A lonely and desolated figure walked step by step back to the mansion's gate under the night sky.
With the gate slamming shut, Batman shed off his armor piece by piece, and after a turn, he donned red velvet striped pajamas.
Alfred was still as considerate as ever, having already prepared hot tea and sweet cookies on the coffee table. Batman flung himself onto the soft sofa with a thud, lounging on it, propped up by one hand under his head, listlessly watching the midnight program on the television and tossing cookies into his mouth.
Before he realized it, there was only one last cookie left. Batman, while glaring at the TV screen, reached out to grab it, but the next second, he touched another hand and sprung up with a shout.
Batman turned his head as if seeing a ghost, looking at the figure sitting on the other side of the sofa. The other person picked up that last cookie, threw it into their mouth, took a sip of hot tea, and showed a satisfied expression.
Batman stared at him.
Reclining on the sofa, Shiller was completely oblivious, very interested in the noisy midnight family drama on the television, and still had the leisure to jokingly say to Batman, "I bet that the male and female protagonists will break up within three episodes. They're just not meant for each other, and then this person behind him, yes, the one with the phone, will immediately move in for the kill, and judging by her look, she's definitely plotting to climb up the ladder by having a child..."
Batman, initially furious that he had intruded into his home, and eaten his cookies, now became a bit curious by what he said and retorted with a curled lip, "No, that can't be, the leads are in a good relationship, I watched this drama the day before yesterday, and they've been childhood sweethearts."
Shiller snorted and said, "Just watch."
These family mini-dramas were not long, about 15 minutes per episode. In fact, at the 20-minute mark, the clues started to emerge, as the female lead ran out after an argument and met the second male lead on the roadside, at which point Batman knew trouble was coming.
After reluctantly watching two and a half episodes, the male and female leads were at daggers drawn, the female lead ran off to find the second male, and the third party pointed out by Shiller successfully took her place, even secretly tampering with the safety products.
Batman scoffed, grabbed the remote control, and wanted to change the channel. He said, "You must have watched this drama before, but I'm not one to be addicted to soap operas, I want to watch the political news."
Batman switched channels with the remote control. America's midnight political radio wouldn't broadcast anything very serious, mostly it was the less popular people from both parties sitting there and chattering nonsense, along with some public Q&As and somewhat humorous interviews with third-rate celebrities.
Batman flipped through the channels for quite a while, finally finding a familiar face, an MP he seemed to have met once at a party. Although not very famous, the fact that he attended a party with Batman himself meant he must have had some significance.
The content of his conversation with the host was very general, mainly analyzing the world situation and drawing votes for his party, then he brought up his daughter's marriage, stating both were very devout Protestants, followed by some trivial matters about wedding preparations.
These things seemed meaningless and were inappropriate chat fodder for the public, but American political news always appeared to have a lot of trivial chitchat, every word intending to showcase their party's stance.
The MP was clearly from the Conservative Party; the wedding details he emphasized were those most traditional and classic, resonating with the older generation, a tactic they habitually used.
Unexpectedly, Shiller shook his head and sighed, saying, "It seems his daughter's marriage won't go well."
Batman's attention was once again drawn to him, not that he wanted to keep regarding his uninvited guest. But each time, the latter spoke with such a sure tone, saying things that seemed outlandish.
"Come on, isn't this just a frustrated old politician playing his outdated tricks? How can you tell the marriage won't go well?"
"Did you notice a detail?" Shiller reclined on the single-seater sofa, propped his head up with his hand, and said, "His daughter requested a blue and white balloon arch, but he refused it, saying it didn't match the carpet's color and there might be accidents with the balloons, causing a scare among guests."
"Yes, what about it?" Batman said with an attitude that seemed to challenge Shiller to come up with some grand theory.
"My guess is that it wasn't his daughter who wanted it, but his son-in-law. And the choice of bow tie styles that followed made it even more obvious."
"According to what he said, the current son-in-law is his daughter's first love, and they never cohabitated before marriage. So where did his daughter learn about so many men's bow tie styles, pick one out, and argue with her father about every style's attributes?"
"Are you suggesting that the son-in-law has been using his daughter's voice to influence her father's decisions?"
"What I mean is that this gentleman's daughter has been completely won over by her son-in-law, totally turning her elbow outwards, and is not as traditional and conservative as he describes. In private, she probably cast off convention long ago."
"And how can you tell?"
"Problems like these always arise in such families, it's not hard to see because her father is frustrated in his career and is desperately looking for an advantage. Being in the Conservative Party, he naturally wants to appear traditional and conservative. If he can't do it himself, he tries to shape his daughter into the perfect traditional wife he envisions."
