Chapter 4896: There Is No Batman Here (Part 1)

The storm finally stopped. Gotham's rainy season was over.

Gotham, which had been battered by storm surges for days and nights, showed no signs of damage; instead, it looked as if a dirty floor had been harshly cleaned with a high-pressure water gun. All the buildings looked brand new, even heritage-protected ones like Falcone Manor, which had been washed clean of some traces of age. It was precisely through one such storm after another that the city became that evil yet pure kind of place.

Nyarlathotep came silently and left silently, stepping to the beat of the storm's last rain, and vanished completely within the manor. When others woke up, they only saw Shiler sitting beside the sofa, watching a replay of the TV program.

Tim held his head, having spent the longest time in contact with Brand, his spirit exhausted, and he felt a bit dizzy. He shouted: "Professor Shiler."

Shiler turned his head to look at him, walked over, and helped him up from the sofa. Tim sucked in a breath of cold air, rubbed his forehead, and said: "Is it over now?"

"Yes, the rain has stopped." Shiler's voice remained somewhat low. Tim forced his eyes open and asked: "So what's going on? Why did that guy suddenly..."

"I am his enemy," Shiler said, "to be precise, it's the me that he saw who is his enemy."

"His enemy disguised himself as you?"

"His enemy is me."

"You've confused me, Professor."

"The former me was not me." Shiler let out a light sigh, "Before coming to Gotham, Shiler Rodriguez was another person. Brand's enemy was him."

"So, Brand wanted to avoid his enemy, but in the end, he still ended up in the same city as his enemy..."

Shiler shook his head and said: "By then, I was no longer his enemy."

Tim was a bit stuck; he sat up from in front of the sofa and wiped his face. Shiler walked over and made him a cup of hot coffee. Tim held the coffee cup and asked: "Are you the same person before coming to Gotham and after coming to Gotham, just looking alike, but actually two different people?"

Shiler lightly nodded: "Before coming to Gotham, I was Brand's enemy; after coming to Gotham, I am his friend."

"What is the relationship between the two yous?"

"He was my former doctor."

Tim froze. That melon he ate at the Black Death Emperor's place had basically spread throughout Shiler's entire circle of acquaintances by now. But after that battle, that doctor had vanished like a dragon—seen only in glimpses, with few truly seeing him.

"That guy who just drank with us..."

"It was me," Shiler said, "when I said I was going upstairs to rest, we two switched."

Tim showed an expression of sudden understanding, because he had an instinctive feeling that this doctor was not the type to reason together with them. Then Tim asked again: "Since your relationship is so close, why, when facing Brand, are your attitudes completely different?"

"Actually, there isn't any difference," Shiler said, "whether Brand is his enemy depends on what he did. Before, he was just an outer god wanting to cause trouble on Earth, so we couldn't blame the doctor for seeking him out. But after he came to Gotham, he became a diligent and excellent doctor, so both of us would be his friends."

"This is exactly what I don't understand," Tim said, "how could an outer god become a doctor? And seemingly do it well?"

"Nyarlathotep is very cunning; he is a devil who can see through people's hearts." Shiler called out Nyarlathotep's name, "He knows that as long as he is an excellent good doctor, we two could never really cause him trouble, at most just scare him a bit. Isn't that what just happened?"

"No wonder," Tim said, "he had already run away, but came back for Edward. It seems he was worried that if he just threw Edward away like that, causing serious consequences, you two would together go to his hometown to find him."

"But if he comes back to settle Edward's matter and continues to cure him, then the chance that you two will let him go is greater. However—did you let him go?"

"We didn't do anything to him. If he just doesn't want to borrow power, then the doctor also has no way. But, as an outer god most heavy with human nature, Nyarlathotep will also succumb to his own greed. He has no reason not to participate in the new round of events; for him, it's all benefit and no harm."

"Then why does he act so afraid?"

"Nyarlathotep is the Thousand-Faced God." Shiler's answer was somewhat ambiguous, "You see only what he wants you to see; his true thoughts are known to no one."

Tim, however, seemed to understand something. A person must have a weakness and be threatenable to have room for negotiation. If completely invincible, then there would be no back-and-forth, and thus no way to participate in any events at all.

If what the outer god wants is merely a "sense of participation," then he must artificially create some weaknesses. Just like Brand, in front of him, appeared not wanting to offend him and Brainiac, but upon reflection, such a being, even if they truly offended him, what could they do? Here, no one can hit him; even if someone could hit him, could they truly kill him?

Tim did not feel discouraged; instead, he became more interested. These mysterious things make people full of exploratory desire, a pity that Brand has already left, otherwise we could really grab him and ask him properly.

"By the way, Professor," Tim recalled Ogwei's matter, and just at this time, Cobpot came in from the back door.

When the door opened, it brought a hint of biting cold. Cobpot seemed to have already regained that sharp and capable demeanor, with a very faint smell of blood on him.

"Sorry, I'll go wash up." Cobpot said.

