Chapter 1153

After hearing the commotion from upstairs, Schiller didn't even have time to change his pajamas and hurried upstairs.

Because the incident was urgent, he didn't have time to knock on the door and pushed the door in directly. However, the Joker Jack, who had just been awakened by the roar, instinctively jumped up from the bed and ran toward the door. The huge black shadow that broke through the balcony glass and rushed in chased after him.

Schiller just opened the door and saw clearly that the one who jumped in was a huge humanoid crocodile monster, which should be the legendary Killer Croc. But Schiller's first reaction was to feel somewhat confused.

Schiller wasn't confused about why Killer Croc appeared here; that sentence he just shouted had already explained the reason. What made Schiller feel strange was, why was Killer Croc holding two kitchen knives?

Killer Croc possessed extremely sharp claws, which were his weapons themselves, and he didn't need to hold any extra weapons.

Rather, his huge palms holding two kitchen knives looked extremely uncoordinated, and it could be seen that he himself was holding the small knife handles, which was also very uncomfortable.

But the next second, Schiller knew why Killer Croc wanted to do this.

Joker Jack, who leaped up from the bed, went straight to the door. He didn't want to escape, but because there wasn't much space inside the ward. After Killer Croc jumped in, he had almost squeezed the room full. He needed more strategic space to maneuver, and now, there was only space left in the corridor.

But unexpectedly, just as he was about to roll out of the door, Schiller pushed the door open. Jack stumbled and almost got slapped to the ground by the door panel. But following closely behind was the two kitchen knives flying over from mid-air with cold light.

Clearly, Killer Croc, who had become good friends with Batman, also realized his lack of long-range attack ability, so he got two low-profile versions of Batarangs, which, when combined with great strength, were even no less effective than a shotgun.

Jack had originally been slapped by the door panel and his center of gravity was unstable. Even if he felt the cold wind whistling behind him, he didn't have time to dodge. These two kitchen knives, one slashed on his back, and one slashed on his leg.

With a "slash" sound, Schiller was splashed with blood all over.

Actually, just that one was fine, and it only got a lot of blood on the left front lapel of Schiller's pajamas and the right trouser leg. But unexpectedly, after Jack was seriously injured, he still ran toward Schiller while spraying blood, shouting: "Doctor!! Help!! There's a lunatic trying to kill me!!"

Because of the existence of the Joker virus, this kind of injury could only be considered a minor injury for Jack. But he ran behind Schiller, grabbed Schiller's trouser leg, and the blood spraying all over his body splashed onto Schiller's clothes, almost turning him into a blood man.

Schiller took a deep breath, first reached out his hand, stopped Killer Croc who was about to pounce over, and then, pulled the Joker behind him to his front, and then, just like a court mediator, began to mediate the fight for both sides.

It was already late at night by the time he persuaded Killer Croc back and called the nurse to bandage the wounds on Jack's body.

Schiller really wanted to clean himself up immediately, but the problem was, Arkham Hospital wasn't Rodriguez Manor. There was no exclusive butler here who could conjure up a set of clean clothes no matter what happened to keep him in a neat image.

So, Schiller could only return to his bedroom, intending to take a bath to drive away that unpleasant bloody smell. But as soon as he returned to his room, he saw a figure with pointed ears standing outside the window.

Before Schiller could even enter the door, Batman pushed open the window first. Seeing Schiller covered in blood again, Batman was stunned.

In this instant, in Batman's mind, he had almost imagined the process of Schiller committing the crime just now.

Judging from the degree of coagulation of the bloodstains on Schiller's clothes, the fresh blood should have erupted from bottom to top, and the degree of coagulation of the bloodstains on his chest was higher than anywhere else.

This explained that Schiller very likely held some kind of relatively long sharp weapon, simply put, an umbrella knife, first stabbed the other party's chest, and then used his foot to step on the other party's chest, and then stabbed through the other party's throat with the umbrella knife.

No, that's not right, Batman thought. If it was just such a simple killing process, the bloodstains on the leather shoes and trouser legs shouldn't be so much.

Schiller very likely, before killing the other party, also carried out some very cruel treatment.

Thinking of this, Batman stepped back slightly, reached out and knocked on the window next to him, and then said: "... Are you free now? I want to come and ask about Dick."

Schiller seemed to have discovered that he and Batman didn't live in the same biological clock, so he didn't struggle with why Batman came so late, but stood by the door, took off his coat full of fresh blood, hung the clothes up, and then said: "What's wrong with Dick?"

Batman didn't answer Schiller's question at the first moment, because he discovered that looking at Schiller's indifferent attitude, the first emotion he felt wasn't the kind of anger he felt when facing criminals as in the past, but a kind of horror.

This was very abnormal. Batman didn't think he would fear any criminal.

But the fact was, any human, when facing a monster who felt no guilt for cruelly depriving their own kind of life and was as relaxed and easy as eating and drinking, would feel instinctive fear.

There was a famous saying in psychology that Batman had also seen, and today, he had a new realization about it, that is—"Fear saves humans."

In the long evolutionary history of humans, they had encountered too many disasters that could extinguish this fragile species. Not to mention the beasts that gnawed on teeth and sucked blood, nor the ruthless natural disasters. In some years, if it rained a few more times, it might cost many people their lives.

Human fear of every thing was a scar in human evolutionary history.

