"I'm not a Gothamite."
The first rule of Shiller's spiel: nine parts true, one part false, or nine parts false, one part true.
"I come from a very far-off place. I met with Batman because we undertook cross-cosmos travel simultaneously."
"The distance to that place is beyond the imagination of time and space, inaccessible by any conventional means. The reason why I appear here, naturally, is due to Batman's invitation."
Peter's voice echoed in the empty lower level of the Batcave. Batman remained silent because he, too, wanted to know what Peter's plan was all about.
However, he would soon regret this decision due to the second rule of Shiller's spiel: anyone can be wrong, but it's never me.
The reason Batman made this decision was naturally due to his own plan in mind, and Batman's carefully crafted plots always started with Joker's conspiracies.
Peter's brain was spinning rapidly, linking up every clue he knew, adding his own understanding, speculation and imagination.
Because of the third rule of Shiller's spiel: it must be rigorous and exciting.
"Before I came here, this city had just experienced chaos. The main culprit was, of course, the notorious Super Villain Joker. He had gotten a poison called Titan Poison and claimed to use it to destroy Gotham."
But nobody except Batman knew that his high-profile actions were merely a cover for another evil plot.
As expected, the three people in the cage furrowed their brows. Jason was unaware that he was leaning forward, listening to Peter's words with an overly focused demeanor.
Peter let out a small sigh of relief. Indeed, the fourth rule of Shiller's spiel proved useful: not to lie, but simply change the narrative to create enough suspense.
"This evil plot against Batman didn't begin a few months ago, but started approximately a year ago."
Peter stared at Jason's face, Jason looked confused under his gaze. Peter lowered his voice and said, "Joker needs a knife to slash the hard Bat Armor, to cause real psychological damage to Batman."
"He knew that Batman has an incredibly strong willpower. Ordinary disasters can't break his iron-wall-like mental defense. Then Joker had only one option left—take away a father's child."
"The chosen one has to meet the following characteristics: close relationship with Batman, always at Batman's side, insufficient vigilance, unstable mental state."
Jason glared at Peter. He knew that Peter was talking about him. Just as he was about to retort, Peter interrupted him.
"Actually, it doesn't matter if these characteristics aren't met. Whoever strays from the warm and safe nest is the unlucky one."
Jason shut his mouth.
How could he not have regrets? In a huff, he left not only without any weapons, but even without his communicator and beacon. It was more than running away from home without any money. He didn't even have clothes on.
"Joker had his way." Peter lifted his head slightly and said, "But he would always get his way. As long as he waited long enough, there will inevitably be careless young men making mistakes."
The intense feelings that had just surged in Jason's heart softened a bit. He felt that Peter made sense.
If his abduction was indeed a long-plotted scheme by the Joker, then if it wasn't him, it would be someone else. A thief can steal for a thousand days, but he can't prevent theft for a thousand days.
Batman's eyebrows furrowed slightly. He did have some understanding of Joker's certain plots, but he hadn't linked Jason's disappearance with other events at that time.
"The assistant disappeared, and Batman would definitely find him." At this point, Peter had a brainwave and linked another event to the narrative he was telling.
"Joker, of course, wouldn't let Batman find his missing assistant. He would hide him well, but at the same time, he would let Batman find some others—some bomb victims he had buried a long time ago, those infected with the Joker Virus."
"This wasn't abrupt at all. While Batman was on the search for Robin, he accidentally discovered some mentally ill patients with unknown diseases. After the analysis, he found out that their symptoms had some similarity to a certain side of Joker."
"Whether or not it has something to do with Joker, Batman would take it seriously, so he took them. It fell right into Joker's trap."
Batman wasn't surprised by this analysis. He never shied away from suspecting Joker's plots in the worst way. Anything seemingly accidental in their confrontations might be a careful arrangement. They both put themselves in each other's shoes, naturally plausible.
"Batman brought these patients back to the base. However, he couldn't do anything to them. Although they had been infected with Joker's virus, they were still victims. Batman would not use any inhumane means to treat them."
"But he also couldn't solve the problem of the Joker Virus, or he could, but it would take time. Joker wouldn't give Batman time. The Titan Virus project was launched."
Jason frowned deeply, realizing there was a subtext he never thought to consider that seemed to persistently surround this city, affecting everyone.
"Joker purposely caused an uproar. To prevent Joker from manufacturing more evil criminals using the Titan Virus, or to plunge this city into unrighteousness, Batman had to choose to stop Joker's actions first."
"Then came the biggest trap—Joker died."
Penguin and Scarecrow both furrowed their brows. Penguin raised his eyebrows, just about to ridicule, Scarecrow, holding the bars of the prison, said, "I was wondering then, that guy wouldn't die so easily. There is a certain virus inside him with a very peculiar property."
