Chapter 2879

Just as Dick was stunned, Batman suddenly walked toward him. Dick instinctively took two steps back.

Batman's footsteps stopped. He saw fear in Dick's eyes. Of course, if he were still his Robin, Batman could fully understand, because the nonsense he said made Dick think he would hit him.

But Dick was a vampire now and could use magic, and he himself was almost mortally wounded.

What exactly was he afraid of?

"He is afraid of Batman," Shiler answered him fluently, as if he had a premonition of what Batman was puzzled about.

"Do you really think they don't know?" Shiler's tone was a bit curious. He said, "Do you really think they don't actually know about the concessions you made for them, don't know that if you weren't willing to make concessions at all, they couldn't have lived like this, don't know that all their confidence now actually comes from your indulgence?"

"Don't deceive yourself, Batman. They understand everything. They know that if you were really serious, they wouldn't have half a chance of winning, and the only thing that can make you open one eye and close the other like a dozing lion is your love for them."

"And in this situation, do you think Dick dares to bet that you still love him?"

Batman felt heart-piercing pain, as if his internal organs were about to burn up, and Shiler was still continuing.

"Of course he doesn't dare to bet, because he has become a monster, and has had his fangs pulled out, posing no threat to you. You have seen his ugly yet powerless side, and yet you threatened him so harshly. How could he dare to bet?"

He doesn't even dare to make a move on me... Batman thought in his heart. Dick Grayson is truly scared. He almost heard the sound of hope fading in Dick's heart, which made him urgently want to do something to make amends.

Rush up and explain? That would probably only make him retreat further. Besides, Batman really didn't know what to explain, because this was Batman's attitude toward monsters. Unless Dick had the ability to turn back time to before he was transformed, any explanation would seem pale and powerless.

"Answer my question."

When Shiler's next sentence appeared in the earpiece, Batman couldn't believe his ears.

"Do you want to force Dick further? Setting aside the influence of any emotional factors, are you really not afraid that he will jump over the wall in a hurry?"

Or is it that this evil doctor actually intends for the two of them to perish together here?

"Answer my question," Batman repeated somewhat self-abandonedly. He hoped Dick would act quickly.

Dick's arm began to tremble. In Batman's slightly expectant gaze, he raised his hand, but did nothing, just reached out and touched the cross hanging around his neck.

"I didn't," Dick said, choking. "I wasn't voluntarily transformed."

"You still haven't answered my question," Shiler's voice overlapped with Batman's. "I asked if the things you paid and what you gained are proportional."

Dick's expression began to become complicated. He said, "Of course, I gained powerful strength, more powerful than any of you."

"What did you pay?"

"Just the identity of a human."

"Is it really just that? Then why are we two standing here, instead of discussing tactics with other members of the Bat-family in the Batcave?"

"What do you want me to say?" Dick looked at Batman with tear-blurred eyes. He took a step forward voluntarily and said, "Do you want me to say that I gained such powerful strength by betraying you, and that it's all not worth it?"

Shiler's answer shocked Batman once again.

"You must say so, Richard Grayson. This is your last chance."

"So if I don't admit my mistake, you are going to drive me out..."

"... the last chance to live."

Dick was clearly frightened.

Batman clearly saw his expression and his brain have a moment of blankness at the same time, as if he had been stuck.

"All punishments in this world are progressive," Batman said. "The opportunity for the punishment of 'leaving your father' has been used up. This is the next level."

"You say you will kill me?!" Dick looked into Batman's eyes, seemingly looking for traces of him lying.

And Batman had never felt that the opportunity for explanation was so precious. This was of course his last pass that could be used for explanation. He had already opened his mouth, but Shiler gave the answer in advance.

"You have no position to demand that I don't do so, Mr. Grayson. Whether from the perspective of a human, a father, or the leader of the Bat-family, I think I have the power and it is best to do so."

"Then what are you waiting for?!" Dick roared at him.

"I am giving you a chance to beg me not to do so."

Batman didn't even know how his 37-degree mouth could spit out such cold words.

"You want me to beg for mercy from you?!!"

"From all your positions—human, son, member of the Bat-family—this is not an order, but a grace."

Very good, his own mouth could spit out even colder words. Batman spent all his willpower to refrain from looking away. He really couldn't look at Dick's eyes filled with tears now. No one could refrain from hugging him.

Dick seemed to have finally recognized reality. He betrayed humanity. As Batman, he should have killed him, but now he gave him a chance. As long as he begged for mercy, he wouldn't act.

Batman approached him. Dick knew he couldn't retreat anymore. If his survival instinct took the upper hand, he might really die here.

Batman hugged him, stroked the back of his head lightly, and then patted his back, feeling the body temperature transmitted through the armor.

This warm atmosphere made Batman relax a little, and then he heard Shiler speak.

"Tell me, using my love for you as the price to exchange for strength is the stupidest decision you have ever made."

