Chapter 3774: Negotiation (Part 3)

In the Wei En Enterprises office, the Owlman took off his glasses. He leaned back in his chair, fingers interlaced over his abdomen, and let out a long sigh before sitting up straight to check his Multiverse interface.

"Knock, knock, knock." His assistant knocked on the door. "Mr. Rodriguez is here."

"Please, show him in."

Shiler walked in, shook hands with the Owlman, and gave him a brief hug. The Owlman looked at him and smiled. "A rare guest."

Shiler nodded back with a smile. They walked over to the desk, and Shiler took an invitation out of his briefcase. "This is the admissions invitation for the School of Magic. See what you think."

The Owlman picked it up to examine it. It was a purple invitation that functioned more like a display screen when unfolded, as the patterns were animated and the text appeared gradually.

"It's hard to imagine how abundant the magical energy in your universe must be to waste it on this," the Owlman remarked. "I think it's quite good, actually—quite magical. But I suspect Batman might prefer something more concise."

"We need to embody the dreamlike quality of magic to fill the children with longing for it," Shiler explained with a smile.

"Children?" the Owlman asked, sounding surprised.

Shiler looked equally surprised, unsure what he was questioning, and returned a puzzled look.

"So, this school isn't recruiting Batmen?"

"Are you joking?" Shiler said, stunned. "Who in their right mind would recruit a group of Batmen to attend school in their universe? That would be madness!"

The Owlman rubbed his nose awkwardly. "It's not that exaggerated, is it?"

"Of course it is. I barely managed to convince the administrators of the supernatural organizations in my universe to let Batmen even take a look. And that's only if they're accompanying students. If they stayed to enroll, the Director of S. H. I. E. L. D. would lose his mind."

"Your message didn't make that clear," the Owlman noted. "It sounded as if you were recruiting Batmen to attend the school."

Shiler opened his mouth, then checked the message he had sent out. He had to admit the Owlman was right.

"It's just that many details couldn't be explained directly in the message," Shiler said. "I want to invite interested Batmen to a specific universe to discuss it, rather than enrolling them directly."

"Which universe are you planning to hold the talks in?"

"A relatively sunny and safe one. I've already made the arrangements," Shiler said. "Then I'll arrange for them to visit my universe. That way, they can recommend our school within the Batman community."

"You'd better clarify quickly that you aren't trying to enroll them," the Owlman said, putting the invitation back. "In my experience, even though most Batmen lack magical talent, they've never given up on trying to master magical power. If you say it like that, you might reignite their hopes. You don't want to be pestered by that many Batmen, do you?"

Shiler shuddered at the thought. He sighed. "I suppose I'll have to clarify it during the negotiations. By the way, who are you planning to send?"

"Since seeing the Robins from other universes, I've been looking into my own. Tim Drake is the easiest to work with; I know his father. He's a sharp kid, and I think it's worth letting him give it a try."

"It seems you can handle both Wei En Enterprises and your Batman duties without Tim's help. Letting him explore the magical realm is indeed a good idea."

They chatted a while longer about the school's structure and curriculum, then Shiler checked his watch. "Time's up. Let's head to that Batman's universe now."

The Batman of the *Adventure* universe had the same settings as the Main Universe Batman, so while the stories felt warmer, the climate of Gotham remained unchanged. Their timing wasn't great; it was early spring and raining.

"Is this the 'sunny Gotham' you mentioned?" the Owlman asked, standing at the airport entrance and looking at the weather. "Doesn't seem any better than our Gotham."

"Perhaps it's just the wrong season," Shiler said. "But that's fine. If it were too sunny, most Batmen wouldn't be comfortable."

"If it were me, I'd have scheduled the talks in Los Angeles during the summer to give them a taste of what's coming," the Owlman laughed, seemingly imagining the scene.

"That's actually a good idea," Shiler said. "It is summer over there, and the school is in a nature reserve in Massachusetts with very strong UV rays. They'll need to acclimate."

