"Why shave when you're perfectly fine?" Leon asked, puzzled.
"It's nothing! Let's eat!" Mike said, grabbing a slice of pizza.
The two continued to chat casually, occasionally joking and enjoying their Aragosta rice balls, the large local Sicilian pizza, and the crispy Aliciotti fried fish. They appeared to be just two good friends taking advantage of company leave to tour and relax.
In reality, both were investigators working for Atlas.
Leon had officially joined the company in 1994, making it five years since his recruitment, while Mike Monetti had joined in 1990, making him a "veteran" in the investigative ranks if they were compared to the combat units.
In any decision-making conflicts during operations, Mike held the authority to make the final call on the spot.
Since the internet was abuzz with posts like "#AreWerewolvesReal?" and "#CouldVampiresExistToo?" along with accompanying images and videos, the two had been tasked with investigating these claims.
Initially, they tracked down IP addresses and various online sources, posing as tabloid journalists to interview some of the users who had posted the relevant footage and images. They discovered that most of the filming locations were concentrated in Rome and Sicily in Italy, as well as cities and regions like Patras and Lefkada in Greece.
From there, the two began a "European tour," visiting these locations under various guises and talking to local residents, where they learned a great deal about urban legends involving vampires and werewolves.
Some residents even mentioned figures and creatures from ancient Greek and Roman mythology, such as "Empusa," "Lamia," and "Hecate."
After some time investigating, Leon and Mike were convinced that there were indeed strongholds of supernatural creatures within Italy.
However, these creatures also seemed adept at using the internet. They appeared to realize that their presence might have been exposed, causing them to become more cautious, making it increasingly difficult for the investigators to gather useful information.
Fortunately, their colleagues in the company's IT department were working overtime to assist, closely monitoring surveillance cameras across Italy and providing many leads.
With this additional intelligence from covert operations, Leon and Mike eventually focused their investigation on the city of Syracuse in Sicily, pinpointing a bar named "Twilight."
This bar had caught their attention because, two days earlier, surveillance footage in the southeastern part of the city had captured a man wearing a mask. The IT department colleagues, using various technical means and visual analysis, determined that this masked man was highly likely to be one of the "werewolves" whose facial details had been leaked online.
Upon receiving this critical information, Leon and Mike, who had coincidentally traced their investigation to Sicily, followed up by interviewing local taxi drivers and mingling at crowded beach parties, eventually leading them to discover the Twilight bar in southeastern Syracuse—the very bar currently in their line of sight across the street.
At this moment:
"Phew!" Mike wiped his hands with a napkin and glanced at the bar's closed front door. "Now that we've eaten our fill, let's get some sleep. Then we can have a drink tonight. Just thinking about it makes me feel great."
"I was just about to suggest the same thing, buddy," Leon chuckled.
"I know a few good bars and clubs around here."
The waitress, who had just started clearing their table, overheard their talk about visiting bars and offered some friendly advice: "You might want to try Scantalini and Trecio in the uptown area—drinks are cheap, and there are lots of people. Or Maria Holen in the west district, which is quieter, and the local bands and singers there are quite famous."
Since Leon had tipped her generously, the waitress didn't want them to be overcharged or ripped off by local bars. After all, she thought the two men were here just for a vacation.
Taking her advice, Mike raised his right hand and pointed his thumb backward at the Twilight bar behind him, asking, "What about that bar? It looks pretty nice to me."
The waitress, who was still clearing the table, pursed her lips and replied, "Twilight… It's way too expensive. They operate on a membership basis. The entry fee alone is $60,000—that's two years' worth of my salary."
She stacked the empty plates, shrugged in resignation, and added, "So I've never been inside since I was born. I've heard they initially only catered to a few local elites, but recently they've started serving wealthy outsiders. But I'm not sure about their exact screening process. Sorry."
"Why apologize?" Leon stood up and thanked her again in fluent Italian: "Thanks for the heads-up. It's more than enough to help us avoid unnecessary expenses. Thank you, kind friend."
With that, Leon and Mike left the restaurant's outdoor seating area and returned to the street outside the low railing.
"…"
The waitress, slightly dazed as she watched them disappear, finally picked up the empty plates and bowls and headed toward the restaurant's kitchen.
Not long after:
In an alleyway shortcut leading to the Seascape Hotel:
"I really envy your way with words, man. Come on, teach me," Mike teased, slinging an arm over Leon's shoulder.
"I'm just being polite," Leon replied earnestly.
"You think I'll buy that?" Mike raised an eyebrow.
"I'm telling the truth."
"Alright, I'll believe you this time. Let's get some sleep."
By this point, the two had returned to the hotel lobby and were climbing the stairs covered with noise-canceling carpets to the fourth floor. They continued down the hall to the left, stopping at a double room marked 436.
After swiping the card to enter:
Locking the door behind them:
Both Leon and Mike instantly shifted from their relaxed, vacationing personas to a state of focused seriousness. They each took out their investigator-issue smartphones and began scanning the entire room.
Once they confirmed there were no listening devices or eavesdroppers, their expressions relaxed slightly.
