Chapter 1014 Scarecrow's Misfortune (Part 2) (Patreon)

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Jonathan found himself choked up once again, frozen in place. The reality of his surroundings confirmed Batman's words, yet another set of imaginations persisted in his mind, his original plan.

Gotham's villains shared a common trait, especially the likes of Joker, Scarecrow, Two-Face, and Riddler, a series of high-intellect criminals. They excelled in crafting dilemmas with no clear resolution, setting up contradictions to confound Batman.

In essence, it was akin to the trolley problem—choose one or the other? Wealth or poverty? Male or female? Old or young?

Of course, such dilemmas never had a correct answer. Whichever option Batman chose would be deemed wrong. Or rather, regardless of Batman's choice, these villains had their own twisted logic to point out his errors.

This was why many comic readers felt Batman often appeared somewhat powerless when confronted with such choices. His methods seemed crude because Batman knew from the start it was all a trap—no option held any real meaning.

It was merely a one-sided interrogation, not a duel. And this time, Jonathan intended to play it that way too.

He knew Batman would eventually uncover the truth: someone had poisoned Gotham's water source. With Batman's resources, it was only a matter of time before he traced it back to Jonathan's location. So, Jonathan waited here, anticipating the commencement of this interrogation feast.

The disappearance of Morrison District's population had left a profound impression on the fledgling Batman, exposing him to the cruelty and inhumanity of these serial killers. Jonathan knew this must have left a deep mark on him. Thus, his first step was to agitate Batman, to stoke his anger.

The original Batman, upon hearing Jonathan's shameless and arrogant remarks, would undoubtedly feel enraged. Even if he didn't show it immediately, rage would undoubtedly simmer within him.

Then, Jonathan would reveal the truth about Gotham's rainwater, regardless of whether Batman already knew it or not. Jonathan had to emphasize it because that was when the real performance would begin.

Fueled by the anger previously accumulated, when Jonathan provoked Batman and allowed himself to be arrested, there was a high probability that Batman would resort to violence. This aligned perfectly with Jonathan's understanding of Batman's psychological profile.

Even if it wasn't this younger Batman but the seasoned strategist, faced with such brazen criminals, breaking a few bones would be the least of it.

Jonathan anticipated Batman beating him. However, he wasn't a masochist like Joker, nor did he possess extraordinary resilience. At least for now, Scarecrow was just an ordinary university professor with no superpowers.

And when Batman rushed in, nearly beating him to death, Jonathan would reveal the truth to Batman—that it wasn't poison but the antidote. It wasn't about destroying Gotham but saving it.

Perhaps psychologists had something in common after all; they were adept at exploiting human emotional weaknesses. If Jonathan were to give a nice name to his interrogation, he would call it "Guilt, the Sharpest Blade."

The criminals and poisoners Batman perceived were, in fact, vigilantes and saviors just like him. Their actions weren't morally superior; however, Jonathan's actions proved to be more effective in the end.

Indeed, Scarecrow was a genius. The hallucinogenic drugs he developed not only battled the toxins in the rainwater but could also establish permanent antibodies in most people.

As long as the toxins in the rainwater remained unchanged, after the frenzy of the Citizens' madness event, the majority of Gotham's people would become immune to the toxins. Moreover, these antibodies would be encoded into their genes, perpetually passed down.

And if the adversaries altered the toxins in the rainwater, Scarecrow could use the same principle to develop a corresponding antidote, once again establishing antibodies. Then came the time for the never-ending cycle.

Based on this foundation, Jonathan knew that if Batman severely injured him, perhaps he wouldn't feel guilty. After all, the Citizens who became test subjects were innocent, and Jonathan was indeed a murderer, deserving punishment.

Yet, Batman would surely be tormented, for in order to save Gotham, he had to keep Jonathan alive to counteract potential toxin mutations. In other words, he had to personally save the criminals he loathed the most and do so urgently, which could be described as frantic.

A self-proclaimed savior, realizing he hadn't done more or done better than a criminal.

And for the elusive goal, Batman had to mingle with the criminals, had to send the half-beaten criminals to the hospital, spend money to treat them, all because of his impulsiveness and recklessness.

In this journey, the inner turmoil Batman experienced was the most delightful music for Jonathan.

However, things didn't unfold as he had imagined.

Batman suddenly transformed from a tiger to a house cat. From entering to sitting down, to negotiating, he didn't raise a fist, remaining calmer than Jonathan.

Moreover, Jonathan sensed a formulaic response from him, as if he had rehearsed this scenario countless times, or perhaps, he had truly encountered such scenarios numerous times.

Batman's proficiency resembled that of an old farmer shelling corn, exuding a sense of repetitive labor, with confidence in his physical movements and a dullness in his facial expressions.

Jonathan even felt that some of Batman's remarks were like muscle memory, devoid of any hesitation, without a process of thought, they came out directly. Both implicitly and explicitly, Batman was urging Jonathan to move on to the next step, more urgently than a wedding host rushing through proceedings.

