Chapter 3867

Natasha almost choked herself with a mouthful of wine. She coughed violently a few times, forcefully pulled her red hair back, stared at Shiler and said: "What?!"

"I don't know what you're surprised about, he is the President of the United States. Which US President is not influenced by the Soviet Union?"

"But the Soviet Union in his universe has already..."

"Precisely because it's already dead, he wants to know what it was like when it was alive."

"Then he should go read history books, why look for me?"

"He is attracted to you, like others. Seeing the tombstone in your heart, then he will definitely be curious, what kind of great ideals can make someone like you throw yourself into the fire."

"Don't they like to explain this as brainwashing? Like hypnosis or something," Natasha frowned and said.

"Other presidents might, but do you think Batman is that stupid?" Shiler showed a smile and said, "What's more, this Batman you provoked is exceptionally smart and decisive."

Natasha opened her mouth, but didn't know how to refute. She said: "What does he want to get from me? Soviet intelligence?"

"Then he should go read history books," Shiler shook his head, "Even for that information not written in books, he has ways to get it. Never question Batman's technical level."

"So?"

"He wants to know those more abstract things. For example, what united the people on that land? What made them the most powerful country in the world in just a few decades? What made people like you throw yourself into the fire and sacrifice your life?"

Shiler stepped closer, stared at Natasha and said: "Batman only ever does the best. When he was a vigilante, he wanted to save the darkest city; when he is president, he wants to build the best country."

The more Natasha listened, the more she felt something was wrong: "He... he... no way, right?"

"Maybe originally he didn't value that behemoth that had long since died so much, but you appeared—someone born in Stalingrad, who has seen the glorious era, comes from among them, firm, and full of ideals. After he discovered your strength and excellence, he would be exceptionally curious about why these times could occupy such a heavy weight in your soul. This is human nature, Madam."

Natasha looked up in some despair.

Shiler stood a little closer and said: "There were quite a few such people in that era, right? At first, they were just attracted to you, then they couldn't stop, and finally they didn't care about anything. I'm afraid even you yourselves are amazed at your attractiveness."

Natasha tilted her head slightly. She pursed her lips and didn't speak, looking like she had acquiesced.

"You're going to have huge trouble, Madam," Shiler raised his glass, as if celebrating.

"Ahhhhhhh!!!"

The scream interrupted Natasha's association. She instantly entered a combat state, touched the gun fixed on her thigh and the Widow's Bite on her arm without changing her expression, and walked quickly into the crowd.

Shiler didn't move, still standing by the window where there was almost no one, observing the crowd like an outsider.

An old man in a beige plaid shirt with two small mustaches stumbled into the crowd, followed by a woman with tears and snot running down her face. There was no doubt that they weren't a couple—the face of the old man's original wife was ugly to the extreme.

Even if it was just a scene of catching an affair, it was lively enough. But after the old man crawled up, he said tremblingly: "Restroom... there is a corpse in the restroom!!!"

The crowd scattered with a bang. But at this time the door opened, and what came in with the cold wind and dampness were bodyguards with live ammunition. They blocked the door tightly, and no one could get out.

"The Eden Killer has struck again!" The Penguin appeared on the second floor again, saying, "At my charity banquet, he killed one of you. He is simply daring!"

Natasha withdrew her gaze from him, stood in the crowd and turned to look at Shiler. Shiler slowly shook his head at her.

Natasha gradually leaned to the side, but was blocked by a tall bodyguard. But standing at this angle, she could see the opened door of the restroom—blood slowly flowed into the corridor, and the smell of blood followed.

"Now, everyone go to the rooms upstairs!" The Penguin roared, "Before I find the murderer, no one is allowed to leave!"

The bodyguards escorted the crowd upstairs, staring fiercely at everyone with guns, as if they were the most suspicious one if they walked a step slower. So everyone walked in a hurry, actively cooperating, for fear that this fat man who was driven crazy would settle scores with them.

Only Shiler was still slow. When passing the Penguin, he nodded at him and said: "Smart move, Mr. Cobblepot. But do you think the killer can't kill people this way?"

The Penguin's face was as gloomy as ever, but he didn't respond, just pretending not to hear. Shiler followed the bodyguards to a room on the third floor.

The Penguin was clearly premeditated. There were just enough empty rooms here, and each one had been cleaned up. However, he clearly didn't intend to have one person per room, but to lock two people together.

Natasha was stuffed into Shiler's room. Of course, this was absolutely the Penguin's idea—although the female agent beat him up, he believed Natasha was not the killer. Then letting her watch Shiler, who was quite suspicious, was the best choice.

