Chapter 1269

And Spider-Man 2099's state can only be called "if a man takes no thought about what is distant, he will find sorrow near at hand." He also cannot foresee what kind of changes this technology exchange will bring to his world. He doesn't know if it's good or bad, but the technology Peter brought is directly extracting energy from the sun.

Does he have a choice? Actually, no.

The space stations of those rich people certainly also have solar technology, but it is far from being this efficient and low-cost. The important thing is low cost. Iron Man in Peter's universe spares no effort to lower the cost of Mercury solar energy extraction machines, making room for more funds for his materials science research.

How much money does it take to research materials? The Mercury outpost has to be that frugal. And what's even more terrifying is that a certain Eastern power made this technology not only cost-saving but also easy to assemble and quickly built. It's best that when others are still in the first round of pioneering, they have already finished the fifth round of speed-running. Nothing else, just fast.

Of course, countries on Earth have also taken different paths. Some think it should be bigger, some think it should be lighter, some think the sun should be deeply excavated, and some have changed their minds and taken a fancy to other stars.

But no matter what, technology progresses through trial and error. By the time it reached Spider-Man 2099's hands, it had become a delicious feast that people couldn't refuse. And the cost of the meal was just some space station technology. Even if the poor kept this technology, they wouldn't have the energy to run it.

Since that's the case, why not exchange? As for the technical barriers or late-stage maintenance problems, the fire is already burning the eyebrows, who cares about the nose?

Just like this, the first step of the Multiverse Dispatch Plan was successfully taken. Just when Peter Parker was introducing to Stark and Strange what this plan was all about, Batman said in Schiller's heart: "So, you have already landed on Mercury, established a series of bases there, and started extracting the sun's energy?"

"What you said is inaccurate, we have done more than that," Schiller replied: "We not only extracted the sun's energy but have even started researching artificial star technology. The Andromeda Galaxy is a good experimental field. Have I told you what happened to them before?"

"Very unfortunately, this poor galaxy once lost a star. Of course, it has nothing to do with us at all, just a terrible natural disaster. But this does not hinder us from being kind and reconstructing a star for them."

"Magneto, the best among the mutants, has already made this attempt. They hope to be the first among ordinary humans to research this technology, and then sell this technology to us, exchanging it for greater benefits for the mutants."

"Can I go to the Mercury base and take a look?" Batman made a request that was not excessive, but Schiller felt a bit embarrassed. He could only say to Batman: "Look at their attitude toward me now, does it look like they would let me take risks on Mercury?"

"So how sick are you?"

"I'm not sick at all."

"Do you believe it yourself?"

"Batman, now is not the time for you to be aggressive," Schiller pointed this out without scruples: "You are Pride's friend, but not mine. You should understand why I am called Greed. You going to the Mercury base is nothing more than coveting our technology."

"You are very puzzled about how Pride made Cat Getan see the sun again, and puzzled about whether this technology can be learned and copied. But I can tell you, the answer is yes, and the key lies in energy."

"For tens of thousands of years, all the iterations of human development achievements have been for energy—more energy, cleaner energy, more controllable energy, and even eternally sustainable energy."

Greed's tone revealed a madness that Batman couldn't understand. It was completely different from Pride's madness, but it was equally terrifying.

Batman had already witnessed Schiller's madness, so he also developed an irrepressible curiosity about another kind of madness.

If Greed and Pride are equally crazy, and Pride's madness can even make the Joker collapse, then what can Greed's madness do?

"The achievement I am most proud of in this world is letting humanity touch the sun."

"For thousands of years, the sun has been humanity's favorite star. We have written countless romantic poems for it, thanking it for its gifts with an incomparably sincere heart."

"But humanity has never been a kind and sincere race. These disgusting negative emotions are our origin. Everything we have done to develop to this day contains our most fundamental worry and fear about the sun—what if one day, it stops shining?"

