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Chapter 3288 Visit (Part 2)

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Accompanied by a thunderclap on the horizon, the stormy night was about to descend, with heavy clouds pressing in. The distant sky looked like an impenetrable grey wall, palm trees swaying continuously, the air filled with a damp odor.

"The pale knight believes that these people have been using Batman." Bruce said: "In reality, they are also using the super villains, exploiting the strife between the two. After all, no insurance would cover losses caused by such a conflict."

"Elaborate."

"A super villain causes an explosion, and in the pursuit of apprehension, Batman destroys buildings in an area. Those people take the opportunity to buy the land at a low price..."

"That sounds oddly familiar," Shiller muttered.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"They manipulate land prices this way, guiding Batman to a location through a super villain to create the illusion of poor public safety in a community, allowing them to buy in at a low price."

"If they want to threaten the stock of a certain company, they'd have Batman walk around their factory. If they want to stop an event from happening, then they just need Gordon to light up the Bat Light in advance."

After pondering for a while, Shiller asked: "Does Batman himself know about this?"

"I know what you're worried about. Logic dictates that Batman wouldn't be deceived, but I feel he's more powerless than ignorant. Even if he's aware of what's happening behind his back, can he just stop catching super villains?"

Shiller nodded, acknowledging the point. Batman must also understand that if the enemy intends to use him for their purposes, then if he doesn't act, no one else will and the super villains will continue to wreak havoc and murder. He must intervene, even unwillingly.

"He's been offering behind-the-scenes help to the pale knight." Bruce said: "Perhaps he too wants to put an end to the situation, but unfortunately, their entire operation is too superficial, merely piling straw on the camel's back."

"It seems the camel is close to breaking."

"Yes. And I think it's a conspiracy. They intentionally healed Joker, letting him establish a new order, only to abruptly cut off his medication, throwing him back into madness to destroy this order. They gain a lot financially from this."

"What does Batman think?"

"I don't know; I haven't seen him yet. I've only heard it from the pale knight. But I'm not hopeful. If he had a way to break free from these chains, he wouldn't need Joker."

Shiller fell silent for longer this time. After a while, he said: "Did Arrogant send you to me?"

"It's not entirely that, though he did suggest it. He was hoping you could extend the pale knight's medication."

"I'm a psychiatrist."

"But that medication targets the mind." Bruce said: "Professor mentioned that your side has many talented individuals; perhaps there's a way."

"You didn't come just for this."

"Of course. If that were the case, I wouldn't have needed to come all this way. I am confident I could replicate the medication. The key issue is just one word—money."

Bruce rubbed his forehead with a troubled expression and said: "The pale knight maintains only a superficial balance. In reality, this city has long been emptied by the elite. When all is said and done, every problem ultimately comes down to money."

Shiller nodded and said: "Your Gotham in that cosmos is also being dragged forward by the carriage of economic development. As long as development is fast enough, no conflict is truly a conflict."

"Yes, isn't your cosmos the same? You must have resolved the unemployment issue brought by technological advancement and renewal, right?"

Shiller nodded and said: "Most of it. Development is too rapid. A large number of high-end and mid-level technical personnel have been transferred, leaving a great deal of upward mobility for the lower-level staff. When they move up, a large number of positions become vacant."

"Now every company is desperately recruiting, throwing money into training. It's a matter of jobs looking for people."

"That's right." Bruce spread his hands and said: "The pale knight may have solved some problems, but he hasn't addressed economic development, the biggest issue. The city seems peaceful on the surface, but in reality, it is extremely poor. This can't continue without an eventual collapse."

"Didn't you give him a few moneymaking ideas?"

"I did, but he refused." Bruce looked up, nearly roaring in frustration, and said: "He wants to earn money standing up, legally and ethically, and, ideally, without hurting anyone's feelings. I'd rather dive into Lake Eden and drown."

"Is it the same with the elite?"

"Not exactly, but they are connected to the well-being of the masses. Any major move against them would definitely cause harm to the common people."

"Aren't the regular citizens considering a rebellion?"

"They can't. The only one among them, the pale knight, chose the reformist's path. Without a leader, without ideas, without the conditions for a revolution, all the public outrage amounts to nothing but a directionless mob."

"What do you expect me to do?" Shiller finally got to the heart of the matter.

"To be honest, I don't know." Bruce admitted candidly: "I don't think I understand you well enough. I can guess a little about how your cosmos developed, but I still can't fully understand."

"Do you want to learn from our experience?"

"I'm afraid it's too late." Bruce shook his head and said: "If pressed for an answer, I hope you can come with me to see for yourself. If we can find a solution, great; if not, we'll just have to rescue the pale knight."

"Is he willing to go with you?"

"What can he do if he isn't willing? When order completely collapses, the upper class won't let him off. He'll have to follow me to survive."

"But you don't want to see such a situation happen."

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"I just don't want to play into their hands!" Bruce became very emotional, saying, "Why is it always the ordinary people who lose? I'm sick of their ugly triumphs, and with me here, they'll never win."

