Batman still remembers, when he first started to become a hero, someone asked him, if he also needed evidence, then how did he differ from those ineffective police officers?
Now, the facts that he investigated personally confirm that the words Shiller spoke to him in the beginning were correct, here in Gotham, law was less than a joke.
Or rather, no matter the law of which land, there was nothing that could be done about people like Falcone. He never personally killed anyone, he didn't even corrupt someone, nor did he instigate gunmen to assassinate others.
All of his enemies were killed by others, by those jackals who wanted to follow him to get more benefits. Falcone, the uncrowned king of Gotham for decades, a Godfather who's more innocent than everyone else, was feared by all.
This made all laws, trials, and convictions look like a joke. Those who killed for him were simply driven by interest, and hence, cleared all obstacles in Falcone's path. Batman knew, even if he sent Falcone to court at the moment, the judge would not be able to prosecute him.
Just like they weren't able to prosecute the murderer of Mr. and Mrs. Wayne.
As Batman delved deeper into the meaning of law, he received a call from Shiller, to visit his office. Instantly, he put aside these profound sociological issues, because he knew he might encounter a bigger problem.
When Bruce arrived at Shiller's office, he found Lex was present too, he knew then that this bigger trouble might be doubled.
If there was something in the world that required cooperation between him and Lex to solve, Bruce started wondering, was Shiller dissatisfied with the position of the sun?
Bruce and Lex both sat opposite to Shiller, surprisingly, after Shiller started speaking, he didn't mention anything about moving the sun or moon, he just pointed upwards and said, "Have you noticed anything different up there?"
Bruce and Lex looked up together and they found, the lampshade of the ceiling light had been removed, and the bulb that was supposed to be there was missing.
"You should know, Gotham University has been experiencing frequent power outages. Every time after the power is back, circuits easily burn out, and light-bulbs are easily damaged. Today's new bulb is an example."
Shiller extended his hand, waving it, signalling them to see the surrounding environment. The whole classroom was pitch black now. However, the neighboring room's bulb was undamaged, so a faint light came in through the window, barely enough to see people.
"This is my current office environment. To improve this situation, I established a project team. Both of you are the first batch of researchers on the team. There are two topics to choose from."
"First, make Gotham immediately return to normal weather with more than 8 hours of sunlight per day…"
"I choose the second one." Bruce answered without any hesitation, but Lex turned to him and asked, "Why do you answer so hastily? Are you not confident in your meteorology level?"
"Because I don't want to move the sun," Bruce responded emotionlessly.
"Where do you need to move the sun? Can't you just disperse the clouds directly with chemical reagents? Don't tell me, the Wayne Family doesn't have any launching equipment or didn't prepare in advance?"
Bruce pursed his mouth, giving Lex a sympathetic look. As expected, he heard Shiller say, "Alright, since you two have diverging views, you'll each have a different topic."
"I choose the second one." Bruce repeated, for fear Shiller might change his mind and let him, along with Lex, research the first topic together.
Fortunately, Shiller said, "Therefore, Lex's topic is to completely change Gotham's weather and make it a sunny day with adequate sunlight so even if the bulb occasionally burns out, the office will still have enough daylight."
"No problem," Lex immediately agreed. He seemed impatient. In his opinion, if he could complete the topic that Bruce tried hard to avoid, it would prove his superiority over Bruce.
Bruce gave him another sympathetic look and then turned to Shiller and asked, "What's the second topic?"
"Create a lightbulb that can shine forever."
"The Bat Light should suffice," Bruce responded immediately.
Shiller was taken aback, he asked, "You're not really using a nuclear fusion-created Bat Light, are you?"
Bruce looked down to study the pattern on the table, and Shiller shook his head, saying, "I don't want to share a lightbulb with the traffic lights at the central roundabout, that's very unlucky. Do you want my office to be destroyed three times a year?"
Shiller glanced at Lex, still present in the room, and told him, "Your topic has already been finalized, you can go work now. If I open the curtains tomorrow and see a sunny day, I will give you an unprecedented excellent grade in your final coursework."
Lex paused for a moment, then quickly left his chair and exited the room, as Bruce sent him another sympathetic look.