Jonathan couldn't understand what was happening. His carefully prepared stage and lines, his meticulously practiced acting skills, all seemed futile. Batman, through his actions and expressions, conveyed to Jonathan that he had grown tired of this performance long ago.

In truth, Jonathan's performance was steady, relatively distinctive among Gotham's high-intelligence villains, and executed rather perfectly.

Firstly, he utilized his professional expertise as a chemist to manufacture a slow-acting toxin and introduced it into Gotham's water source. Over time, Gotham citizens accumulated enough toxicity through years of consumption.

After erupting in a short period, matching the toxicity in the rainwater, he created a chaotic scene typically found in the climax of comic books. Then, he led Batman to his residence, engaging in a profound conversation typically seen at the end of comics.

If things went as expected, the next scene would be Batman standing on top of a building, watching the departing ambulance, with the final shot freezing on Batman's face, seemingly displaying pain between his brows and contemplation in his eyes—a comic book ending.

But things rarely go as expected. Schiller had made Batman experience too many unexpected events. Though it led to Jonathan's own unexpected turn, it also involved Jonathan in an even greater unexpected turn.

Jonathan's design was not flawed, and his performance was stable. If one were to point out his mistake, it was that he had waited too long, his momentum arriving a bit too late.

The duo of Joker Schiller and Joker Jack, these two hidden dragons and crouching tigers, engaged in a mixed doubles with Batman for four years. Coupled with Schiller's arrogance and personal vendetta devoid of any teaching, Batman had to struggle through the hellish difficulty level for four long years. Wherever he went, trouble followed. Whenever there was trouble, Schiller, Joker Schiller, and Joker Jack took turns to appear.

Even in his forties, the later Batman could only deal with multiple Jokers for a limited time. Most of the time, he was still playing with just one Joker.

But this Batman was different. At the same time, there were at least two Jokers, and these two Jokers not only coexisted harmoniously but also collaborated. They not only collaborated but complemented each other's abilities.

Schiller excelled in plotting behind the scenes, orchestrating a major event, then leaving room for Joker Jack to take the stage and perform. Joker Jack excelled in direct confrontation, bringing Batman one splendid performance after another.

And Schiller, always ready to assist on the sidelines, before the event began, scolded Batman, found time to scold Batman during the event, scolded Batman again after the event, and in the intervals between events, chased after Batman for a thesis. If Batman didn't comply, he would scold Batman again.

As a result, until now, Batman still felt that Joker Schiller and Joker Jack collaborated to prevent him from submitting his thesis.

So, until now, even though Batman hadn't undergone the baptism of iron and blood in hell, forging a decisive and resolute military temperament, Jonathan's performance was still hardly satisfactory to him.

Once you've seen the vast ocean, Jonathan wasn't even worth mentioning, because not only was the pure element still alive, but it was also thriving more and more.

Watching Jonathan breaking his defenses on his own, Batman seemed to have lost patience as well. He directly spoke:

"Many people say I'm mentally ill. You, Schiller, and Jack all say so."

"Yesterday, I went to Arkham Asylum with a prescription to get medication for anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder. You should know what it is."

"After taking the medication, I felt much better. Then I realized that you guys are even more abnormal than me. You, Schiller, and Jack."

"You're always paying too much attention to me, as if my reactions could determine the course of your future lives."

"When I arrest you and put you in jail, the reason you don't repent, don't feel guilty, is also because I put you in there."

"Because it proves that I am paying attention to you. I project a lot of attention onto you. You're ecstatic about this attention, and this excitement covers up the anger, frustration, and guilt, turning it into a reward."

Batman shook his head and said, "Although it may be a bit late, I still recommend you take the medication. I've tried it, and it works well. At least it alleviated my neurotic insomnia."

Jonathan stood completely still, staring with wide eyes, body tense, directly at Batman.

Yet Batman, with those blue eyes, looked at him and said, "If what you're saying is true, and the hallucinogen you distributed can neutralize the toxins in the rainwater, then you've indeed done a good deed."

Suddenly, Jonathan reacted. Within a few seconds, tears welled up in his eyes. He looked at Batman, reached out, grabbed his own neck, backing away while shouting, "No! No! Shut up! Shut up!!"

But Batman continued nonchalantly, "The citizens of Gotham can't thank you right now, but I'm also a Gothamite, so... thank you."

Ten minutes later, as Gordon rushed in, all he saw was Jonathan collapsed on the ground. He looked surprised at Batman, then said, "Your skills at knocking people out are getting more and more proficient. There isn't even a trace of a fight here, and there are no marks on his head or neck. Your skill is exceptional, Batman."

"It wasn't me who knocked him out. He seems to be in a neurogenic coma." Batman remained standing in place, watching Jonathan lying on the ground. He pursed his lips, then muttered to himself:

"Also, I seem to know why Schiller can't wake up."

[Read at www.patreon.com/shanefreak, and thanks for the invaluable support!]

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Next Chapter>>Chapter 1015: Joker's Stroke of Bad Luck (Part 1)