Although it was possible that he had given the wrong phone book, they still matched up the passwords through inexplicable communication, and Shiller thought the situation might have gone like this.
In the call, Oliver somehow convinced these Soviet people, and out of the caution required of an agent, they would definitely ask Oliver to come for a face-to-face meeting. Unaware that this was a meet-up for agents, Oliver went without any guard up.
Thus, due to a mix-up, the two sides met, and after a chat, it turned out they had indeed connected successfully.
Shiller felt he hadn't said anything, just handed out the phone book, and the act of the phone book just so happening to have the KGB's number in it could have been interpreted by Oliver as me suggesting he rent a place in Moscow.
Upon reflection, Oliver figured that since he wasn't planning on returning to Mexico anytime soon, and Gotham wasn't a place where he could prosper, he might as well check out Moscow.
In fact, Moscow needed Oliver more. To say that the Soviet Union was hanging by a thread was almost an insult to the human respiratory system. Apart from being called the Soviet Union, it had nothing to do with the real Soviet Union and could only be seen as an ordinary major country.
But that didn't mean they didn't want to survive. Pressured too much by America, compromise was no way out. As always, they needed uplifting news, a hero, someone to show the people that there were still those persevering, so they too could not give up. This was how the government could continue to sustain itself.
The appearance of Oliver was like a traveler on the verge of dying of thirst who sees an oasis in the desert. It had been too long since such a hero had emerged among them.
And he was an American, the most wonderful thing was that he was an American.
Therefore, regardless of the considerations, once Moscow learned of Oliver's identity through people on the streets, they would certainly be desperate to bring Oliver back to Moscow immediately.
As for how Oliver returned, that's easily explained. These Soviet people used magic, so the four or five hours probably included all the time spent making arrangements, the actual travel lasting no more than five minutes.
Then Shiller recalled another matter that left him speechless, the very KGB Sixteenth Bureau he nominally directed was the one involved in researching magic. This move was akin to performing ballet with a rock in hand, only to end up hitting one's own foot.
However, on the other hand, because the connection was completely accidental, neither side was prepared. No counter-surveillance or counter-espionage systems had been engaged, and the news was bound to leak out.
On one hand, this era's KGB was not a monolith, including the Sixteenth Bureau, and on the other hand, the leak on Oliver's part was too big, as he was followed by a string of assassins.
Shiller speculated that this group of elite agents might have followed Oliver there, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation probably knew that the ineffectual Penitent Cartel drug dealers would find it difficult to take down Oliver inside Gotham, and eventually would have to send highly skilled and experienced elite agents.
Since they were elite, they understood the importance of taking action, so it's likely that this group had been following Oliver, waiting for the right moment to strike.
At first, they were not in a hurry because Oliver was clearly unable to sort out his business in Mexico before coming back, meaning he couldn't return there in the short term. With him lingering in Gotham, accidents were always bound to happen, weren't they?
But once they overheard that Oliver was going to Moscow, the situation escalated greatly. If Oliver managed to arrive in Moscow safely, it would be like giving a dying Soviet Union a shot of adrenaline, or even like hooking them directly up to a high-tech respirator.
One must understand that even though one's legs may no longer kick and breath is no longer drawn, there are still a multitude of living cells within a dying body. The same held true inside the Soviet Union, where an entire generation raised in such conditions and atmosphere existed. Even with corruption and degeneracy, not everything and everyone could be fully tainted; there were bound to be exceptions.
Oliver would undoubtedly become their banner and benchmark, rekindling their hopes. This could actually lead to their revival.
How could the Federal Bureau of Investigation not be anxious? They had waited for an opportunity only to see a potential disaster brewing. If things really did develop that way, the primary responsibility would lie with the FBI. Why didn't you act swiftly to kill Oliver when you had the chance?
The FBI couldn't afford to take this lightly, they would certainly deploy all resources as quickly as possible to ensure that before Oliver left, he would remain on this land forever.
But they miscalculated one thing, this group of KGB could use magic.
The scene then was probably these elite agents hastily formulating a battle plan before storming into the KGB base. They thought they were facing normal agents, but the KGB also assumed they were up against normal agents. When they clashed, both sides were immediately shocked.
The elite agents must have felt astonished that these cooks had deviated from recipes to military strategies. You tell everyone you're a materialist, yet you've taken up magic behind the scenes, is there no law left?
The KGB would certainly be even more shocked. Weren't there no FBI agents inside Gotham? Where did these formidable people spring from?
