Chapter 1263: Shadows in Pairs (20)

"Why do I feel like you're a bit self-doubting?" Schiller took out the tea bag included in the food box and said while looking at the information on it.

"This isn't called self-doubt." Although Jason still had his arm on the back of the chair in a slightly unreasonable manner, he still clumsily picked up the chopsticks, seemingly curious about this special tableware. He shook his head and continued, "Your consultation fee is quite astonishing, but Batman is also very rich."

"I heard he is funded by Bruce Wei En. Does Bruce Wei En know he took this money to give to his foster son for psychological counseling?"

Jason was choked and muttered, "That's his own business. Besides, I don't need psychological counseling, it's completely unnecessary..."

Before Schiller could speak, Jason grabbed the lead and said, "I don't know if Batman told you... forget it, I know how he describes me: a poor little thing who died and came back to life, tortured, full of grievances. Forget it, I forgot those things long ago!"

"Over the past few years, Batman has taken me to see many people, including so-called experts and scholars like you. As soon as they hear that I was once abused by a lunatic, they start saying terms I don't understand, like trauma disorder, stress response, and so on..."

"The way they look at me is really unbearable. If you ask me, you outsiders are pretentious enough. Why don't you give every event encountered by everyone in this world a name like a mental illness? It won't be long before you'll be richer than the bastards on Wall Street!"

"Are you saying we are manufacturing diseases?" Schiller brought a cup of hot coffee and placed it in front of Jason. Jason nodded and said, "Most of your diagnoses are alarmist. I'm living well, and I will live even better."

"I can tell you don't like Batman taking you to see these people." Schiller took a sip of coffee and said, "But essentially, it's not because you don't like doctors, or rather, you don't like them a little, but it can also be classified as maladjustment."

"But actually, the main reason you resent it is that Batman taking you to see a doctor is like saying you've become his weakness, but that's not the case. You aren't that fragile, so the doctor's earnest advice sounds more like bossing you around."

"You do have some self-awareness."

"I'm living for this."

Jason didn't seem to expect Schiller to answer like this. He put one leg over the other again, his feet almost level with the dining table, but suddenly he put his leg down, looked at Schiller, and said, "Aren't you angry?"

"Why do you think I should be angry? Is it because you wiped your soles on the doormat before entering, or because you handled the chair gently?"

"Are you trying to praise me?"

"I have that intention, Jason. You want to tell the whole world that trauma is a person's experience, but not a person's label. Trauma can briefly stay in the real world or exist in memory for a long time, but no one can live a lifetime pointing at the wounds they once suffered..."

"Are you really an outsider?" Jason asked with some confusion.

Schiller ate his breakfast to himself, not caring that Jason hadn't touched the food on the table. He just said as if talking to himself, "You are the same as everyone else in this city, because there is too much suffering, so you are exceptionally strong, and like the people here, you hate others treating you as weak."

"But if Batman really lets go, would you feel better?" Schiller smiled, took a sip of soup, and said, "When I said Batman was your foster father, you were still quite happy, right? When you saw that astonishing bill, besides shock, you also had some complaints."

"You were worried that Batman was swindled out of money, feeling that no matter how rich he is, he shouldn't be so extravagant. You treated his things as your own, unconsciously getting close to him, while also feeling some guilt."

Schiller sighed gently and said, "Perhaps you didn't even realize it yourself. You were born in poverty, so you are exceptionally frugal. Although you always act righteous, you don't feel that everything you enjoy now is taken for granted..."

"Psychologists always have their reasons." Jason shrugged and said, "Whatever you say can be explained. This is your skill to make money, honed countless times, and already engraved in your bones."

"Do you think what I said is wrong?"

"In this world, everyone has a set of reasons that can be explained, otherwise they wouldn't continue to live." Jason stood up from the chair and paced to the side of the sofa, walking while saying, "Even this group of unreasonable lunatics in Gotham have their own reasons."

"The difference is that some people use the set of things that convinced themselves to convince others, while some people use things provided by others to convince themselves. These are two completely different types of people. Psychologists are the former."

"However, those psychological theories that exist in books don't really become truth just because they are numerous or have existed for a long time."

"The people who summarize these reasons haven't necessarily experienced these things. In terms of convincing others, one person makes up a set of reasons to convince others, and others repeat it ten thousand times, and it becomes truth."

"But if you aren't convinced by them, it becomes that you are abnormal, it becomes that you are stingy with money, don't pay attention to mental health, and are poor and short-sighted."

"The world uses secular standards of pain to judge whether you are painful, gives you pity on its own, urges you to go for treatment, and then another person like you comes along, stands from another angle, says I am right, says I am very special."

Jason looked back at Schiller and said, "But essentially, what you care about is the process of 'persuasion.' Others believe your reasons, bringing you wealth, status, and satisfaction."

"Everyone around me says I'm not good at listening, and only know how to throw punches when encountering criminals, because I know that persuading others is a part of your life. Cut off this part, and you become as uninteresting as lint on a carpet."

"Once you lose the goal of persuading others and making others agree with you, you have nothing left to say."

"And it just so happens that I am very good at making others have nothing to say." Jason hugged his arms and shook his head and said.

