"How's it going, Shiller?" A deep voice came through the headset.
Shiller gently pressed the headset and said, "Not bad."
"What stage are we at? Did you find anything unusual?"
"No, but I managed to trick a fool into searching for a treasure that doesn't exist, and then tricked another fool to buy it."
"What?" Big Adventure Batman on the other end of the phone almost doubted his ears. He said, "You've been in that universe for two days. What have you been doing?"
"I've already told you. Don't want to repeat it."
"Okay. I just want to remind you, as the investigation team in this operation, we need to be more efficient. Be sure to pay attention to every detail and report any abnormalities that might be caused by Dark Power corrosion."
"Don't worry. I know my responsibilities."
"You better."
Hanging up the communication, Big Adventure Batman sighed. Prime Universe Batman turned to look at him. Big Adventure Batman shook his head and said, "I don't think we should have hired this Shiller. He seems not serious enough, like he doesn't understand the gravity of the situation."
"But he's the only one we've got," Prime Universe Batman said. "Trust that he'll surprise us."
"Why are you so optimistic?" Big Adventure Batman said, somewhat incredulously, "There aren't many universes infiltrated by the bizarre Dark Power, each one is an important sample, and this one is the most typical. You send someone who seems offbeat there and you still think he'll surprise us?"
Prime Universe Batman said nothing. He recalled what happened before. After the duel contest, he returned to his universe to continue building the Magical Defense Network. Just then, the energy detection device mounted on the magical network months ago reported an anomaly.
Strange energy readings showed a special dark force spreading through the cosmos. It was a lifeless force, but even Constantine didn't know what it was.
Prime Universe Batman gathered other universe Batmans and asked them to take a detection device, to detect energy fluctuations in each universe. Unsurprisingly, darkness was awakening, and this bizarre force had spread to every universe.
But perhaps, it's too early, these forces are not yet taking shape. However, the bottleneck wouldn't last forever. In some universes, the tail was already showing, and to continue researching and unraveling the secrets of this power, Prime Universe Batman didn't choose to investigate himself but instead found an agent.
Unexpectedly, the agent didn't take the job but recommended another personality trait to Prime Universe Batman, a Shiller, who like the agent, was young and had shoulder-length hair.
This personality trait was very mysterious. Although seemingly ordinary, and nothing special in his speech, Prime Universe Batman's danger radar kept ringing. This made him think no matter what the dark force he was sent to investigate was, its master might find themselves in deep trouble with Shiller.
This was a confidence without reason, but Prime Universe Batman decided to trust his intuition. Because besides this, there weren't any better options. The universe with the most active dark energy was slightly special; other universe Batmans wouldn't be welcome there and might face resistance and rejection upon appearance. It's pretty much the same for the rest of the Batman Family. So, it's still best to let Shiller go. No matter how strong the superheroes there are, Shiller always has a way.
Coming back to his senses, Prime Universe Batman said, "You don't need to watch him too closely. Our investigation methods don't apply to him. What did he just tell you he did?"
Big Adventure Batman repeated what was just heard. Prime Universe Batman sighed. He knew his intuition was correct. But he had a feeling, aside from the behind-the-scenes manipulator, perhaps some locals in that universe might also suffer the same misfortune.
Clark returned to his rented apartment. He glanced at the sky outside. The snow gradually stopped, but the sunset still enveloped in gray, making one feel inexplicably depressed.
He sat at the computer desk and started searching for everything about Wayne. However, reports on this top tycoon's private life were hardly enlightening. In his younger days, he had a time of decadence, but no one ever stepped forward to accuse him. And somehow, he became like an outdated celebrity whom even the gossip tabloids no longer care about. Younger Lex Luther or other tycoons were the main targets for those act-fast paparazzi.
Clark sat on the bed, never realizing so clearly that he and Bruce Wayne were from two different generations. Though he's already worked in the newspaper for quite some time, he was still young; but Bruce Wayne was already middle-aged.