Since both underestimated each other's strength, neither went all-out at the start, leading to both sides taking a hit. After adjusting their assessment, they both went overboard using excessive force, making the fight intractable.
These Russian operatives must have only sent a few agents to escort Oliver away, leaving the rest to engage in the fight, hence the ridiculous scene Shiller witnessed, a magic battle between KGB magicians and Gotham's elite FBI.
But it could also be during this process that Bruce noticed the situation here. In fact, he probably couldn't ignore it even if he wanted to. Apart from the two pounds of cameras he had installed under the eaves, the noise from the mages fighting was quite loud. Whether it was fireballs or streams of water, both came with their own light effects, making them too noticeable.
In Batman's view, the most absurd part of this scene wasn't the Russian-speaking people using magic, but rather the group being chased pulling out weapons from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Bruce's illness had greatly improved, but he was Batman, and even if he wasn't, just an ordinary wealthy capitalist, he could never allow a group of super-armed forces to loiter around his home every day.
So Bruce had to ask, if you're going to send agents, why send the particularly strong ones to my side? Who are those agents intended to fight against? Who else could match their strength?
In this era, there's a ridiculous fact that if one must choose a neighbor between a KGB agent and an FBI agent, the richer one would tend to prefer the former, because the adversaries only want you to lose, while your own people are more likely to want you dead.
Bruce's countermeasures are also straightforward: Amanda appears on camera and exposes some of the FBI's misdeeds while not making her point clear, because these statements are not actually meant for the American public, but for Moscow's ears.
That America has concocted another grand conspiracy is not surprising, but what is strange is the connection to serial murders and sacrifices. Surely those chefs in Moscow have stopped following recipes and started studying military tactics. How have you also begun to investigate magic?
By the time the news of these magic-wielding KGB agents reaches Washington, both sides will find themselves in the same awkward predicament. After so long into the Cold War, it turns out that not only can I no longer keep up in the scientific field, but you've also started to secretly study magic, haven't you?
Combined with Amanda's mentions of Mexico, the people of Moscow would surely believe that the US used extremely despicable means to meddle in the Mexican revolution, further highlighting Oliver's tragic heroism.
Let's be honest, the fact that Oliver is leaving at this stage is somewhat unsightly. After all, the revolution has not been fully successful yet, and he's already rushing back to take the credit. Malicious people could easily make a big deal out of this, painting Oliver as a deserter.
But if America used methods outside of social order, then it's no wonder Oliver would need to temporarily relocate. Most people in Moscow don't even know their own country is researching magic; they will simply think that the Americans are cowardly, too scared to compete with the Soviet Union in science and technology, thus choosing to oppress the revolutionary hero through unsightly means of heresy.
This would enable Oliver to gain more sympathy and praise from others, and that's what would be most fatal for America because it's akin to adding a healing potion to the oxygen in a ventilator.
Trouble in Mexico could at worst be considered a fire on the butt, and even if all the feathers there get singed off, it would only be embarrassing. The chicken's rear-end being ugly is far from causing a deadly wound.
But it's different with the Soviet Union. The mighty bear has penetrated the eagle's feathers with its sharp teeth several times, nearly suffocating it. Just as it manages to pull its head back for a breath, a large breath from the resuscitation starts it off again; severing the head would only take one bite.
This could certainly be considered the harshest revenge on the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Every day thereafter, every distressing incident this country experiences could be blamed on the FBI's failure to decisively finish off Oliver on home soil.
Having realized the crux of the issue, Shiller no longer hesitated. He needed to quickly settle these affairs, lest they impact the upcoming grand concert, which would be as severe as ruining Arrogant's umbrella.
But as they say, when it rains, it pours. Just as Shiller got back to the manor and wanted to check the phone, he saw his butler Merkel with an expression full of astonishment.
Approaching, Shiller saw Merkel watching a video clip. At the sight of Shiller coming over, Merkel jumped in alarm, almost throwing his phone away.
"What is this?"
"Uh, nothing, Professor."
Shiller narrowed his eyes.
"Alright, this is a video that's going viral on the internet. If you want to see it, you can go to the official Gotham website. Someone uploaded it there."
Shiller turned on the computer with some effort, accessed the internet, and logged on to the website. After opening it, he found the video had been pushed to the top comment, visible as soon as one clicked on it.
Batman is pole dancing.
To be precise, Deadpool is wearing a bat suit and pole dancing.
Shiller, feeling as though he had seen a ghost, slammed the computer shut.