Shiller did not echo his emotions, but calmly said, "Getting angry with them is useless. You must deepen your understanding, think carefully, and devise and execute a perfect plan."

"I feel like I have no clue," Bruce said. "Those fleeting ideas won't cut it."

"That's because your foundation is weak," Shiller replied with serenity, as if not to criticize, but simply stating a fact. "Since your debut, things have gone smoothly, and when difficulties arise, you always have assistance. You haven't formulated and carried out any solid strategies, mostly just going with the flow or relying on occasional inspiration."

"When you have help or when things aren't too bad, that might be barely enough. But if you're in adversity, it's hard to turn the tables."

"Then what do you think I should do to improve?"

"Only through the accumulation of experience," Shiller said. "Learn as you go, gaining wisdom from setbacks. There are no shortcuts."

"But there's no time left for this."

"Is the pale knight and his cosmos very important to your plan?"

"Of course." Bruce nodded and said, "This is one of the easier Gotham's to save. If it can be saved, of course, I should save it, to set an example for the other Batmen."

"There are a few methods now," Shiller proposed almost without thinking. "You can try it yourself, but the chances of failure are rather high. However, if you can pull the pale knight out, you can eventually make a comeback."

Bruce shook his head, seemingly unwilling. He was clearly still troubled by the elite's victory once again.

"Then you need help. You can take a few people with you, which should help you turn the tide. The odds of success are about fifty-fifty, but there's also a significant risk of failure. The upside is all of you can gain experience."

Bruce glanced back at the Robins playing video games in front of the TV. He knew Shiller meant them. Now they're capable of standing alone; whether in terms of composure or vigor, they lack nothing. With this group of good helpers, the odds of winning are indeed better.

"Or I can go with you," Shiller said, revealing the last method. "I'll do it, and you can learn on the side. But I'm not arrogant; I don't have that much patience and I'm definitely not going to bail you out. Don't blame me if you can't learn."

"You're confident?"

"For me, this is not a tough job," Shiller's voice was as light as a breeze, like a feather falling on water.

"I must remind you, it's not because I'm fully incapable, but because of the pale knight..." Bruce let out a long sigh, and then said, "You don't know how stubborn he can be. He doesn't let me do two things a day, this is off-limits, that is off-limits."

"What have you been doing?" Shiller glanced at him sideways.

"I was planning some systemic macro loans, and he found out," Bruce said with a mouth twist.

"That's normal because even among the Jokers, he's one of the tougher ones," Shiller said with a slight roll of his eyes. "If you hack into the Federal Reserve directly, of course, he'd stop you."

"So what's your plan?"

Shiller appeared to be thinking, as if coming up with ideas on the fly. Just as Bruce began to feel uneasy, Shiller spoke, "Are you talking about the elite using Batman's and the Super Villains' conflicts to inflate real estate prices? They prefer financial measures?"

"Yes, because it indeed is the simplest way, unbloody and extremely profitable."

"Do they ever slip up?"

"Maybe, but the losses aren't too significant, just a drop in the bucket compared to what they make," Bruce said with a frown. "Since the pale knight took office, his charitable actions also became a part of their harvesting cycle, and that's how the city's finances were drained."

"Where did their earnings go?"

"To make more money."

"They don't spend?"

"Just a drop in the bucket," Bruce said. "The money they use purely for consumption is too little compared to what they accumulate to generate more money."

"So the key is to squeeze the money out of their hands." Shiller seemed to have a plan. "I don't have any earth-shattering grand scheme, just some conventional tactics, but I can assure you, they will help us make some money."

"Is that it? We're not going to teach them a lesson?"

"It depends on how far you want to go," Shiller said somewhat indifferently. "In the end, the money I make can't be taken back with me..."

Bruce took a deep breath, his teeth clenched as he said, "How much do you want?"

"You've got one thing wrong," Shiller, looking into Bruce's eyes, said, "The amount of money you give me will determine how much I do. As long as the money is right, I can plant them all in your backyard."

In the depths of Shiller's eyes, Bruce saw a terrifying fierceness, reminding him of the arrogant warning he received before coming.

Greed is a very pure personality trait. As long as you give enough, he dares to do anything. When dealing with him, it's best not to give too much stimulation. Once he sees the potential of profiting from you, no one can stop him.

Bruce swallowed hard and said, "This city belongs to the pale knight, I don't know how much he's willing to give you..."

"Then go ask him."

Bruce knew what he just said was just an excuse. Someone like the pale knight, if you tell him you can completely save his city, would probably be willing to do anything.

But this, he couldn't tell Greed. Once he realizes the pale knight is a big, fat sheep, the methods he might use could even be too much for Bruce, who detests the elite.

Once the engine roars to life, it runs wildly like it's broken, all throttle and no brakes, and in the end, everything will be pulled into the grinder, becoming energy for the onslaught.

Greed may well be the only person who's prepared to meet Gotham, but Gotham may not be ready for him.

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