"Our love for the sun has long since turned into hatred and a desire for control. We want to completely control the sun, let it shine for us, let it have to shine for us. If it's not bright enough, then replace it with one that is."

The arrogance revealed in Greed's tone made Batman feel astonished. He even felt that Greed was the true Pride.

"One day, we will tell the sun that it didn't create us, but we are going to create it. We will understand the truth of the universe more thoroughly than a naturally formed star, and we will thoroughly and deeply control it, no longer fearing any natural disasters in the universe, or rather, let us become the true natural disaster."

Although Schiller was lying on the hospital bed, blinking continuously as if he were about to fall asleep, in the theater, another figure sat beside Batman. The way they communicated was completely different from Pride and Batman. They were not exchanging; rather, Greed was infecting Batman with his madness.

Surprisingly, Batman could actually be infected by another kind of madness.

But the fact is, Batman's depth and darkness are far from reaching the end. Greed Schiller is constantly reminding him of this point—so-called darkness is not the control over a certain city or certain groups, but the control over all things and all concepts in the entire universe. True darkness should be Greed.

"Humanity once cruelly killed God," Greed's fluctuating tone was like being drunk, blinking continuously and saying: "This is what humanity is best at, using something boiling to kill the mystery that exists in concepts. The more boiling, the more cruel."

"In my universe, no one has any awe for the sun anymore, because they all know that it's just a large energy engine. Now, we are extracting energy from it for our own use, and one day, the sun will go out, but we will still move forward."

"Why should we fear things generated by coincidence? You and I both know that the birth of celestial bodies in all universes comes from coincidence, and the city you are in is the same."

"Indeed, it is so unfortunate that it became the source of darkness gathering in the universe, and you were also so unfortunately born here and encountered a series of tragedies, but that is not the end."

"The birth of humanity is also a tragedy. When the first human foot stepped onto the continent, wild beasts surrounded, and powerful enemies were numerous, while we had no strength to truss a chicken. Compared with those enemies with sharp teeth and claws, we had no advantage at all."

"Then, we started learning to collect wooden sticks, started drilling wood to make fire, and ignited the first pile of flames. What does this represent? It represents that we finally controlled our own destiny, and represents that we had things other wild beasts didn't have."

"That first pile of fire that was ignited is the thing you possess that others don't. It is called—'Wisdom'."

"But you seem to have always been ashamed of this, feeling that you stole something. If you don't give back to society in the most straightforward and violent way, it makes you look like a complete coward."

"You clearly have the ability, in such deep and rich darkness, to ignite a fire that others cannot ignite, to let those damn, so-called destined curses be completely burned out, to let the gods cry and tremble because of it, but you didn't do it, just because you aren't greedy enough."

"Batman, Batman..." Greed's voice echoed continuously in the theater.

Batman discovered that he would always be intoxicated by Schiller's tone, by every word he said, by every point of view he put forward. And this shouldn't be, because Schiller is the Joker, and Batman shouldn't listen to the Joker.

"If you have a burning ambition, flourishing enough to burn everything in this world, then no matter how rich the darkness is, it cannot trap the fire ignited by Greed."

"You have to think of more, want more, feel that the fire pile lit in front of you has never enough firewood, and go to make more firewood."

"Don't treat those criminals as enemies; treat them as necessary fuel in the fire. Their madness is not as good as their wisdom, so they burn particularly brightly."

"Pride has already proven to you that this road is passable. Go and demand that they burn themselves for you. They are clearly willing to do so..."

"They are clearly willing to follow you, always bow down to you, be captivated by you, always treat you as a god, but you just left them in the snowy night."

"Don't be so cruel, Batman," Schiller closed his eyes and leaned on the chair, saying in a gentle tone: "Don't let these woods burn out in the dark night. Let them condense into a bigger flame, to burn through those destined clouds and darkness."

"How greedy are you, that you won't even let go of a group of mental patients?" Batman turned his head and stared into Greed's eyes, saying: "You won't even let go of yourself, even wanting to burn yourself."