"I wasn't voluntarily..."

"How it was at the time is not important. What is important is how you see it now." Batman finally understood Shiler's meaning, and he no longer needed Shiler to guide him, but said from the bottom of his heart.

"As long as you tell me it's all not worth it, and you regret it, I can completely erase this mistake, so you don't have to pay any price for this decision... because I am Batman."

Dick's hands slowly climbed onto Batman's solid arms. His fingers tightened gradually, but there was no fabric to grab. But on the side of this tall figure's neck, the raised head slowly lifted its chin, and tears flowed down continuously.

Many people will realize at some point in their lives how precious an opportunity is where as long as you admit a mistake, everything can be treated as if it never happened.

Dick finally couldn't help but whimper and began to cry loudly. He almost turned himself into a flame burning on Batman's chest, and Batman also truly felt that he was about to be burned through.

In his overly long life, he rarely had such severe pain, and rarely would he be about to be unable to suppress the anger and killing intent surging in his chest like now—toward everyone except Dick.

"This is not worth it at all..." Dick said with a hoarse voice. "That's not what I wanted, not..."

Batman didn't know what to say. Fortunately, he had a savior in his earpiece—a savior for now, but not necessarily later.

"You had no choice, right?" Batman asked.

"I said, I wasn't... voluntarily transformed..." Dick said intermittently. "I didn't want to betray..."

"Very good, how do you prove it?"

God! Batman almost roared in his heart! What else do you want this child to prove?! Are you even human?!

Dick was clearly also frozen. All his limb movements were expressing his confusion.

Batman continued to stroke his back and said, "Just now you wanted to bite my neck."

"But... but my fangs were pulled out..."

"I thought that was your instinctive reaction."

"Stop! Don't say any more!" Batman roared in his heart: "Dick isn't that kind of person. He was just using that action to show himself the grievances he suffered... wait, so is it to make him say this himself?"

"No! I know that wouldn't cause you any harm! Do you think..."

"Aren't you feeling lucky?"

"... what?"

"If you still possessed that pair of sharp fangs, I wouldn't allow you to approach my neck in that way," Batman ignored Dick's weak struggle and continued to hug him and say, "Of course, I wouldn't hug you like this either."

Wait, there is an obvious logical loophole in this, Batman suddenly thought. He probably wouldn't allow Dick before becoming a vampire to approach his neck in that way either, and he had almost never hugged him like this.

Dick was smart. He immediately discovered this loophole, so he muttered to himself: "But when I didn't have fangs, you didn't..."

"This is a reward, Dick."

Dick was clearly stunned again, his brain entering loading mode. If he weren't too close to him now, Batman would definitely warn Shiler not to instill such perverted thoughts into Dick.

Because obviously he had already seen the problem.

Dick didn't obtain anything special before he turned, but after he transformed, he obtained a so-called reward. So what was this rewarding?

Of course, it was that he gained strength, but chose to give up strength in the process. To be precise, the process of pulling out fangs, returning to docility, and bowing his head to express submission to him.

But almost every time, it was only after Batman said what Shiler told him to say that he realized the problem. It might even be a series of words that had meaning only when strung together, and couldn't be predicted in advance before opening his mouth. He knew Shiler must be doing it on purpose.

Dick took a deep breath. His arms exerted slight force to hug Batman tightly and said, "Is this what you want? Batman?"

I'm not crazy, Batman thought.

"Then perhaps I should apologize for another thing?" Dick said with slight sarcasm. "For leaving you and going to Blüdhaven..."

"No," Batman said, and then he thought that he finally said something human after such a long time.

As a result, he immediately heard Shiler say.

"This is our joint decision, Dick. If I don't allow you, you can't leave Gotham, so you don't have to apologize for this."

One of Dick's hands grabbed Batman's thick arm. His chest heaved continuously, his arms began to tremble, and he said, "You can't say that, Batman. I thought you were an upright hero..."

"I am, but the premise is that my dear child won't become a criminal. You going to Blüdhaven wouldn't be like this. Today is different."

Dick bit his teeth to death and said, "What's different?!"

Batman slowly let go of him, looked into his eyes, and said, "You told me you were going to Blüdhaven to become an independent city vigilante. You said so and did so. Although I was dissatisfied with your choice, there was no deception in it."

"But today, Mr. Grayson, can you tell me why you aren't afraid of sunlight and holy water?"

Dick's breathing was clearly stagnant. Obviously, under Batman's probing gaze, he felt tremendous pressure.

"If you had hidden back in the room during the day and didn't show up at afternoon tea, I could guarantee you that everything today wouldn't have happened."

Batman took a step forward, placed his hand between Dick's neck and shoulder, looked into his eyes, and said, "But you stood in the sunlight, drinking tea made with holy water, smiling and saying that just a little too much sugar was put in."

"Now, tell me, what's different?"