To use an analogy, this was like a company where a multi-billion dollar project had gone awry, and everyone was called out of bed in the middle of the night.
At that time, the thing to do was not to worry about where you were, but to bring whatever skills you had to resolve the issue, to solve the problem first, and then to find out who was at fault.
The Justice League's action was akin to, at the first sign of trouble, not caring if you were lying at home, on a business trip, or in an important meeting, or if you had other major projects in hand—all must return for a meeting.
And the content of this meeting wasn't even about how to solve the problem but to first figure out who caused it.
Then, one of the company's veterans, a boss with countless billions at stake in big projects, said he had another important project and couldn't return, and he also said that if they could wait a moment, he would guarantee to solve the problem; then the others used his current absence from the meeting as a reason to question whether he had betrayed the company.
One can only say, if other people in this company could do such a thing, then the company likely wouldn't have multi-billion dollar projects to begin with.
Moreover, the Justice League didn't quite resemble a modern corporation but was more like the African United Emirates, with each partner managing their own forces, leaving the Alliance wouldn't leave them incapable.
So such questioning attitudes were even more bizarre.
Shiller thought that perhaps it was because Batman was too good-tempered. It sounds seriously against common sense, but Batman actually had a pretty good temper. To be precise, his emotions were stable, he was objective, didn't vent personal feelings on anyone, and as long as justice wasn't compromised, he was rather forgiving.
Anyone who has really been in the workplace knows how valuable a leader with such a sense of proportion is, but perhaps it's also true that a good person is often bullied; in any other circumstance, the members of the Justice League wouldn't dare to speak to him with such an attitude.
Batman furrowed his brow and touched his forehead, feeling somewhat of a headache as if certain matters were sliding towards the edge of losing control.
Shiller tapped on the desk, drawing his attention, and asked, "What do you plan to reply? Or do you actually intend to make the trip?"
Before Batman could open his mouth to speak, Shiller preempted him, saying, "I can assure you, just in this short while, they've already prepared measures to arrest you, and if you delay for two more minutes, they'll decide to subdue you the moment you step into the Justice Hall."
"They will tell you, if Batman has truly become a vampire, that would be too dangerous, and their actions are only to protect Earth, hoping that you will understand."
"If you don't do anything, they might propose you undergo a check, put you into some device they can't even guarantee the effectiveness of, and tell you, as long as you are innocent, the truth will clear your name."
Batman's expression wasn't too pleasant to look at, it sounded exaggerated, but based on his understanding, the Justice League might indeed do something like that.
Because with their intelligence, it probably never crossed their minds that there could indeed be a mole within the Justice League, and it wasn't Batman, all plans against Batman were made under the guidance of the mole.
Indeed, Batman had realized that the sudden changes within the Justice League couldn't have occurred without the meddling of a vampire, and while he was busy with the affairs of the Batman Family, the vampire might have already infiltrated the Justice League.
That was actually much easier than infiltrating the Batman Family, and the effects were probably much better, after all, the Robins were just ordinary people; there were no weaklings within the Justice League.
"What are you planning to do now?" Shiller asked.
But Batman knew this wasn't actually a question but rather Shiller was about to offer a suggestion. Batman set down his teacup and looked at him as Shiller smiled and said.
"They treat you like this because you are a superhero, and not just any superhero, but a responsible, considerate one, who is also pretty good to them on a normal basis."
"But if you weren't, what do you think they would do?"
Batman's frown deepened, but he actually understood Shiller's meaning. He stayed silent as if weighing his options. After a long while, he began to reply to the previous accusatory communication.
In the meeting room of Justice Hall, the superheroes sat in their chairs, but the scattered items on the table indicated that a dispute had erupted among them earlier.
With a ding sound, Cyborg's computer lit up, and the others immediately gathered around. This time Batman's reply was very brief.
"I can't make it, be ready to fight."
Green Lantern scoffed and then said, "What did I tell you? The first target of the vampire is definitely Batman, the Batcave has likely fallen, and Batman has been turned."
The others felt a bit astonished because although Batman hardly ever explained himself, he also did not make such flat rejections, or to put it differently, he would not outrightly admit so on the record.
Cyborg sighed and said, "Perhaps there really is an issue with the Batcave, and Batman is fighting hard. He might indeed be unable to come; we can't blame him entirely."
"I don't think Batman can resist the infiltration of a vampire." Green Lantern said, "He might just be trying to confuse us..."
"No, wait." Wonder Woman stood up and said, "Is there a possibility that the message 'be ready to fight' isn't intended for us?"