Shiller stood by the pool, looking at Talya in the pool, soaked like a drowned rat. His fingers gently tapped the back of his other hand, his face revealing an understanding expression.
Generally speaking, regardless of who his enemy was, Shiller wasn't one to take immediate hostile action. However, when it was discovered that the other party might be Talya, Shiller was inspired to carry out some academic experimentation.
Last night, Bruce, who was picked from a tree branch, said he wanted to stay in Rodrix Manor for a few days. Shiller asked him why, and Bruce simply said he was avoiding a troublesome woman. Shiller didn't pry further, assuming Bruce got himself tangled in another romantic trouble.
But when Pamela suggested that the other party was likely hiding in the basement of the Gotham Cathedral, Shiller was certain she was probably from the Assassin's Union. The Lazarus Pool used by the Assassins Union is actually a Dionysium pool. The composition was the Dionysus Factor, aside from the Assassin's Union, no one else could accurately locate the underground Dionysium pool of Gotham.
Combining this with what Bruce said earlier about a woman troubling him, Shiller immediately linked it to Talya Ogu - the daughter of the grandmaster Ra's al Ghul, and Damian's biological mother in other cosmoses.
Shiller quietly transformed into gray mist, knocked Talya into the pool with an umbrella, purely for observation. If Batman's attention could create the Joker, could Batman's avoidance prevent others from becoming the Joker?
The Assassins Union didn't have an in-depth understanding of the Dionysus Factor. They just used the Lazarus Pool to extend their lives and heal injuries. They didn't study the relation between Batman and the Joker. But even if Ra's al Ghul did research the Batman-Joker Law, he wouldn't create madmen in his own base.
Shiller wasn't sure if it was a bad day for Talya today, but the Dionysus Factor concentration in the Gotham Dionysium pool should be higher than in the Lazarus Pool. Ordinary people jumping in wouldn't necessarily turn into the Joker immediately, but after absorbing a large amount of the Dionysus Factor, they might exhibit some traits of the Joker.
The moment Alberto jumped into the pool, he started maniacally laughing like the Joker. Still, Batman did not choose him, so he didn't actually become the Joker. Batman didn't choose him then, but now Batman strongly rejects Talya. Could she completely resist the Dionysus Factor?
From the results, it seems so. Currently, Talya's face didn't show a manic smile, only coldness and anger. This indicates she was not affected by the Dionysus Factor at all, theoretically impossible. The only explanation was because Batman had no interest in Talya, even a large amount of Dionysus Factor couldn't affect her.
In other words, as long as Batman had no interest in a person, even if they bathed in the Dionysus Factor pool every day, they wouldn't be affected. Looked from another angle, this is one of the few positive applications of the Batman-Joker Law.
A shadow flashed before Shiller's eyes. A thin and pale hand with black nails reached the side of his ear, and Shiller stood still without moving.
Meeting Talya's cold stare, Shiller began, "You're a clever woman, Miss Talya. You won't choose to fight me here, because you didn't realize how I appeared behind you and attacked you. You won't deal with a target with completely unknown information."
"Deathstroke is right, you are tough to deal with." Talya slowly withdrew her hand, wringing the wet hair to one side, speaking in a hoarse and slightly sharp voice: "But I guess you wouldn't interfere much, Professor Rodrix, I'm just pursuing your student."
"Although I think your definition of 'pursuit' is too broad, I'm not interested in your personal feelings. What are you doing at Gotham University?"
"Of course, looking for Bruce Wayne." Talya lightly wiped the water streaks from her cheeks and said, "You and your student are both tough to handle. His control over my movements is extremely accurate. He can always escape before I find him. If I can't get to his desired location before him, I'll never catch up."
"As I mentioned, I'm not interested in your chase game, but you stormed into the botany lab, destroyed a student's research material, and traumatized him emotionally."
"There were rumors that Bruce Wayne was close to Pamela Isley from the botany department. I wanted to see if I approached Pamela, would Bruce jump out to play the hero?"
Shiller turned to look at Pamela behind him. Pamela sighed deeply, "Lane deserved it then, because he started the rumor. Just because he saw Bruce visiting my lab, he joked with other students that we won't have to worry about funding anymore, then they started to believe I actually had something with Bruce."
Talya raised one eyebrow, looking Pamela up and down. She shook her head, "You're not his type, Batman has no unique taste in women. He, like all men, prefers excitement."
The moment Pamela smirked, Talya turned around, her dagger glinting coldly as she cut off a vine whip aimed at her.
The next second, numerous robust plant roots broke through the ground, and Talya swiftly used the walls to jump and hang from the ceiling above the Dionysium pool. She twirled her dagger in her other hand, "I'm not your enemy. I just need Batman's genes. If he's really interested in you, we can cooperate. Give me what I need, and I will reward you satisfactorily."