"How do you know he can't do it?"
"I not only know he can't do it, but I also know he can't control his lower half. That guy has probably been cheating for a long time."
```
"Although I'm not surprised, how did you figure it out?"
"Remember the two audience perspective cuts we just had?"
"You mean when they cut to the audience laughing during the God joke?"
"Yes, his lover should be in the seats. If you don't believe me, just watch when they cut back later. Second row, third person, the woman with auburn curls, her laughter is clearly different from the others."
Batman was skeptical as he stared at the screen. Soon they told another unfunny joke, prompting the camera to cut to the audience again. This time, Batman focused on the woman Shiller had pointed out, and then he noticed something truly different.
The reactions of the other people were, to put it nicely, professional smiles, or if put unpleasantly, perfunctory. Unsurprisingly, most of the audience appeared to be paid, but the lady with the auburn hair had a pride in her smile.
This pride was strange, not the kind that one shows when a familiar person performs well, but rather like possessing someone and demanding the public to acknowledge her significance with satisfaction and complacency.
This emotion was so obvious that even an ordinary person could glimpse it, let alone Batman.
"If he set an example himself, perhaps I wouldn't so easily deduce his daughter's rebellious ways. But he could do such a thing, you should know what kind of person he is."
Shiller sighed softly and said, "For a child, the scariest thing isn't strict parents. If parents adhere consistently to a principle, even if it's wrong, they wouldn't bring up a divided person or cause a child the pain of inner conflict."
"The most fearsome is inconsistency and logical contradictions, wanting one thing now and another later, using one set of logic for the child and another for oneself and others. In such a family, kids grow up with their spirits torn, ultimately falling into an endless whirlpool of self-pull, drowning in it and becoming misfits in this world."
"Children with such personalities struggle to manage intimate relationships well. 'Vulnerability' might be the best descriptive word, but I prefer to call it 'the forced madness of a sliding door.'
"When people distance themselves, they feel it's because of others, believing they should be above anyone they associate with, and thus desperately bind others to their side."
"When people want to get close, they want to know if they're the closest to them, demanding limitless self-validation from them. If the other party can't satisfy them, then they push them away."
"In intimate relationships, they endlessly repeat this process until they drive all sane, non-sliding door people crazy as well."
"Wait a second," Batman, as if suddenly realizing something, narrowed his eyes and looked at Shiller, "You're talking about the daughter of that politician, aren't you?"
"Of course," Shiller nodded with feigned innocence, "What else could it be? I wouldn't be using an allegory, would I?"
Batman was taken aback, always feeling that something was off, but if he pointed it out, it would seem as though he was taking it too seriously.
After all, they were still in the mood for casual conversation; whoever steered it to serious matters would seem insecure, as if they were relating these symptoms to themselves.
"Of course, these issues reflected in intimate relationships often lead to many adverse effects, like the perpetual sensation of loneliness, the ensuing self-doubt, depression and sadness after indecision, and eventually nihilistic self-denial..."
Shiller began again, his analysis flowing smoothly from his mouth, as if he had a prepared speech ready.
"Unable to handle intimate relationships properly, they often feel lonely, even when surrounded by splendor. This endless doubt prevents them from receiving emotional signals from others effectively, making them feel like outcasts, misunderstood, lonely and isolated."
"The more lively others are, the more their anomaly stands out. So they prefer to avoid any busy occasions, staying alone rather than seeming pitiful, which makes it harder for them to open their hearts, becoming more solitary and lonely."
"Their act of isolating themselves and pushing others away hurts people. Everyone has feelings; we all prefer empathy and reciprocity, not one-sided giving, then getting hurt."
"Then, their once lush gardens wither, the lively scenes disperse, and in the hollow world, only one person remains. The imagined loneliness becomes reality, and the self-constructed scene of desolation becomes truly desolate."
"Although it can't be said this is entirely their own fault, if they could realize the problem lies within themselves, the situation could greatly improve. It's never too late, after all. When one spring passes, there will be another, and there will always be flowers in bloom."
Batman stood up from his chair, suddenly stretching his neck and shouting, "Alfred! Bring me that bottle of good wine!"
"Which one, sir?" Alfred appeared just in time.
"The best one!"
```
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Watching the clear Dionysium being poured into the glass, Shiller felt somewhat flattered and surprised.
It wasn't that no one had ever invited him to drink, but this was Batman, and before you question whether this Batman was authentic, he was Batman! How many people had been invited to drink by Batman?!
This was an achievement on par with seeing Iron Man crying and hearing Spider Man cuss! Not even Arrogant had achieved these two!