Natasha remained vigilant, waiting by the door with a gun, until all movement on this floor disappeared, before she put away her pistol, came to the chair by the window, looked at Shiler standing in front of the window on the other side and said: "You know something, right?"

"Indeed. But I also guarantee to you, I am neither the Eden Killer nor the imitator, I haven't killed anyone recently."

"The key lies in the fact that you know their identities, but you don't say," Natasha stared at him with a frown, "What's the benefit of letting them kill people here? Why do you want to do this?"

"You are the biggest benefit," Shiler looked at Natasha and said.

"My God, if you weren't serious enough, I would have thought this was flirting," Natasha raised both hands and said, "I understand the agent a bit now. You can occasionally not do your job, but you can't be flirting in every sentence, right?"

"I'm stating a fact," Shiler shook his head gently, while lowering his head to organize his cuffs and saying, "Your appearance in these two universes is the benefit."

His tone was very serious, Natasha couldn't hear any meaning of joking, but the connotation was indeed too abstract—what does it mean that her appearance here is a benefit? What benefit does adding a female agent to these two universes have?

Natasha couldn't help but recall what Shiler said before: Arkham Batman is very curious about her, wanting to see what that miraculous country is like through her. This might also be the only special thing about her.

"God, no way!" Natasha couldn't help roaring, "I didn't listen carefully to a single political class back then, I was most annoyed by the nagging political commissar, and I even stole his hat because he made me copy it as punishment. You better not be saying I have to do this job!"

"What are you thinking?" Shiler's slightly teasing voice sounded, "I'm referring to the exchange and cooperation between the two worlds. Although many people have gone to the opposite dungeon before, it hasn't been as direct and indispensable as it is now."

Natasha coughed violently a few times. Fortunately, she quickly recovered and said: "You mean, this is just to strengthen the connection between the two worlds?"

"This is just the prelude," Shiler's speaking speed was still so slow, making people drowsy after saying a few sentences, "We need a larger alliance, broader, more powerful, to deal with greater dangers between the two worlds. This requires someone to make a good start."

Natasha instinctively sensed danger: "Framing the President and manufacturing murders are just the beginning. What exactly do you want to do?"

"It's us," Shiler said, "From the moment you agreed to come here, you couldn't run away. And because of Batman's special interest in you, you might play a very important role."

"Besides you, who else knows about this?"

"Shiler knows," Shiler continued, "Oh, except for the agent. He always walks very fast when he sets off, and generally doesn't look at the memory bank."

"So you all know, but hide it from him?" Natasha showed a look of disgust.

"Of course not. But it doesn't matter if he knows or not, he doesn't care about these things at all, he has no interest in any grand conspiracy, only focusing on the work at hand."

"A bit too focused on the present," Natasha couldn't help saying, "He at least walked Batman three times, but now he is lying in the medical center like nothing happened. Batman even gave him painkillers."

"Agents always have a way to get away."

"Then what do you plan to do about the situation here?" Natasha frowned again and said, "Although the Penguin's move isn't that smart, it's indeed useful. He gathered these Gotham upper-class people and locked them all up through a murder case. This way it's very difficult for the Eden Killer to break them one by one. No matter what, at least their safety is protected."

Shiler shook his head and said: "You and I both know the Eden Killer isn't a real killer, or rather, not any specific person. I don't believe the agent hasn't been able to make him show flaws in such a long time. Since you know in what form he exists, you know the Penguin's physical protection method is useless."

Natasha then reacted: if the mastermind of the two worlds is the same one, that electronic lifeform, then unless a fortress without internet is built like Batman, he will definitely take advantage of the loophole.

"But the Penguin doing this also has a benefit," Shiler said, "If he still wants to continue committing crimes, then at least he has to expose a part of himself, using it to manipulate humans."

"For example, sending emails?" Natasha immediately thought of the electronic lifeform's means in another universe, she said, "He can find someone's weakness, then send an email to threaten them, letting them go kill. But this isn't easy either, because the manor is full of bodyguards now."

"Don't bodyguards have weaknesses?"

"Of course they do. But if these upper-class people are manipulated to kill each other and disguised as vendettas, it might not be exposed so quickly—after all, there are many conflicts of interest between these people themselves. But if bodyguards are manipulated, the Penguin will definitely go crazy checking, because this relates to his own safety, which might accelerate the speed of exposure."

"Then it depends on how this smart electronic lifeform chooses," Shiler sat in another chair, turning to look out the window.

At this moment, a lightning bolt tore through the night sky. After the short brightness was deeper darkness. And that moment of light illuminated two figures fighting for their lives in a room in the manor. With a hiss, blood splashed on the shadows, and the screams rose with the thunder, like the prelude of a symphony playing to the last climax.

?? Finally almost done with the foreshadowing, exhausted to death.