Leon activated his phone's alert mode, then sat on the single bed by the window and spoke in a low voice: "It seems the target location is indeed a membership-only establishment, consistent with what we've discovered over the past two days."
"Yes," Mike agreed as he sat on the bed, analyzing the situation. "The fact that even locals know nothing about it suggests their security measures are highly effective. At least before the internet became widespread, the locals living nearby hadn't heard of the Twilight bar."
"Urban legends of vampires and werewolves, along with some unverifiable documents… It's possible these supernatural creatures have had a presence in the main universe for centuries," Leon speculated further. "As humanity entered the age of technology, they were forced into the shadows of society and cities. And now, with surveillance and the internet, their living space has been further compressed. Do you think they accidentally exposed themselves to the public?"
"Accidentally?" Mike furrowed his brow. "Maybe. After all, there are always some reckless individuals in any species. But it doesn't change the fact that we've identified their stronghold."
"Exactly. I'll report our findings to HQ and check in on the ARS (Rapid Response) units," Leon said.
"Go ahead," Mike replied without objection.
Leon tapped on his investigator-issue phone, and soon a small holographic screen was projected, displaying Ada Wong in her signature red uniform.
"Director, we've identified a potential supernatural gathering spot…"
Leon immediately began briefing Ada on the latest developments, ending with a request: "Director, can we get access to the ARS team locations?"
"Permission granted."
Ada approved the request, enabling their phones to access the positions of ARS teams deployed throughout Italy.
Now, Leon and Mike could track the ARS squads and communicate with their team leaders in real time.
Ada, in her usual cold tone, then asked, "How do you plan to enter the target area? A direct assault? Or continue using your tourist identities to infiltrate? If you choose the latter, the company will provide you with sufficient funds and more comprehensive fake credentials."
Upon hearing this, Mike replied on behalf of Leon, "We plan to implement a dual approach: one investigator will enter through the front door using a fake identity, while the other stays outside for backup. This way, we can assess the situation on-site and decide if we need to call in the ARS."
"
Good. Any other questions or requests?"
"That's all for now, Director," Mike said.
Ada nodded and ended the communication.
Leon put away his phone and asked, "Who's going to be the one outside?"
"Obviously me," Mike said, turning on the air conditioner and lying back with his eyes closed. "I've got more experience, but you're better at talking. Now, let's get some rest. We've got a busy night ahead."
Leon didn't argue. Instead, he lay back on his bed, planning to take a short nap.
22:38.
Late night.
Syracuse's east coast in Sicily was ablaze with lights, not quite as bright as Neo Akra or Seattle on the U.S. West Coast, but still one of the world's undeniable "cities that never sleep."
As night fell, the outlines of buildings and streets were illuminated by countless lights and screens, creating a stark contrast to the relaxed, comfortable atmosphere of the daytime.
People gathered around beach bonfires, toasting and drinking, or assembled near ancient ruins to watch grandiose, free "war dramas," deeply experiencing the history of Syracuse.
The local government had purchased a batch of the most advanced holographic equipment from Atlas. Using comprehensive holographic projection technology, they had restored the original appearance of temples and ancient cities.
Actors and holographic effects combined to create superb war dramas, vividly bringing historical scenes to life for tourists.
Visitors from around the world shared their experiences in Syracuse on the internet, including bloggers with established fan bases and popular celebrities.
As a result, this would attract more potential consumers, greatly boosting the local economy of Syracuse.
At the same time, this brought in considerable revenue for Atlas. Not only Syracuse but Athens in Greece and Paris in France were also success stories, leading many governments to consider purchasing these multi-million-dollar devices.
The Twilight bar was located in the southwestern part of Syracuse.
The coastal district was the most bustling area.
Beachfront restaurants, BBQ joints, bars, and nightclubs were packed, with some tourists seemingly having just gotten off the plane, too eager to wait and adjust to the time zone before diving into the nightlife.
In contrast to the lively scenes and long lines at other venues, the Twilight bar was eerily quiet, with only two burly security guards standing at the entrance, occasionally stopping newcomers unfamiliar with the rules.
At that moment:
A limousine, specially reserved for distinguished guests, turned the corner and drove down the street where the Twilight bar was located.
As the car came to a stop, the two security guards watched as a man, appearing to be around 25 or 26 years old, stepped out of the back seat and walked toward the bar entrance.
The man was dressed in an expensive, tailor-made suit but had his hair styled a bit messily. The guards immediately pegged him as some "rich playboy from who knows where."
As the man approached, one of the guards raised his hand to stop him. "Hold up, kid. Don't take another step."
The other guard pulled out a POS terminal and a QR code. "Either show your membership card or pay $60,000."
"That's all?"
The man pulled out a limited-edition Titan smartphone, recently released by Atlas, and paid the $60,000 without hesitation.
After completing a body search and confiscating all electronic devices, the guards finally said, "Have fun," and allowed the man—Leon, in disguise—to enter the bar.
___________________
Read Ahead
P@treon.com/Mutter
___________________
✨ Special Offer! ✨
Enjoy a 50% discount on all Patreon tiers until November 30th! 🎉
Use code EDE1A at checkout to unlock this limited-time deal.