The previous experience in that heresy town copy never made him realize this. Because Bruce was well-maintained, very strong, sharp-minded, using the word 'aging' for him sounded absurd.
However, for some reason, after returning to their universe and having a long talk, Clark increasingly realized that the monster everyone in Gotham feared, the man he once couldn't understand, and still remains a mystery, was aging to the point where he seemed to be heading towards death.
Clark couldn't find any news about Bruce Wayne's deceased child online, which made him start to loathe the gossip tabloids' lack of information.
Then he began to feel a bit disgusted with himself. Knowing that a crisis might be imminent, he's still here studying Batman. What kind of magic does he have that can take root in his brain?
The burning fireplace, warm blankets, unbelievably soft sofa, and moonlight like fragments of glass cut by Gothic window panes, that night's intimate conversation kept churning in Clark's mind.
"What did you feel when I died?" He heard Bruce Wayne ask again.
"I felt unbelievable. Batman, you shouldn't be so vulnerable; you should stand up and defeat them. But I understand, you're just that vulnerable, and I failed to protect you. It's entirely my fault." Clark heard himself say. Hearing it again, he also thought it was his genuine sentiment.
"My vulnerability isn't your fault. It's not your responsibility."
"No, I should have realized you were vulnerable so I could be wary in advance. Then you wouldn't be killed by the monster."
"Why didn't you realize?"
"Because you behaved so impressively. I thought you were smart and powerful. I assumed you didn't need my protection. But facts proved I was wrong. I misjudged you. Maybe I should have understood you more deeply, then none of this would have happened."
"We didn't give each other that opportunity." Bruce Wayne said, "From the moment we met, we disliked each other. But it's a pity, it couldn't last until the end."
"Do you think it's a pity?" Clark heard his voice, somewhat angry, "Our prejudice against each other made us waste too much time. If we understood each other more before engaging in this challenge, we'd surely perform better."
"I regret it." Bruce Wayne said, "Your positive view of our relationship might be a good thing."
"What are you regretting? I'm not the evil superpower user you imagined, doing whatever I want because of my immense power, then being rightfully defeated by you? Do you prefer that? Does it make you feel like a hero, the defender of the human race?"
Clark couldn't help but cover his face. He knew he was too sharp, attributing it to a journalist's occupational hazard.
"What I'm trying to say is, sometimes people need to trust their first instinct. Initially, our mutual dislike was a bad omen. It proved we might be the kind of people each other hates."
"But we're not. Fighting side by side proved we could be the best of allies like Batman and Superman from other universes. There's no such big gap between us. Or is it my performance failure that still concerns you?"
"It's not your failure that worries me; in fact, it's your impressive performance. Specifically, you see my safety as your responsibility."
"Isn't that how it should be? You're my teammate. Watching you get killed by a monster before me, I should bear at least half, or maybe all, of the responsibility."
"That's where the problem lies. You take too many things as your responsibility. And I think that's not the right approach."
"I don't understand what you mean. You better not be saying I'm meddling, Batman. Even if you won't really die in the game, the process of dying is painful. And I'm just trying to save you. I truly don't see what's wrong."
"I know you have the ability to save everyone in this world, but that doesn't mean you should treat them all as your responsibility."
"Why? Why can't I do it if I have the ability?"
"When you try to carry everyone on your shoulders, you'll grow further away from them. This urgent desire to be responsible for them will make you lose sanity, eventually backfire. The more urgent you become, the faster you'll lose."
"I still hold my view; I don't believe there's anything wrong. If someone capable of helping doesn't do so, and just stands by watching tragedy unfold, the world will be doomed."
In Batman's sigh, Clark suddenly awoke. He looked at the still bright computer screen and the completely darkened sky, feeling as if he had just dreamed.
That sigh lingered in his mind. Clark heard a depth of sadness he hadn't noticed before. At that moment, he realized that what Batman was saying was heartfelt words drawn from personal experience.