So the two of them didn't bring up the topic about Cobpot, but waited for him to take a shower, change clothes, and come down, before Tim stood up and asked: "How is it?"

"I owe you a personal favor," Cobpot said, "he did it."

Tim let out a light sigh: "Who started it? Have you found out?"

"The mastermind naturally wouldn't let him know. But, I suspect it's Doctor Manhattan." Cobpot said, "Doctor Manhattan wanted to disguise himself as a blue beetle, but after he toppled me, what he wanted to do next, I'm not too clear about."

"He should be targeting Brainiac," Tim suggested, "because Brainiac also made a game system, so they are the real competitors."

"I don't care about that," Cobpot said, "I currently have no energy to worry about things beyond the universe; I want to take care of my mother and Edward, ensuring they get good treatment during their optimal recovery period. But this doesn't mean I won't strike back."

Cobpot looked into Tim's eyes: "If I hire you to find a group of people to investigate Doctor Manhattan's conspiracy, what do I need to pay?"

"I'll be honest with you," Tim smiled and said, "I also have this intention, so you don't need to pay anything. I can't do this alone, but I happen to have a group of friends; I need some material support."

"No problem," Cobpot said, "I and Brainiac will provide you with logistical support. Right?"

Brainiac made two beeping sounds, as a response. If this was really done by Doctor Manhattan, then Brainiac will definitely want him to look bad. It's time to retrieve my villain account.

"Then it's settled," Tim said, "I need to first gather people, wait until everyone is assembled, then we'll hold a meeting."

After saying that, he hurried away. Shiler looked toward Cobpot and said: "The hospital water hasn't receded yet, but Edward's condition cannot be delayed; Brand took him away first."

"As you know, Professor, I've never been interested in those godly-mumbo-jumbo things." Cobpot sat down, he said, "Edward and my mother can both use Clarkaya glycoside, but Mr. Falcone's situation is more complicated..."

"I've already contacted Professor X; he will come soon." Shiler said, and the one he contacted was indeed Charles of the Greedy Universe. He actually isn't exactly free, but Alberto and Evans brothers' conditions are very rare, and Charles is also very interested, so he should arrive soon.

"Professor," Brainiac suddenly spoke up, "could you go and ask Commissioner Gordon to come back?"

"Now that I think about it, isn't it a bit late?" Shiler said.

"Tim refuses to do it." Brainiac seemed to be sighing, "I also need him to investigate Doctor Manhattan's matter, but the Gotham Commissioner's position cannot be vacant, and there's no other suitable person."

"Where is Commissioner Gordon now?"

"The main universe," Brainiac replied, "he is on vacation with his family. I'm not sure if he's willing to come back; that main universe's Batman is very hard to deal with..."

Brainiac went on another long complaint. Obviously, contact with the main universe's Batman hasn't been pleasant. In this world, compared to electronic life, the thing that is most neither soft nor hard to eat is probably Batman.

"I can make a trip," Shiler said, "the water pollution issue..."

"I think we should focus on solving the problems we already have, rather than clinging to past trivialities." Brainiac was very helpless, and dealing with this bunch of Gotham people has taught this electronic life to retreat one step and gain vast skies.

"When will the water recede?" Shiler asked.

"About another twelve hours." Brainiac gave a figure, "Your house situation is still fine, not flooded; just tidy up the yard a bit."

Shiler nodded: "I need to entertain Charles; I can't be too shabby."

At this time, Ethan also got up. He didn't quite understand the current situation and felt a bit confused: "How did I suddenly fall asleep?"

"You drank too much alcohol," Coppert said. He looked at the bottles scattered on the coffee table—besides red wine, there were also two bottles of whiskey. Whiskey with ice cubes always makes people misjudge their own alcohol tolerance.

"I remember I can hold my liquor pretty well," Ethan muttered, but he didn't ask too much about it. Then came Victor right after.

Coppert stood up and said: "Professor, I'll have someone send those two hundred tons of ice back."

"I thought you'd want to keep it to build an ice mountain restaurant," Victor walked over and patted his shoulder. Coppert smiled, showing a bit of the shyness common in his youth.

No matter what, the rain had stopped. Shiler looked out the window and said: "The storm will always pass."

The damp air still filled the entire city with a hazy mist. The no-longer-dark Dark City, after the night rain, emerged from its hardness and revealed a few traces of soft melancholy.

When the Red Hood of the main universe stepped out of the portal, he took a deep breath and felt as if his whole body had been soaked in water. He turned back to look at the portal, wondering if he had taken the wrong turn.

Then came Red Robin right after. As soon as he stepped out, he froze: "Are you sure this is the universe of the Nameless Bat? Weren't they saying the sun would come out here? Where is the sun?"

Nightwing and Cassandra came out one after the other. Nightwing said somewhat exaggeratedly: "How is it even more humid than our place? Did it just rain?"

"Probably not just that," Red Hood said, sticking his head out: "That guy summoned us—could it be to stop a typhoon?"