After he had left, Shiller took a model out from his drawer. It was the original Ark Reactor Model that he had previously taken from Stark's lab.
Shiller placed it on the table, saying, "Don't say I never do you any favors, take it. All I need is a light bulb like this. It should be easy for you."
Bruce took the model, but initially, he didn't feel anything until he saw part of the internal structure through the gap. Bruce narrowed his eyes, revealing Batman's classic expression, and then he looked up at Shiller.
"This isn't something you could create." Bruce was very blunt, but Shiller wasn't angry. In this respect, he wouldn't argue with anyone. He admits he knows nothing about physics and engineering and has no interest in them.
"This is from a friend of mine…"
"Where is he? What's his name? Male or female? Where did he study? Where does he work?"
"Stop, if you're going to go into such detail, next time I won't give you things like this. I believe Lex would be interested in it too."
Bruce rarely showed a hesitant expression. No researcher could resist such sudden inspiration, especially since, based on what Shiller was suggesting, this opportunity could happen more than once.
To suppress his skepticism and gain more technology and inspiration, or to continue following his instincts, doubting everything, and then pushing away all of Shiller's gifts, Bruce had to admit that he was starting to feel torn again.
In the past, when Shiller pulled out some technology out of thin air, Bruce was already suspicious. But he really didn't have a good way to investigate, he could only hope for Shiller to tell him. Now Shiller made it clear. If he wanted the truth, there would be no technology. If he wanted the technology, there would be no truth.
Bruce held the model tighter and tighter. At the peak of his hesitation, he heard Shiller's devilish whisper:
"I intentionally dismissed Lex not because I didn't think he had the technology to make the lightbulb I want but because I've known you longer, I understand you better, and we are closer. So I chose to give this to you."
"I know that you have never trusted me, or any other person. Given your childhood trauma, I can understand your attitude. But if I chose not to trust you too, then it would be Lex who stayed today."
"You should know that Lex is different from you and Clark. He's more similar to me. We both dismiss laws and rules, and we are not afraid to use measures that cross the line to achieve what we want."
"So, you are bound to face each other one day. In theory, it should be a good revenge against your misbelief if I side with him, but I don't want to do that."
"Why?" Bruce asked, looking into Shiller's eyes.
"Because there are not just one or two goals in this world, and I'm not obliged to achieve them with the highest efficiency. What makes us human is that in addition to rationally assessing the gains and losses, we also value emotions."
"Are you saying that your emotions have pushed you to make this decision?" Bruce's tone was somewhat stiff.
"If I assess this matter purely on rationality, then giving this to Lex should be the better choice. It can not only generate a rival for you, limiting your development, but also find me an ally with the same stance, as a safeguard against your possible plan against me."
"But I chose another way, which is to give this to you and explain my reasons."
Bruce found that this office room was still his nightmare because, in here, he would always face such decisions.
He would have rather had Shiller not explain everything so clearly. But now Bruce understood. Between rationality and emotion, Shiller chose emotion, which in Bruce's view was not the right choice, but he was the beneficiary.
This left him in a dilemma. His rational brain keeps telling him that Shiller's doing it wrong. His behavior and personality should not allow him to act this way. Therefore, Bruce's brain began to analyze Shiller's motives for doing so.
While Shiller's words clearly told Bruce that his motive was emotion. For a long time, the emotional part of Bruce's brain ceased to function, shielded behind a hefty door.
Alfred was the key to that door, and his feelings for Catwoman were like a slight turn of the key. Aisha and Dick had slammed against the door, opening a crack.
If it is said that others were trying to open the door using outside forces, then what Shiller was doing seemed more like opening the door from the inside out.
Shiller watched Bruce's retreating figure. The model was barely visible in the dark office, but because it was only a structural model and not a real Ark Reactor, it didn't glow and couldn't provide any light source.
But Shiller knew that with Bruce's genius, it wouldn't take long to light up the Ark Reactor.
And this Ark Reactor, filled with numerous conflicting thoughts, not only illuminates a street or a room, but also certain things hidden behind that door, quietly observing the outside world.
If this bat insists on lighting this dark city, Shiller didn't mind giving his Bat Light a brighter bulb.