Chapter 1141 Professor (Part Thirteen) (Patreon)

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After hearing the noise from upstairs, Schiller didn't even have time to change out of his pajamas before rushing upstairs.

Due to the urgency of the situation, he didn't have time to knock on the door and just barged in. However, the Joker, who had just been woken up by the shout, instinctively jumped off the bed and ran towards the door, breaking the balcony glass and a huge black shadow chasing after him.

As soon as Schiller opened the door, he saw a huge humanoid crocodile monster jump in, which should be the legendary Killer Croc. But Schiller's first reaction was one of confusion.

Schiller wasn't confused about why Killer Croc was here, the shout he had just made had already explained the reason. What made Schiller feel strange was why Killer Croc was holding two kitchen knives.

Killer Croc has extremely sharp claws, which are his natural weapons, and he doesn't need any additional weapons. In fact, his huge palms gripping the small kitchen knives looked extremely awkward, and it was obvious that he was having a hard time holding the tiny handles.

But the next moment, Schiller understood why Killer Croc was doing this.

Joker Jack leaped off the bed and rushed towards the door, not to escape, but because the hospital room didn't have much space after Killer Croc jumped in, and he needed a larger strategic space to maneuver. Now, the only place left was the hallway.

But just as he was about to roll out the door, Schiller pushed the door open, causing Jack to stumble and almost get hit by the door. Immediately after, two gleaming kitchen knives came flying through the air.

Apparently, Killer Croc, who had become friends with Batman, also realized his lack of long-range attack capabilities, so he had grabbed two low-quality batarang-like kitchen knives and used brute force to make up for it, with an effect not inferior to a shotgun.

Jack had already been hit by the door, making him off-balance. Even though he sensed the icy wind behind him, he didn't have time to dodge, and one knife hit his back and the other his leg.

"Sizzle," Schiller was splattered with blood.

The wounds weren't that serious, just staining Schiller's pajama top and right pant leg with blood. But after being seriously injured, Jack started bleeding and ran towards Schiller, shouting, "Doctor!! Help!! There's a madman trying to kill me!!"

Due to the Joker virus, these injuries were only minor for Jack. But the blood spraying all over him turned Schiller into a bloody mess.

Schiller took a deep breath, first stopping the Killer Croc who was about to pounce, then grabbing the Joker from behind and bringing him to the front, like a court mediator, and started persuading the two sides.

It was already late at night by the time he had persuaded Killer Croc to leave and had the nurses bandage Jack's wounds.

Schiller really wanted to clean himself up immediately, but the problem was that Arkham Hospital was not Rodriguez Manor, where he had his own butler who could magically produce a clean set of clothes for him to maintain his pristine appearance.

So Schiller could only go back to his own bedroom, planning to take a shower to get rid of the unpleasant bloody smell. But as soon as he entered the room, he saw a figure with pointed ears standing outside the window.

Before Schiller could even step inside, Batman had already pushed open the window and, seeing Schiller covered in blood, was taken aback.

In that instant, Batman's mind had already imagined the process of Schiller's recent crime.

From the degree of coagulation of the bloodstains on Schiller's clothes, the blood seemed to have sprayed upwards from below. And the stains on his chest were more coagulated than other areas, indicating that Schiller had likely used some kind of long, sharp weapon, in other words, an umbrella dagger, to first stab the victim in the chest, then used his foot to pin down the victim's chest and stab their throat with the dagger.

No, that couldn't be right, Batman thought. If the killing process was that simple, there shouldn't be so much blood on his pants and shoes.

Schiller must have engaged in some extremely cruel treatment of the victim before killing them.

Thinking this, Batman took a step back and tapped the window next to him, then said, "...Do you have time now? I wanted to ask you about something related to Dick."

Schiller seemed to have realized that he and Batman were not on the same biological clock, so he didn't dwell on the lateness of Batman's arrival. He stood at the door, took off his blood-soaked jacket, and hung up the clothes, then said, "What about Dick?"

But Batman did not immediately answer Schiller's question, because he found that the first emotion he felt when facing Schiller's nonchalant attitude was not the usual anger he felt when facing criminals, but a sense of fear.

This was very abnormal. Batman did not believe he would be afraid of any criminal.

But the fact was that any human being, when faced with a monster who deprived another human life of its cruelty with such ease and casualness, would feel a instinctive fear.

There is a famous saying in psychology that Batman had also seen before, and today he had a new understanding of it - "Fear saved humanity."

In the long history of human evolution, there have been too many disasters that could have wiped out this fragile species, not to mention the bloodthirsty beasts, but even the cruel and merciless natural disasters. Some years, a few more rainfalls could have cost many lives.

Human fear of every thing is a scar in the history of human evolution.

Without fear, humans would not avoid danger, and thus could not escape calamity. Only the tribes that were highly sensitive to all kinds of natural and man-made disasters were able to survive and develop to this day. As a result, fear has become deeply ingrained in the human psyche.

