Chapter 742: Gotham 1990_5

"What if the Wayne Family stepped in?" Shiller asked.

"But there's no need for him to do that," Gordon shook his head, "everyone knows it would cause nothing but trouble. The political maneuvering, the distribution of resources, the allocation within the mafia... It would stir up many conflicts."

Gordon hesitated before adding, "I always feel like Bruce hasn't grasped it yet. I don't know what he's thinking, but it seems like he's determined to save this city and its people."

Shiller broke into a smile, asking, "Why would you ask such a question? Don't you think the same way?"

Gordon shook his head helplessly, "No, we're different. Batman wants to get all the patients into hospitals, all the criminals into prisons, all the children into schools, dream of creating a perfect society by having everyone in their rightful place."

"It's not wrong to think that way, but we all know, it's not realistic. He might know it too. Perhaps he believes that aiming high will at least save some lives."

Shiller looked at Gordon and asked, "Who do you think can save Gotham, Batman or Bruce?"

"If it were Batman asking me that, I would definitely say it's him," Gordon replied, "I hope to tell each person the answer they want to hear, but since you asked this, a psychology professor, I have to say, I favor Bruce."

"We all know that Bruce Wayne is a wealthy man. He can get things done much more efficiently, especially when it comes to saving people."

"Do you know why he wouldn't do it?" Shiller continued his questioning as he started to eat, "Do you know why he would rather spend large sums of money on maintaining his expensive armor and fight the criminals physically, rescuing one person at a time, than using his identity as Bruce Wayne to save the city?"

Gordon shook his head, "I can't quite understand this. He could have spent the money on something more useful."

"Did you ever think that somebody might have tried it before without success, having paid a hefty price, which has made him reluctant to try again?" Shiller said.

"But I don't think Batman is the kind of person who gives up easily. Even if others have failed, he would still believe that he might not. He's a determined man who won't easily be swayed," Gordon expressed.

"What if the person who failed was his parents?"

Gordon fell silent.

"The wealthy businessman, the generous philanthropist, the kind-hearted rich man, all those personas didn't result in a happy ending for his parents. The Waynes tried to save this city, only to lose their lives in the end, with Bruce witnessing it himself."

"If it was you, would you choose that path again?" Shiller looked at Gordon and asked.

Gordon remained quiet for a while before Shiller added, "Let's look at Bruce Wayne's soul from a third-person perspective. He has two options: to choose either being Bruce Wayne or Batman."

"His mind would definitely tell him that taking the path of Bruce Wayne would be simpler, with a multitude of resources at his disposal, and if he was also able to utilize his intelligence, he might really save this city."

"But his mind would also tell him that the path of Batman is too challenging for an individual to save the city of sin by battling crime alone, it sounds like a joke."

"Most people choose their actions based on their self-interests. If anyone violates this inherent instinct, there must be a reason driving them to do so, and most of the time, the push comes from within."

"At least from my observation..." Shiller paused, "He is repulsed by the identity of Bruce Wayne. He doesn't wish to be Bruce Wayne."

"He became Batman not because he wanted to be Batman, but because he didn't want to be Bruce Wayne. He didn't want to repeat his parents' missteps, and he was afraid of it."

Shiller exhaled gently, "While being Bruce Wayne, he continued to be charitable, spending a lot of money, but the purpose was not to save people, but merely to spend money. He feels that Bruce Wayne can't save anyone, just like how he couldn't save his parents."

"He does not hold any hope for Bruce Wayne. Since Bruce Wayne couldn't save his parents, he can't save anyone either."

Gordon stared at his plate, "I am truly sorry about his unfortunate childhood. But if he continues on this path, he might go to another extreme."

"His parents chose a peaceful family life, they didn't resort to violent means to address the city's problems and ended up falling victims to violence instead. However, Batman chose the opposite. If he opts for violence, he might not have a chance at having a family anymore."

Gordon's face held an expression of sadness, "...I hope he realizes this soon as there may still be a chance for redemption."

"He will."

After Shiller finished speaking, he turned to look out of the restaurant window. The night sky was becoming more profound, the rain was pouring harder, and the manor was faintly visible in the rising mist.