Without fear, one wouldn't stay away, and naturally wouldn't be able to escape a disaster. Only groups that were very sensitive to various natural and man-made disasters were easier to survive and develop to this day. Therefore, fear was also more and more deeply engraved into the bone marrow of humans.

And these serial killers who should have been regarded as their own kind by humans were able to bring boundless fear to people because they were similar to beasts—savage, chaotic, only pursuing pleasure—and at the same time, similar to natural disasters—indifferent, cruel, yet firm in will.

The instinct of humans to seek good fortune and avoid disaster engraved in their bones would make them naturally in a weak position when facing these people who had the same characteristics as the terrible disasters in evolutionary history.

Even if Batman had already ascended to the peak of human willpower, the instinct belonging to humans would still make him feel a chill down his back when facing Schiller in this state.

Now Batman could understand why some serial killers committed crimes repeatedly, yet there were still people who were victimized. It wasn't that those people didn't raise their vigilance or didn't rise up to resist. What defeated them wasn't their own kind, but the fear in their hearts.

Seeing Batman stunned there, Schiller walked up somewhat confused and asked: "What's wrong with you? Aren't you going to ask about Dick? Why aren't you speaking?"

However, when Batman saw Schiller in front of him, the more Schiller acted as if nothing had happened, the more he felt the fear bursting out from his instinct, making him want to step back.

"Dick ran away from home again." Batman tried hard to pull his thoughts back to the right track. He opened his mouth and said: "Because I took in a child named Tim Drake, he... has talent, and very much wants to become my assistant. His parents also don't object."

Schiller just wanted to speak, but Batman snatched in front of him to explain: "I didn't agree to his request. His age is still too small, even if he lives in Wei En Manor, he must study first."

"And, I have already expressed to Dick that he is my eldest son, and will also be my most excellent assistant. I also told him that he can participate in the investigation of cases, it's just that I need some time to prepare a set of equipment for him to ensure his safety."

"But no matter how I say it, Dick won't listen." Batman sighed gently and said: "He very firmly believes that I want to abandon him, and, want to drive him out of Cat Getan."

Schiller frowned deeply, and he also shook his head and said: "This doesn't conform to the psychological profile I have for Dick Grayson."

"After the Grayson family fell from its glorious period, they had a very long period of time where they couldn't receive any performance invitations, being in a very difficult period. Besides economic difficulties, the psychological gap was also very large."

"At the same time, Dick was very close to his grandfather, therefore, the death of his grandfather was a very big blow to him. And it just so happened that during the period of understanding wealth, the family fell, this kind of blow, very likely would make a child become isolated and eccentric."

"But Dick didn't fall because of this. On the contrary, he comforted his parents, worked hard to learn acrobatics performances, and also guest-starred as a peddler selling things during the performance, using all his strength to change the family's economic situation."

"In order to earn money, the Grayson family still performed tours across the country, the hardships of which need not be said. More of it was being looked down upon by others, but Dick didn't waver because of these rumors, still firmly believing that the Grayson family was the best acrobatics troupe in the United States, and, had been working hard for the revival of the Grayson family."

"He is a quite clear-headed, wise, and firm child. Forgive me for being blunt, his mental stability is much higher than yours, even the current you."

"After all, the huge inheritance left by your parents is enough for you not to worry about economic problems, but Dick had to tighten his belt for a very long time, even having no meal after the previous one."

"But even if it was so arduous, his psychological state was still positive and upward, his initiative was very strong, and there was no tendency to give up on himself at all. This is very rare."

Batman looked at Schiller, seemingly waiting for a conclusion. Schiller stood where he was, looking at him, and said: "Hardship didn't defeat this child for more than ten years, why do you feel that you only used a few years, and you could educate him to change his temperament and be unable to communicate?"

Batman opened his mouth slightly, but didn't know how to refute. He discovered that his confidence in his education level had already reached such a point, even affecting his judgment of facts.

At the beginning, young Dick, under the circumstances of the Grayson family declining, his closest grandfather dying tragically, his family situation not being as good as before, being homeless, sleeping in the open, and also being mocked by others, didn't grow crooked. How could he come to Wei En Manor for a few years, and suddenly change his temperament?

Batman hesitated for a moment and opened his mouth: "When Dick first came here, I transferred him several times. Tim told me that he might have been bullied at school, but at that time, I didn't pay attention..."

"Did he tell you, and you didn't care?" Schiller asked.

Batman shook his head and said: "No, he didn't tell me, and even, I questioned him several times, and he all answered that school life was all good."

"Actually, he might not be as fragile as you think." Schiller took a towel from the side and began to wipe the bloodstains on his neck. He said: "He is indeed not a local Gothamite, but he had also followed his parents to travel across the country, seeing and hearing widely."

Schiller looked into Batman's eyes and said: "I remember, I once told you that psychology looks like a kind of occultism, but actually, the internal logic is the same as mathematics and physics, all very rigorous. Following a line to deduce to the end, there is only one standard answer."

"For a person to suddenly change their behavioral pattern, the influence of external factors is essential. If you feel that you didn't exert any influence on the change of Dick's behavioral pattern, then it is extremely likely that someone else exerted an influence you don't know about."

"And if this kind of influence is long-term, then, it couldn't have suddenly erupted now. And if it's not long-term..."

Batman narrowed his eyes. He understood Schiller's meaning, so he spoke and said.

"You mean, someone hypnotized Dick?"