Shiller coughed twice, curbed his excitement slightly, and clinked glasses with Batman. Batman winked at him and said, "So, in your opinion, how do we resolve this situation?"
"My ears are almost pricked up higher than a Doberman's, and here you are, all fancy words." Shiller chuckled to himself and said, "Actually, it's not that difficult, it's nothing compared to some extreme cases I've seen before."
"Let's hear it then," Batman said, sitting up even straighter.
"But before that, you have to tell me what you've been keeping from me." Shiller waved his hand and said, "This isn't a trade, but I need to know if my previous guesses about certain people's original families were accurate. It will help me judge the situation and propose solutions, that's not too much to ask, right?"
Batman's movements paused noticeably, and the hand swirling the glass stopped, too. He looked away as if reminiscing something, but soon shook his head and said, "Of course not, but I don't think you'll believe it, nobody does."
"Since you're aware that we are visitors from other cosmos, you should consider that in the myriad of cosmos, numerous strange things happen. How can you be so sure that what you're going to tell me is so strange that we wouldn't believe it?"
Batman opened his mouth, seemingly unable to organize a better rebuttal, so he simply said, "Then I have no choice but to reveal this huge secret to you."
Batman's tone was not one of smugness or guilt, but rather self-mockery, as if he had told this secret countless times to everyone, but no one believed him.
"Our ability to infinitely assemble our limbs does not come without a cost," Batman said. "The parts wear out, it's just that some Mysterious Power repairs our wear and tear, but this Mysterious Power is also limited."
Batman's expressive face, for once, displayed a seriousness and darkness similar to that of other Batmen as he said, "Every part of our body contains this Mysterious Power, the unused limbs have the most power, and the more they are repaired, the less power remains, until none is left."
"How many assemblies would it take to exhaust it?"
"Nobody knows," Batman shook his head and said, "No one has conducted such a cruel experiment, but there are indeed some unlucky ones who often get damaged and find they can't attach a part of their body anymore, proving that their internal Mysterious Power is almost depleted."
"So what now?"
"A group of people are looking for ways to replenish this Mysterious Power," Batman said, hands clasped under his chin. "They've found a method that allows the Mysterious Power to return to its origin, which can slow down the consumption of the power."
"Did your parents go to do this?"
Batman's hands clenched suddenly, he nodded and said evasively, "Yes, they are fighting for this cause."
"I mean, did they allow their own power to return to the origin?"
Finally, Batman couldn't hold back anymore. He grabbed the glass, poured the drink into his mouth in one go, and somehow choked, coughing violently several times.
"They had to do it, that's what they told me before they left. I can probably understand what's going on; if they were the ones who proposed this plan, then if they don't set an example, no one else will follow."
"Who are these other people?"
"The previous generation of superheroes," Batman said. "They seemed to have lived in a place called New York, but disappeared one after another the year my parents went missing."
"Sounds like a sad story."
"But their sacrifice was meaningful," Batman said. "The lack of Mysterious Power at the source is a very fatal issue, and it's not new, either. Thanks to the sacrifice of the previous generation of superheroes, this issue was delayed for decades, but it couldn't be postponed forever."
"So Barbara and Gordon are also implementing this plan, is it through recruiting volunteers?"
"It's not that ideal," Batman said. "Most people think we're alarmists, even the others in the Justice League feel the same; they think life can go on like this forever."
"That's why I feel very disappointed that I cannot unite them. My parents managed to, and now not only do they not believe me, they don't even need me. I don't know how I'm going to convince them when the crisis comes… I don't want to do this..."
"I understand you completely," Shiller said. "It seems my speculation was correct, your parents were also constantly immersed in this state of mind, wanting to save the world yet unable to let go of their old friends, exhibiting a sort of schizophrenic duality."
Batman nodded in agreement, "The two words I heard most often as a child were 'must' and 'don't want'. They had countless arguments about this, telling me some things they must do, and then saying some things they also didn't want to do. I couldn't understand what they meant."
```
"They're also worried that you might one day find yourself entwined in the same dilemmas as they are, so they did their best to delay that time as much as possible," Shiller explained from another angle. He said, "At least their sacrifices were meaningful, because you are now a capable adult. Had the crisis come during your childhood, it would have been a completely helpless situation."
Batman nodded in agreement with this statement. He poured himself some more wine—though what was referred to as wine was actually grape juice, which Shiller had already tasted. As part of a family-friendly spin-off, real alcohol couldn't possibly appear in this cosmos, so Shiller didn't stop Batman from drinking more of it.
