When Batman regained consciousness, he found himself in an unfamiliar cave. He was at a higher entrance in the cave, where a platform was situated. There were many naturally formed stone pillars next to the platform, and Batman was now tied to one of them.
Shiller stood on the edge of the platform, looking down. Due to the height of the platform, the busy demons below couldn't see anyone above. Batman moved his shoulders slightly, realizing that the chains were not tightly bound, but with Shiller nearby, he didn't take any rash actions.
"Perhaps you are confused, Batman." Shiller, hands in his suit pockets, looked at the scene in the cave and said: "Why have we never discussed communism with you."
"In the minds of most Americans, we are zealous followers. Those loyalties and sacrifices that your theories cannot explain, you interpret as inhumane brainwashing."
"I have never thought that way." Batman's tone was very composed. He began, "Even when I didn't know that Alfred was a KGB agent, I knew that the intensity of this infiltration couldn't be achieved solely through brainwashing."
"The fear of death is innate in humans. To overcome this fear, one must rely on something higher, something beyond death. Only an ideal that makes people scorn death can make them undaunted in the face of death." Batman also looked at the mineworker slaves laboring in the cave and said, "Ideas like brainwashing people into obedience are far from enough."
"Of course, you are intelligent enough to logically deduce this conclusion. But still, you harbor doubts. You don't know whether it's your fault or ours, that surrounded by communists, you still haven't heard us truly articulate this theory to date."
"So, why is that?" Batman asked, pausing for a moment before adding, "Alfred said that he didn't discuss these things with me because I trusted him too much. If I took his words as gospel, it might affect my objective judgment."
"But ..." Batman turned to look at Shiller. His implication was clear: as a theory goes, the teacher-student relationship is the easiest to develop. A teacher can subtly influence a student's thoughts.
Even though Batman is still in contact with these ideals, if Shiller really wanted to take the initiative, he should have reached this point much sooner. It shouldn't be like now, where Batman still feels like he's groping in the dark, despite having been exposed to all external conditions.
Shiller didn't respond, leaving Batman wondering. At that moment, a commotion broke out at the bottom of the mine. Batman shifted his attention there and saw a scar-faced Red Devil standing in front of a group of people, speaking loudly:
"As you all heard, Lord Merkel has divided us into different working groups. Thanks to my enthusiasm and good performance, I have assumed the position of the third team's leader!"
"I'm the smartest and most capable among all of you. Therefore, I'll be leading you in your work, and you must follow my orders!"
"Now, I'm going to assign tasks. Everyone has to work hard! Because the third team must win the forthcoming production competition. Only then, can we prove that I am the best team leader!"
"Come on, come here. I am going to explain the tasks in detail... You! And you! Why aren't you listening to me?! Turn your heads here, or I'll whip you like a supervisor!"
Batman, tied to the pillar, frowned heavily. He heard the Red Devil rambling but he didn't understand anything about task assignments. The Red Devil was simply dividing the tasks based on the most primitive mining methods, everyone doing their own thing.
After the meeting, the Dark Red Demon and another, slightly smaller companion, walked and talked: "See, I told you, if we showed some initiative earlier, we could definitely become new supervisors."
"I've had enough of those arrogant supervisors. But if I were to become one, I'd definitely have a whip too, to make those fools work for me!"
"These fools who understand nothing could never be as smart as we are. The Red Devils are the smartest race in the mine. Only we, the demons who are great at reading the room and understanding the situation, can establish a foothold in the mine. No matter how many masters this place has had, the Red Devils will always be the best underlings!"
His companion said: "To be honest, I am a bit worried. Batman, the new master of the mine, seems different from the other generals. Those things about solidarity and working for our own sake, I've never heard before…"
The scar-faced Red Devil sniffed, "Different? What's so different? They just changed their rhetoric, can't you understand that?"
"They say we fight for ourselves so that we won't be bullied. But in Hell, it's only natural for the weak to be bullied. Moreover, will fighting for him prevent us from being bullied?"
"As long as we are fighting, there will always be cannon fodder on the front lines and comfortable commanders behind the lines. Regardless of how they change ways, being cannon fodder is always more dangerous than being a commander. When cannon fodder dies, the commander wins. So, in the end, aren't we fighting for the commander?'"