Pamela crossed her arms, being lifted in the air by the vines. She retorted, "That rich guy is indeed handsome, but I'm not interested in men. Compensate for the botany department's losses, then scram where you came from!"
Talya smirked, and Pamela felt a breeze behind her head. Jet-black nails pressed against her cheek, the warm breath from Talya's red lips tickled her ears: "Would sleeping with you count as compensation? Honey, we could have a little fun first."
The vine whip lashed out fiercely, and Talya retreated in a flying leap. Pamela raised her hand, and spiky thorns rushed towards Talya like a storm.
Shiller's figure consolidated at the back of the Dionysium pool. He looked at the two women tangled in a fight and sighed, then said out loud, "Stop fighting, or both of you will compensate for the Cathedral's losses."
Pamela stared intently at Talia's figure, but she knew she was at a disadvantage in this fight.
Although she could freely manipulate plants, the woman opposite her was clearly battle-hardened. The longer the fight dragged on, the better she could grasp Pamela's battle tactics and gain an advantage. With her lack of combat experience, Pamela could not see the opponent's strategies. She either had to cause massive destruction recklessly to overwhelm her opponent, or trade blows until the other party retreated.
Talia didn't want to fight either. She wasn't a violence junkie, just an assassin, who was driven by benefit. Pamela wasn't her target and they had no conflicts of interest. No matter how they fought, she stood to lose.
Moreover, there was Professor Shearer, watching from a distance. Talia wasn't sure why he was not getting involved; wasting energy on reckless attacks would be the most foolish approach.
So she took the initiative to soften her tone and started, "I sought Batman for personal matters, breaking into Gotham University was unintentional. However, those aggressive plants you've developed caused me quite a bit of trouble, hence, I had to come here to heal with the Holy Spring."
"This isn't the Holy Spring," a hoary voice echoed from the entrance of the underground passage. An old priest descended the stairs and looked at Talia, saying, "You're Ra's al Ghul's daughter, right?"
"You know my father," Talia's eyebrows tightened.
"I saved him once," replied the old priest.
"Impossible, he is..."
"His greed was his downfall," The old priest fearlessly met Talia's gaze and said, "After obtaining eternal life in the Lazarus Pool, he roamed the world in search of more Holy Springs."
"He came to Gotham and found a Dionysium pool underground, remarkably similar to Lazarus. Amusingly, he thought that jumping into that pool would grant him greater power."
"However, Gotham is madness incarnate. The Dionysium penetrating his bloodstream nearly drove him mad. Had I not cleansed his blood, he would have been forever trapped in Gotham."
Talia's mental alarms were ringing. Turning her gaze to the three people watching her from three different directions, she knew she was in trouble. Eventually, she had to seek help from the only person she thought could communicate rationally with.
"Professor Shearer, I mean no harm. I just hope Bruce Wayne could leave with me. I will reveal the true state of this world to him. I'm not interested in love or even continuing my father's bloodline. However, I need his help."
"As I said, I will not interfere in your private affairs. If he is willing to leave with you, no one can stop him."
Taking a deep breath, Talia scrutinized every expression on Shearer's face. Suddenly, she relaxed and chuckled lightly at Shearer, saying, "I admit, I have caused some trouble at Gotham University. For that, my deepest apologies, Professor Rodriguez. However, I was equally impressed by the department of botany at Gotham University."
"The Assassin's Union has friends all around the world. The New Jersey councilors are collaborating with the pharmaceutical company owned by the Assassin's Union. Perhaps during next year's negotiations, we can showcase the talents of the botany students of Gotham University. What say you?"
Shearer shifted his gaze from Talia, nodding, and said, "I believe that would be an excellent social practice opportunity. Therefore, I suggest you leave your email address with this young lady."
Talia flirtatiously glanced at Pamela. Reluctantly, Pamela took out her phone. A vine wrapped around the phone and threw it to Talia.
Kneading the keypad expertly, Talia typed a series of email addresses. When she threw the phone back to Pamela, she chuckled and said,"I do enjoy having fun, not kidding. I'm waiting for your reply, Miss Isley."
After finishing, she nodded at the old priest and left through the tunnel. No one went after her.
Pamela sighed in frustration, mostly angered by being flirted with. But thinking about how Bruce will be troubled by such a crazy woman, Pamela started to feel content again.
Pamela was fiddling with her phone as if she were about to send a message to Talia immediately, but by then, Shearer had already moved to stand beside her.
"Where are we going next?" Noticing that Shearer didn't seem to plan on going back to the school, Pamela asked.
"To Arkham Asylum."