"This is Greed!" Greed raised his tone and said: "We don't arrogantly treat everyone as firewood; it's just that we like that kind of flame too much, are intoxicated and captivated by it, so we don't care at all about throwing ourselves into it, fighting for a bright future for everyone."

"Batman, don't tell me you are such a coward," Schiller started chanting again, but the tone was completely different from Pride. He was not indifferent, and was even full of enthusiasm and passion.

It can be heard that he loves everyone. If it weren't for such a vibrant emotion of love, no one could say such crazy things.

"You are ashamed and have a sense of morality, so you dare not let those woods you left in the darkness burn themselves for a greater goal. Pride's friend shouldn't be such a coward."

"You should let them walk into your heart, merge into your heart, and in those things you crave most, ignite a fire. While burning yourself, also disperse the clouds and darkness over Cat Getan, and let those damn curses go to hell."

"You clearly know what to do. You clearly know that when the Joker blew up the chemical plant, certain compounds in the bomb could react with chemical materials to create unparalleled chemical agents. You clearly know that he came for this and felt smug because of it, but you just ignored him..."

"You clearly know that Mr. Freeze's ice can even freeze the sun. You clearly know that he is so eager for you to throw yourself into the sun, for him to shoot a gun and make the star fall."

"You clearly know that Scarecrow can change the atmosphere of the entire Earth, let humanity evolve into more powerful creatures, let them have bodies that are easier to absorb oxygen, let their brains move faster, let everyone become an unparalleled genius. You clearly know that he is looking forward to you doing this."

"You clearly know that Cat Getan is not your obstacle, but your treasure house, just like this Earth is my treasure house. But you so cruelly and cowardly ignored their talents and only treated them as criminals."

"No, no, no, this is not because you hate them, and it is definitely not because you are kind and moral enough, it is just because you are not ambitious enough—you are not greedy enough."

"This is the only reason Pride let you come here," Greed took a deep breath and said in a tone with a crying voice: "You should have been greedier than Greed, but you acted like a coward, making all Greed feel sad and cry."

"Don't do this, Batman, don't do this, don't destroy the me in your heart, don't lock me in the tiny corner of your Mind Palace, let me cry helplessly and desperately."

"Now, go open the door to the prison, go embrace him, go embrace what you should have been able to do under his drive, go love him, go merge with him, just like you did with Pride."

"Don't cast me aside so superficially, don't treat me as an original sin as the world perceives me. You can identify with Pride, you can also identify with me..."

"... you will definitely identify with me!"

When Greed's voice echoed in the theater, Batman finally understood that Schiller is not the Joker; he is another thing, another more rational thing, another crazier thing.

If Batman were to give a definite answer now, it would be like the game he played with the Joker countless times, just like the Joker interrogated him countless times. Schiller is not the Joker himself, but human nature itself.

Schiller represents the side of human nature that can burst out from the bottom of the heart at any time and cannot be restricted at all.

Batman loves the sun so much, and has fantasized countless times about the temperature of the intoxicating sunlight shining on him, so he hates the sun so much, hates this star that was born only because of luck, and has never shone on him.

But Greed tells him—not Schiller's Greed, but his own Greed tells him—that he has this wisdom, has this ability, to make the sun bow to him, to make the sun under his control.

He wants the sun to shine on Cat Getan, so the sun must shine on Cat Getan, because if it's not bright enough, then Batman will replace it with another star.

This is not difficult at all, because he is Batman.

The principles he is mocked and criticized by everyone for—only circling around a city, not killing, not being cold to the end—all ultimately boil down to a light sentence: he is not greedy enough.

It all boils down to his ambition not being big enough, him not wanting enough, him not being able to release the Greed that is imprisoned in the corner of his heart and considered an original sin by the world, just like Schiller.

In the theater, Batman turned his head and saw not Schiller's Greed, but another himself.

That represents the terrible Greed he has never lost, but has also never indulged.