"So when I heard of his death, I specifically went to look for his ashes, hoping to extract that virus," And he said.
"Of course you wouldn't get it, because the virus has already migrated." Peter sighed, half-hypothesizing: "There can be many Joker viruses, but there can only be one Joker."
"Conversely, any carrier of the Joker virus could potentially turn into the Joker."
"So the Joker has prepared several virus-infected bodies for his resurrection," the Penguin Man said with some surprise: "Why all this detour? Either never die from the start or what's the point of resurrecting after death?"
"Those infected with the Joker virus are indeed his prepared bodies, but not his optimal choice." Peter stopped in his tracks, turned his head, and looked at Batman.
The expressions on Batman's faces made everyone present understand that their current guess was correct.
"Batman is the body that the Joker most wishes to resurrect in."
Jason felt suffocated for a moment, then a larger fear attacked him. He rushed to the railing, grabbed it with both hands, and looked at Batman, asking, "Is he inside you? You can see him, can't you? That's why you knew I... I..."
Seeing Jason's heartbroken eyes, Batman slowly nodded, and looked to the darkness behind Jason. A pale hand was reaching out there, continuously tracing the letter on Jason's face.
Batman also clearly felt the urge to do the same.
Jason closed his eyes in agony, the fingers grabbing the railing began to show signs of blood loss.
"What did you say?" The Scarecrow spoke unbelievably: "The Joker wants to resurrect inside Batman? He's insane…"
"Don't you want to?" Peter hit the nail on the head.
The Scarecrow was left without a response.
Penguin Man's eyes turned a bit, he cleared his throat and said, "We all know how powerful Batman is, but we would not choose to do this because we know that only Batman would remain if we entered Batman's body."
"But for the Joker, it may not be the case, so it's worth trying, but the conditions are not sufficient." Peter shook his head: "To defeat Batman at the mental level, mere virus infection is not enough, he needs at least a twenty percent auxiliary."
"First of all, fear gas." Peter snapped his fingers and pointed to the Scarecrow: "This is also a method that can affect one's spirit, break one's will, and give the Joker a greater advantage at the psychological level."
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Scarecrow raised his voice: "It was me who infected Batman with fear gas, what does it have to do with the Joker?"
"How do you know it's not under his influence?" Peter spread his hands: "Why can't the disaster you started be a knife that the Joker planned long ago to stab Batman with?"
"How could it?!" Scarecrow roared: "It was my plan, and I executed it…"
"Stop giving yourself credit." Penguin Man mocked: "Isn't it often when you're used by that maniac? How many times have you dressed others in bridal garments?"
"Besides, did you execute the plan by yourself? With your rundown lab, or your arms, two of which twisted together are still not as thick as Batman's eyelashes?"
The Scarecrow glared at Penguin Man.
"Anyway, the disaster of the fear gas must have been expected by the Joker. As I said, it was only sooner or later. As long as he is willing to wait, there will always be such a day."
Peter continued: "The Fear Gas puts internal pressure on Batman while the destruction of Gotham City puts external pressure on him."
"Using the memories of a tormented Batman helper as a knife, with help from continued pressures from various sides, the Joker's goal is to torment Batman."
"If Batman's spirit collapses, then the Joker can complete his rebirth on him, and if he doesn't collapse immediately, then the Joker will keep disturbing and tormenting him, preventing him from focusing on real-world disasters until the day he makes a mistake."
"In this city, disasters are endless, and pressures are endless. No matter how tough a strain is, there will be a day when it will be worn out. Batman understands this clearly as well."
"So what's the solution?" Peter asked, applying Shiller's fifth rule of fabrication: Speak less truth and ask more questions, for the best answer lies in others' imaginations.
Penguin man gave a cold snort: "Of course, he has a way to solve it. He has a room full of poor souls infected with the Joker virus. As long as one of them resurrects as the Joker, wouldn't Batman's crisis be resolved?"
"You fool, you have only thought of the first level." Scarecrow immediately took the opportunity to mock: "Will the Joker not have thought of this? He wants Batman to do this."
"Kill others to save oneself." Scarecrow gave a cold laugh and said: "If Batman really did so, he wouldn't be known as a superhero or the Dark Knight anymore. Just get out of here and go to Arkham Asylum."
Jason's Adam's apple moved, he looked up at Batman, firmly believing that Batman would not do so.
"Of course Batman didn't do that." Peter confirmed.
Just as Jason let down his guard, Peter dragged out his words to continue.
"In fact, as early as the Joker's first move, Batman already had a foolproof plan, and when I, the final piece of the puzzle, arrived here, the plan could finally begin."