The reason these murderous maniacs instill such boundless fear in people is that they are similar to beasts - savage, frenzied, and only seeking pleasure. At the same time, they are also similar to natural disasters - cold, cruel, yet resolute in their will.

The instinct ingrained in the human bone to seek good and avoid evil naturally puts them in a weak position when faced with these humans who share the same qualities as the terrible disasters in human evolutionary history.

Even though Batman has reached the pinnacle of human willpower, the innate human instinct still makes him feel a chill down his back when facing a Schiller in this state.

Now Batman can understand why some serial killers keep committing crimes, even though their victims should have heightened their vigilance and fought back. It is not their fellow humans who defeated them, but the fear within themselves.

Seeing Batman frozen in place, Schiller walked up to him with a puzzled look and asked, "What's wrong? Weren't you going to ask me about Dick? Why aren't you saying anything?"

But the more nonchalant Schiller appeared, the more Batman felt the fear bursting forth from his instinct, making him want to back away.

"Dick has run away from home again," Batman forced himself to focus and said, "Because I've taken in a boy named Tim Drake, who is very talented and eager to become my assistant, and his parents don't object."

Before Schiller could speak, Batman quickly explained, "I haven't agreed to his request yet, as he's still too young. Even if he lives in Wayne Manor, he must study first."

"And I've already told Dick that he is my eldest son and will be my most outstanding assistant. I've also told him that he can participate in case investigations, but I need some time to prepare equipment to ensure his safety."

"But no matter what I say, Dick won't listen," Batman shook his head lightly. "He is firmly convinced that I'm going to abandon him and kick him out of Gotham."

Schiller furrowed his brow deeply and shook his head, saying, "This does not fit my psychological profile of Dick Grayson."

"After the Grayson family fell from their glorious days, they went through a very difficult period where they couldn't get any performance invitations for a long time, facing not only financial difficulties but also great psychological setbacks."

"At the same time, Dick was very close to his grandfather, so his grandfather's death was a huge blow to him. Coupled with the realization of their decline in wealth, this kind of impact could very likely make a child become reclusive and eccentric."

"But Dick did not become dejected. On the contrary, he comforted his parents, diligently learned acrobatic performances, and even took on the role of a street vendor to do everything he could to change the family's economic situation."

"To earn money, the Grayson family continued to tour the country, and the hardships they endured need not be elaborated on. Even more was the disdain they faced, but Dick never wavered in his belief that the Grayson family was the best acrobatic troupe in America, and he has been working tirelessly to revive the Grayson family."

"He is a remarkably clear-headed, wise, and resolute child. Frankly speaking, he is much more psychologically stable than you, even in your current state."

"After all, the huge inheritance left by your parents was enough for you to not worry about financial problems, while Dick had to tighten his belt and even go hungry for a long period of time."

"Yet even in such hardship, his psychological state remained positive and proactive, without the slightest tendency towards self-abandonment. This is quite rare."

Batman looked at Schiller, seemingly waiting for a conclusion. Schiller stood in place and said, "Hardship couldn't defeat this child for over a decade. Why do you think you can suddenly change his temperament and make him unable to communicate with you in just a few years?"

Batman opened his mouth slightly, but didn't know how to refute it. He found that his self-confidence in his own educational abilities had been shaken to the point of affecting his judgment of the facts.

When the young Dick was in the decline of the Grayson family, with the tragic death of his closest grandfather, a deteriorating family situation, homelessness, and being mocked by others, he still didn't go astray. How could he suddenly change his temperament after just a few years at Wayne Manor?

Batman hesitated for a moment before speaking, "When Dick first came here, I transferred him to different schools several times. Tim told me he might have been bullied at school, but at the time I didn't pay attention..."

"So he told you, but you didn't take care of it?" Schiller asked.

Batman shook his head, "No, he didn't tell me. Even when I asked him several times, he always said his school life was fine."

"In fact, he may not be as fragile as you think," Schiller picked up a towel and started wiping the blood on his neck. "He may not be a local Gothamite, but he has traveled all over the country with his parents, gaining a wide range of knowledge and experience."

Schiller looked into Batman's eyes and said, "I remember telling you before that psychology may seem like a kind of mysticism, but its internal logic is just as rigorous as mathematics and physics. If you follow a line of reasoning to the end, there is only one standard answer."

"For a person's behavior pattern to suddenly change, external factors must have played a role. If you feel that you have not exerted any influence on Dick's behavioral changes, then it is very likely that other people have exerted influences you are unaware of."

"And if this influence is long-term, it could not have suddenly erupted now. If it's not long-term..."

Batman narrowed his eyes, understanding Schiller's implication, and said, "Are you saying someone has hypnotized Dick?"

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Next Chapter>>Chapter 1142 Professor (Part Fourteen)