Days as a Spiritual Mentor in American Comics

The agent's loaded gun would never sound a second late.

He watched as Elliot fell with a bullet in his heart, and slowly lowered his arm. Behind Elliot, the shareholders, Talya, Harvey Dent, Jason Todd, Oswald Cobblepot, and finally Dick who had rushed in, all stared at Shiller in shock.

"FBI Special Investigator Schiller Rodriguez," Shiller said expressionlessly, "The Federal Bureau of Investigation suspects Thomas Elliott is the murderer of the Elliot couple years ago. I'm here to investigate. During our confrontation, he refused to cooperate and assaulted an officer. I will charge him with resisting arrest and assaulting police. Any questions?"

"You killed him!" Dent stepped forward, staring at Elliot's body on the ground in disbelief, "Even if you're investigating, you can't just kill him directly!"

"I said he assaulted an officer."

Dent stared at Shiller incredulously, hoping to find a hint of guilt on his face. Unfortunately, Shiller seemed just like every other FBI special investigator, killing without batting an eye.

"Wait, Agent! You just said Thomas killed his parents?! Oh my God, how is this possible?"

"When the Elliot couple died, how old was Thomas anyway? How could he commit such a cruel act? I really didn't expect him to be this kind of person..."

"Then with the Wayne couple's case, could it also have been him..."

"Jesus, I knew something felt off at the time. We were working with a murderer for so long, thinking about it now sends chills down my spine!"

"Didn't you hear what the agent said? He dared to assault an officer! During the bridge bidding, I saw him smashing things in the preparation room. He's a maniac!"

The shareholders started discussing, seemingly unable to believe Elliot's actions. But with each word, they convicted Elliot's guilt and confirmed his assault on the police.

"Alright, everyone calm down," Batman said, "When the agent showed me the evidence, I couldn't believe it either. I didn't expect my good friend Thomas to be such a person. The Elliot couple took me in when I was homeless; they were like my parents, but they were killed by Thomas. I don't know how to express my feelings now..."

"Oh, Bruce. You're the biggest victim. This must be so terrifying for you. Are you alright?"

"Sorry, my depression just subsided recently; the doctor advised me against any agitation. I might need some rest."

The shareholders tactfully withdrew, leaving only a few interested parties who were unwilling to leave, including Jason, Dent, Cobblepot, and representatives of the Assassin's Union and Court of Owls, Talya, and Dick.

Shiller's gaze towards them was unfriendly.

"You will be investigated by the FBI," he said before any of them could speak, "If I were you, I'd start destroying the evidence instead of standing here foolishly trying to revive Elliot with your stares."

"What exactly is going on?!" Jason was clearly breaking down, not understanding what had happened.

Arkham Batman looked down at Elliot's body, then at the gun in Shiller's hand and said, "No safety."

The others looked at him. Jason asked, "What?"

"There's no safety on his gun."

"So what?"

"From raising his hand to firing, it took less than a second, no one could have stopped it."

Several people silently stepped back.

"Alright, Bruce. If he did commit that case back then, he's got what's coming. But we need to discuss the presidential candidate matter," Talya extended her hand to Bruce, "We think you'd be a better partner. We'll support you as we did Elliot before, I assure you it's all legitimate. We'll also handle the negative impact of Elliot's death for you, so don't act rashly, okay?"

"You should consider the Court of Owls more," Dick said, folding his arms, "The Assassin's Union's influence in the Americas is not as strong as in Asia; the Court of Owls is Gothamites' choice."

"I just want to ask," Cobblepot extended a hand and said, "Regardless of who becomes the head of Wayne Enterprises, our collaboration remains unchanged, right? If that's the case, I'd gladly see Wayne Enterprises return to its rightful owner."

"I think the same," Jason said, "You must ensure the continuation of business cooperation between Wayne Enterprises and the Red Line, and can't tear up contracts because of personnel changes. As for Elliot, who cares."

"How can you be like this?!" Dent disapprovingly looked at them and said, "Today's event clearly has issues, how can you..."

"How much do you know about the Wayne couple murder case?" Shiller suddenly asked, "What about the Elliot couple? Why did the perpetrators of such notorious business couple deaths not receive the trials they deserved, Mr. Judge?"

Dent's face turned grim.

Talya and Dick almost simultaneously took action. Swish swish, darts sliced through the throat, Talons pierced the heart.

"Let the past be the past," Dick said, looking at Dent's body, "Digging up old cases does no good for anyone. Mr. Wayne, if you can't let it go, the Court of Owls can help you take down the killers."

"You don't need them," Talya walked over, placing a hand on Batman's shoulder, "The Assassin's Union is ready to serve you, Mr. Wayne."

"I'm kind of tired," Batman said, "Let's discuss business and old cases tomorrow."