"You said you have a way to solve my current problems with interpersonal communication. If you really can do it, you can name your price for the therapy," Batman stated.
"It's a shame that the money from your cosmos is of no use to me; a little keepsake is enough, too much would be unnecessary," Shiller said, tapping his finger on the glass. He added, "But since you are Batman, your word is worth its weight in gold. If you promise to do me a favor in the future—"
"That's provided we have a future," Batman quickly agreed, saying, "If you can really solve this problem, even just a temporary delay, before I'm completely worn down and unable to be put back together, I'll do you a favor."
Shiller nodded, then continued, "Direct personality correction through psychotherapy is probably too late; that would require a quiet environment, medication, and long-term committed treatment."
"So we'll start with correcting behavior. I believe your willpower should hold. Over time, behavior can, in turn, correct the psyche."
"First, although my principle is if it's not painful, no treatment is needed, I have to consider that most patients who feel loneliness are reluctant to describe themselves as such, often avoiding the subject and insisting they're fine. So, I'll assume you're distressed by loneliness."
Batman instinctively moved his mouth, wanting to object, but Shiller efficiently blocked his rebuttal, continuing to say.
"First, in every three sentences you speak, make someone else the subject of two, not yourself. Don't emphasize your current state, but inquire about the state of others."
"For example," Shiller extended his hand and said, "after saying 'hello,' initiate by asking how the other person is. When someone begins to talk about how they are, you have to resist the impulse to bring the conversation back to yourself."
"A wrong example would be, if someone says they've not been feeling well recently, don't reply with saying you've also not been well and then start talking about yourself. Instead, persist in asking why they're not doing well, what challenges they've encountered."
"When they begin to describe their difficulties, don't launch into your own solutions or how you solved similar problems in the past unless they seriously ask for your advice. Just listen."
Batman covered his mouth with his glass, struck by how accurately Shiller's method for behavioral improvement targeted his habits. He was exactly this kind of person. Reflecting on all his past interactions with the Justice League members, conversations rarely went more than three sentences before the focus shifted to himself.
For instance, when Superman mentioned recent improvements to the Fortress of Solitude, Batman would immediately talk about recent changes he made to the layout of the Batcave. When Wonder Woman spoke of the mess on Mount Olympus, Batman would share his thoughts on mythology.
Thus, no conversation with him ever went deep; topics were brought up but never fully discussed because the participants' attempts were always cut short, and then it was time for Batman's monologues.
"I was just trying to offer them advice..." Batman muttered under his breath.
"The human race doesn't need advice or suggestions because humans never wholeheartedly accept them," Shiller stated. "Even if they do, they'll think of themselves as open to criticism and clear-headed, not that you were particularly intelligent or helpful to them."
Batman had no rebuttal.
"Secondly, when you talk about yourself, don't attribute everything to your own thoughts," Shiller said with a frown. "If you can't participate in something, say it's because someone else has hindered you, not because you don't want to go."
Batman was about to speak when Shiller interjected, "I know this amounts to lying, but humans need lies the most; they only listen to what they want to hear. They cannot understand or accept your true thoughts, even if they do hear them."
Batman pursed his lips and remained silent, evidently resonating deeply with the idea of being misunderstood.
Shiller's point had also been his experience. When Superman invited him to a party and he said he didn't want to go, the response was silence—a silence as if the other party couldn't find any excuses for him, as if they were under no obligation to make excuses.
"You may not care about the society behind you, but they do," Shiller continued. "You need to provide them with an explanation to deal with the questions from those around them. If you come up with your own excuses, others won't have to go to the trouble of doing it for you. They might do it once or twice, but people tire eventually."
Batman seemed to take this in, nodding his head.
Shiller sighed and carried on, "Third, when others bring you up in conversation, don't try to alter the image they've painted of you to anyone who has heard it. Don't bother explaining."
"Why not?" Batman asked. "Should I just let them slander me?"
"Humans will only believe what they want to believe. If they don't think you're a certain kind of person, no matter how many times they're told differently, it doesn't matter. Conversely, if they do believe you're a certain kind of person, all the explanations in the world won't change their minds."
"I know this is confusing for you," Shiller said, taking a sip of grape juice, "but any wise person understands that explanations and clarifications only exist on a moral level. As for specific individuals, removing prejudice is as hard as scaling the heavens."
"It's not wrong to be committed to uncovering the truth, but in social contexts, your eagerness becomes a knife in others' hands, ready to stab you. Once people learn what provokes you, an ordeal of fire and knives awaits you."
"To dominate in social situations, you must appear indifferent. Only then can you move seamlessly through any circumstance, victorious in every battle."