"I won't be either one." Jason stated flatly, "I have plenty of patience and I won't feel fear."
"But you might resort to violence."
"Why?"
"The process isn't as beautiful as you imagine." Shiller interlaced his fingers and said, "People struggle and grow in traumatic experiences."
"Do you want to share your trauma with me?"
"I think you've misunderstood."
In that moment, Jason held his breath, as the suit bloomed with gorgeous colors, completely captivating his gaze. Shiller seemed to have transformed.
"I'm often the cause of others' trauma."
Run, run, run!
This was what Jason's instincts were telling him. He regretted it instantly. Shouldn't he have just admired the wooly side of the wind-up toy instead of cranking it half a turn too much?
Shiller's tone changed. It was no longer slow, but held a focused power that was impossible to ignore; even without paying attention, it crawled itself into one's ears.
"Jason, feeling other people's fear while being chased and running in panic, is still not the deepest valley a lamb could fall into."
Jason found himself drawn in despite the danger, which he knew better than anyone. But he wanted to continue listening.
"You're lucky, you revealed no exceptional talent before you had the power to protect yourself. Otherwise, you would know there's one animal that is the common enemy of wolves and sheep, of the President and the Shepherd."
"What is it?"
"The venomous snake. Because its venom kills in one strike, no one dares to gamble." Shiller hinted, "When you have the venom, you only have two choices: live in fear forever or bring fear to others."
Jason knew which option Shiller had chosen.
"Death can end the wrongdoings of wolves, but they will not repent. The firm and powerful shriek before death will still bring unimaginable fear to the flock, making them live the rest of their lives in paranoia."
"You must defeat the ridiculous pride of all those who dare to manipulate you, make them submit and concede the philosophies they have adhered to for a lifetime, allow them to be trampled under your feet, and only gratefully enjoy the death you bestow, to truly end their mental legacy."
Shiller stood up, Jason's body clung tightly to the back of the sofa. Not until Shiller walked to his side did he move. At this moment, he understood that Shiller was right.
In the face of a lion in the room, some people can still fight to the death. But if the snake lying on the ground possesses lethal venom, it's best to stay still.
Shiller walked behind Jason; he pushed down on one side of Jason's shoulder, bent down, and said to him, "Next, describe what you see. Tell me, completely."
Just as Jason tensed, a needle pricked his neck. Jason smelled the scent of fear.
His pupils dilated instantly. Instinctively, he uttered, "No..."
Jackson was back in that tiny room, his hands tied above his head, his body full of injuries.
"Who are you?" Asked the voice which made him fear.
"I'm Jason..."
Agony! Unbearable pain!
"What did you see?" Shiller's voice came through hazily. Jason didn't have the strength to answer, but he felt his neck being strangled, and the culprit was waiting for his answer.
Jason weakly kicked his legs and strived to divert his mind while saying, "The Joker asked me my name... I... answered, and he left a scar on me."
"Continue."
"He asked again, another scar."
"Did it hurt?"
"Of course."
"He said Batman forgot about me... I refuted him... there was blood, tons of it... he had me read the newspaper... it said... there was a Robin... heh..."
Jason seemed to be choking; Shiller loosened his arm a little. Jason was panting heavily and said, "He peeled off my skin... the newspaper... on my wounds..."
"And then what?"
Jackson was unable to speak. Shiller tightened his grip around Jason's neck again. Jason continued to squirm, but to no avail. He panted heavily for a moment, and finally spoke.
"He wanted me... to remember his name... Joker... the letter J..."
Suddenly, Shiller let go of his arm. Jason lunged forward, knocking over the coffee table and landing on the floor.
Shiller walked up and stuffed two pills into Jason's mouth. Jason stayed on the floor, panting hard for a while.
Shiller crouched beside him and said, "You haven't forgotten, Jason. You remember the fear the Joker inflicted on you very clearly.
"You understand that, even without the fear gas, every night for the rest of your life you'll dream of him. Dream of how he tortured you, how he brought you pain and fear."
"Jason, what did Batman get by killing Joker? Can he remove your memories? Can he erase the harm you've suffered?"
"Do you think he can calmly watch you live the second half of your life in pain? You know he can't, Jason. You know."
Jackson clenched his trembling fists. Shiller grabbed his hair, turning Jason's face towards him with a jerk and said: "You want to say that he hasn't even done the first step for you, didn't avenge you, nor validated your viewpoint with his actions."
"Not quite like that, Jason. The change in him is quite astonishing. Just skipping over the unnecessary formalities... You really need to see this."
With that, Shiller, amidst Jason's terrified gaze, single-handedly hoisted up the 200-pound hulking Jason, grabbing him by the scruff of his neck, and dragging him into the basement. He threw Jason onto the ground.
Jason felt dizzy when he hit the ground, but as usual, he couldn't sense any hostility from Shiller. Shiller didn't attack him, so what was he doing?
Through the thin gap in the basement door, Jason saw a sharp, elongated face with green hair, pale skin, and a wide open red mouth.
The Joker was laughing at him through the gap in the door.
In the blink of an eye, it wasn't the Joker, no exaggerated makeup, just a stranger lying on the ground.
What made Jason mistake him was the smile on the stranger's face, identical to the Joker's. His eyes were closed, but the smile remained.
The basement door creaked open. Jason, lying on the ground, saw Shiller walk in, pick the man up and place him onto a surgical table.
"His name is Henry, the new Joker. Batman caught him and handed him over to me."
Jason lay on the ground, paralyzed with shock, while Shiller stood over him, standing before the operating table, his face entirely in shadow.
"Jason, come here. Cut him open, or I'll cut you."