As they spoke, a limousine pulled up to the airport entrance. The *Adventure* Batman stepped out in a suit and shook Shiler's hand.

"Sorry, my universe isn't as sunny as you'd hoped," Batman smiled. "It's been raining for days. But don't worry about security; knowing you were coming, I asked Clark and Diana to help clear out the recent cases."

"Very impressive, sir. You're ahead of 99% of other Batmen."

Shiler and the Owlman got into Batman's car, and they drove toward Wei En Manor. On the way, Batman asked the Owlman, "Did you receive an invitation from *that* Batman?"

"You mean him? The 'most Batman' Batman?"

Shiler knew they were referring to the Main Universe Batman.

With so many similar Batmen, addressing each other was a major issue. A codename would have been better, but most Batmen didn't seem to want one, especially not one with no special meaning, so the matter was shelved.

However, Batmen were smart. In most contexts, they knew exactly who was being referred to. Even if they didn't, they wouldn't ask; they'd pretend they knew and investigate later. It made communication surprisingly harmonious.

"He's recruiting," Batman said. "It's not just the Dark Multiverse causing a stir; the Batmen who joined the Multiverse are all harboring their own agendas. There are many small factions, and they're in conflict. Becoming the leader of the Batmen won't be easy."

"I think he's looking for people to deal with the Dark Multiverse. He wants to rescue as many Batmen as possible, so he needs manpower. As for the internal struggles, nothing is more important than saving lives."

"That's true," Batman nodded. "He has high moral standards, but that doesn't mean everyone else does. Some have already started making moves. Aren't you worried about being dragged into it?"

"Worrying won't help," the Owlman said. "The idea of vying for higher status in our universe sounds utterly foolish. I have no intention of participating. Batmen aren't creatures that survive by huddling together. If they do that, it only proves they aren't pure or strong enough."

Batman didn't respond, but he was clearly deep in thought. Shiler understood their concerns. Since the Multiverse opened, the situation had become delicate.

When they first encountered this strange world, they needed time to explore, gather intelligence, find their footing, and formulate strategies.

Now, most Batmen had finished the intelligence-gathering phase. They had a general understanding of the Multiverse and detailed knowledge of certain universes, so naturally, they wanted to act.

Where there are people, there is conflict. Or rather, "where there are people, there is hierarchy." Establishing rules and hierarchies is a means of seeking profit, even if the society is built by Batmen.

Batmen aren't greedy, but if the benefits they gain from exchange help them better fulfill their duties and save Gotham's citizens, they will certainly want to compete.

In a society, there are many ways to vie for influence. You can contribute to the group through your own talents; the Main Universe Batman chose this path. He wanted to gather a team to go to the Dark Multiverse and rescue as many Batmen as possible—a goal that aligns with the interests and moral values of most Batmen. If he succeeds, they will naturally accept his leadership.

But it's an incredibly difficult task. The Dark Multiverse is treacherous, and not all Dark Batmen can be saved; there's a high chance of working hard for nothing. Not every Batman has the ability or resolve for that.

A simpler way is to huddle together. As long as you have enough supporters, you naturally have more influence. Some Batmen have chosen this path.

They frequently contact their counterparts and even lobby for the support of Supermen and Wonder Women from various universes, hoping to gain more influence within the Batman community.

While every Batman is like a saint compared to ordinary people, there are moral hierarchies even among Batmen. Moreover, seeking benefits for one's own universe isn't necessarily a moral failing; any normal person would do the same. So, while some Batmen scoff at these tactics, most have begun considering which side to stand on.

Choosing the right camp can bring more benefits to one's universe; choosing the wrong one means watching others feast while you go hungry.

Shiler listened to the two Batmen and realized the *Adventure* Batman had already chosen to support the Main Universe Batman. The Owlman's attitude, however, was poor; he seemed to dislike the whole affair and preferred to remain a lone wolf.