"You can't convince me, not because your knowledge isn't profound enough, not because what you say is unreasonable, but because I knew long ago that the best way to avoid being convinced is that as long as you don't use your brain to think, no matter how reasonable the reason is, it's just a piece of shit."

Schiller's movements paused slightly, but soon he continued to pick up food with chopsticks and said:

"Persuading others is a psychologist's job. I use this skill to make money, and I can make a lot, a lot of money, and I can even earn two sets of clothes, a watch, priceless cufflinks, and a whole house from Batman..."

With a "whoosh," Jason sat back opposite Schiller and stared at him with bright eyes: "... How did you do it?"

"I discovered that the point you are interested in isn't making money, but making Batman's money. Is his money that hard to earn?"

"It seems you don't know Batman very well." Jason exhaled through his nose and continued, "All the charlatans I've seen have been beaten up by him because they weren't professional enough and still wanted to swindle money!"

"You are the first person I've seen who can swindle so many things from Batman. Even if you are a con artist, it's enough to be amazing." Jason leaned his body further forward, seemingly very interested.

"This is my secret that is not passed on. If others hear it..."

Jason smiled, hugged his arms, stood up, walked to Schiller's side, and bent his body, seemingly wanting Schiller to teach him in a low voice.

The next second, the sound of "click" loading sounded, and the pitch-black muzzle was pressed against Schiller's temple. Jason lowered his head and said, "You want me to get close to you so you can do something to me, right?"

"You misunderstood. It's impossible for me to do anything to you. There is neither the necessity nor the opportunity."

"Don't think I don't know. You cunning criminals are best at using language to shake others' psychology, letting others let their guard down, and then seizing the opportunity to give the enemy a fatal blow. I won't fall for your tricks!"

"What I said is true." Schiller put down his arm, pushed the chair back gently, and stood up against the wall, while Jason's muzzle kept pointing at his head.

"Batman, do you see? Your foster son's vigilance is no worse than yours. Even if you hadn't installed more than 560 cameras, 200 wiretaps, a dozen micro-sniper rifles with automatic aiming, three huge bombs with precise controllable range, and an electric shock device connected to the entire floor here, he wouldn't be in danger."

Jason heard footsteps coming from behind. He turned his head and saw Batman's figure appearing on the second floor. The young man wearing the Red Hood looked a bit angry. He shouted, "I don't need you to protect me!"

After finishing, he snorted coldly and strode toward the door. Schiller watched his movements quietly and said, "Your performance isn't natural, and I'm not the kind of criminal who would take hostages. You don't need to try to pull away and reach the best shooting position."

Jason's footsteps paused. Schiller sat back in his original position as if he hadn't noticed anything. Batman walked down the stairs and said to Jason, "Go, go investigate the case of the attack on the City Council spokesperson that day."

"Are you planning to stay here?" Jason asked him back.

"Yes, I have some private matters to discuss with this professor."

"Private enough to know how many clothes are in your closet?" Jason retorted without showing weakness.

"Jason, psychological counseling is charged on time. The price for every extra second you stay is about..."

"Goodbye!"

After Jason left, Batman sat down in the opposite seat. His posture looked very relaxed, at least much more relaxed than Jason.

"You know me so well, it seems you know the me from another universe. What is your relationship?"

"Teacher and student."

"A simple teacher-student relationship isn't enough to let you know my living habits, let alone let you understand my speech, behavior, and style so well." Batman shook his head and said, "Then can you tell me, is it lucky or unfortunate for the Batman of that world to meet you?"

"Luckier than you, and luckier than Jason."

In an instant, Bruce's hand gripping the armrest in the theater loosened, and blood flowed down his pale fingertips, adding long-lost color to the bloodless area.

"The Jason in your universe..."

"Wasn't beaten to death by the Joker breaking all his bones." Schiller stated this tragedy very bluntly. Batman's fingertips slowly tightened.

Jason's face in the theater began to turn a bit pale, but soon, Bruce grabbed his arm, let him sit down, and patted his back gently.

Just as Batman was about to open his mouth to say something, Schiller suddenly put down the tableware in his hand, looked into Batman's eyes, and said very sincerely, "Thank you for providing me with everything, including decent clothes, food, and a house, so I wouldn't end up homeless."

"And thank you for our mutual understanding, tacit cooperation, and mental confrontation. This makes me feel fulfilled and interesting."

"And to thank you for this, I can do one thing for you..." Schiller dragged out his tone. Batman looked at him silently, seemingly not caring, but the next second, Schiller's words made his heart tighten.

"I can help Jason take revenge."

"No, you can't."

"Just because you can't doesn't mean I can't."

"You can't."

"I can."

"I won't help you."

"Doesn't matter."

"Don't go to your death."

Schiller finished the last bite of his meal, stood up, walked to the door, and looked back at Batman. In the dim light where shadows flickered, the divinity and evil in the man were perfectly fused together.

His posture was elegant, his words and deeds were decent, and he had nothing to do with the word "crazy." But when his voice sounded, Batman felt a long-lost chill.

"In your eyes, the Joker represents madness, and I will let you understand what is... crazier than crazy."