The group was somewhat reluctant, but they each looked at one another, and none dared to take the lead, instead choosing to leave.

With Batman alone in the office, the door to the lounge slowly opened. A thin, hunched figure walked out.

"Good evening, Alfred," Batman said, "Has he arrived?"

The elderly Alfred slowly nodded.

Batman heard a noise on the windowsill. As he turned his head, a lightning bolt pierced through the rainy night in Gotham, and a terrifying figure stood outside the window.

A strange man wrapped in bandages walked in.

"Why do you make yourself look like this?" Batman sighed, "I know what you want to ask. Why have those indifferent, cruel shareholders, those heartless criminals, seemingly changed their tune and all stand by my side?"

The bandaged figure walked into the light. His costume style somewhat resembled Batman, but every bit of exposed skin was wrapped in bandages, like a hybrid between Batman and Hush.

"No, they haven't turned to me, they've turned to the benefits I can bring them. I did better than Elliot."

Without speaking, Batman seemed to possess mind-reading abilities and continued, "You're wondering how I just showed up at the shareholders' meeting and did better than him?"

Batman suddenly sneered and said, "In their eyes, Elliot locked me in the asylum for decades without being able to kill me, while I killed him just hours after I returned. That's a clear distinction."

Batman turned around, looking at Hush Batman with his blue eyes, "If you lurk in the darkness like a hobgoblin, eliminating them one by one, you certainly get your revenge. But what about Gotham?"

"Elliot's authoritarian rule isn't a long-term solution. To restore the city's true order, it requires a wise ruler for prolonged governance. Who else but you has that capability?"

"Yes, you're not obligated to do this. But shouldn't those who helped you survive in the asylum for decades enjoy a better life? Don't you want to repay them?"

"Believe me, Bruce. The best way to repay them is to rebuild the order of this city, to let people live better. It's what your parents would have wanted to see."

"...Who are you, really?" The bandaged man's voice was so hoarse it sounded nothing like Bruce.

"And you?" Batman retorted, "Are you the demon of vengeance or the angel of gratitude?"

"Neither." He replied, "I am Hush."

Arkham Batman and Shiller walked out of the office together. On the way out of Wayne building, Arkham Batman asked, "Do you think there's still hope for this universe's Batman?"

Shiller walked forward in silence. As he entered the elevator, as if just realizing, he said, "Sorry, I was just wondering why the Laughing Bat would come to this universe. Is there something special here?"

"Though he seems somewhat panicked, I think it's not so simple," Arkham Batman said, "He has a certain foresight, perhaps already predicting his failure in the previous universe. Coming here might very well be to make up for that failure."

"Make up? With what?"

"This universe's Batman is special in certain aspects."

"Like what?"

"He was locked in an asylum."

"You mean..."

The two turned the corner of the corridor together. Arkham Batman said in a deep voice, "Almost every universe's Bruce Wayne lost his parents in the same way. Have you heard of any who went insane because of it?"

"That might have been Elliot's conspiracy."

"But the shareholders' attitude has already proven that someone at Wayne Enterprises wants to protect him. For so many years, they managed to keep him alive; back then, they would certainly have stricter supervision. If he wasn't genuinely mentally unstable, they wouldn't have sent him into the asylum."

"You're saying he really went crazy?"

"At least during that time, yes. Whether now or not, during that time he must have exhibited some abnormalities, causing even those wishing to protect him like the Butler and the shareholders to only be able to have him undergo treatment first."

"But you're not that fragile."

"Indeed. That proves that whatever affected his mental health might not simply be his parents' death, but something else."

Shiller suddenly recalled the Bruce from the universe Arrogant resided in. At that time, Arrogant and Joker wanted to enter his psychic battlefield because his mental condition wasn't quite normal.

Shiller halted his step.

Could it be that Hush Batman is one of the Laughing Bat's backups? Does he have the Laughing Egg inside him?

Shiller turned towards the elevator: "Quick! Go find Batman!"

Arkham Batman didn't know how many thoughts Shiller had deduced in that moment, so he asked, "What's going on?"

"The Laughing Bat can't predict my behavior. So even if he predicted the last world's failure, he'd still think it was you pursuing him. And you won't kill."

"So what?"

"Since you won't kill him, he has no need to activate backups. If he brought you here, there's only one possibility—he wants to transfer the backup."

Shiller's thoughts struck like lightning; he quickly understood it all. He said, "The Laughing Bat first allowed you to fail your mission in the previous universe, knowing you wouldn't let it rest, deliberately revealing his tracks, enticing you to come after him, then pretending to be defeated and fleeing to this universe, luring you here too. Then, transferring the Laughing Egg into your body."

"Why?"

"Because you're strong," Shiller said, "You might very well be one of the strongest Batmans in the Multiverse. He wants your body!"