"The dia calls him the Prince of Gotham, but they don't know that anyone can replace Bruce Wayne's position as long as they can flash a bright, foolish smile at a banquet."
Theodore's eyes widened as he looked at Batman, completely shocked by these words.
At first, he thought Batman's agreent might be similar to an elder humoring a child, or what people do at insincere social gatherings.
But listening carefully to Batman's long string of adjectives, and the almost contemptuous substitution theory…
Even though Batman's face was covered so his eyes couldn't be seen, Theodore felt his heartfelt sincerity.
—What an explosive statent, full of emotion and no pretense!
Theodore: I suspect you had so personal vendetta against Bruce when you said that, but I have no evidence. Swallowing nervously, Theodore felt like he had been fed a huge piece of gossip by the person involved.
But based solely on these words, he couldn't rashly determine Batman's stance.
Glancing at Batman, Theodore cautiously probed: "But he invested in your Justice League?"
"—Bruce Wayne could have done more." Batman said darkly.
Theodore could feel that when Batman said this, his dissatisfaction was so real, not a hint of falsehood. "!!!"
Theodore's first reaction: So, even the combination of a rich man and a vigilante has cracks? Where are their points of conflict, and can this rift be exploited?
Then, with another thought, Theodore suddenly understood.
Wait a minute. Stripped of the vigilante halo, Batman, he's an employee whose boss invests in him, right?
As long as you're an employee, you can't help but hate your client!
Especially a wealthy and unprincipled man like Bruce Wayne.
Could he possibly pay for the battle damages and fines for the Justice League without any calculations or ulterior motives, without any self-interest, and without making any demands?
Impossible. Even with his toes, one could tell that Wayne must have made many difficult demands on the Justice League.
Perhaps Wayne might even have issued so incredibly foolish orders. For example, making Batman perform a Spanish bullfight dance on the spot amidst the Chitauri army.
As an employee, Batman couldn't directly refuse his client's demands, nor could he point a finger and tell the client how stupid they truly were.
But he could absolutely curse out the client to others!
Theodore had learned on his first day in Gotham that Batman was mostly a lone wolf.
So, no matter how much resentnt he accumulated towards Bruce Wayne, he rarely found a suitable person to confide in.
Until today, when he discovered that Theodore also disliked Bruce Wayne, and so they hit it off perfectly!
Thinking of this, Theodore suddenly understood, and everything beca clear. It all made sense, everything made sense now!
Upon learning that Batman also highly disliked Bruce Wayne, his image in Theodore's eyes instantly beca much grander.
Batman, he really knows how to talk!
He is Theodore's soul-mouthpiece!
No wonder Batman specifically left his mouth exposed beneath that intricately designed, jet-black cowl. If such a witty mouth were covered, not just Theodore, but all of Gotham, would feel it was a waste of talent.
Batman imdiately detected this subtle psychological shift in Theodore.
That's why sociologists have long discovered:
To quickly build rapport with others, either find common interests with that person, or join them in speaking ill of a third person.
"You still haven't answered , do you dislike Bruce Wayne?"
Out of his inherent caution, even if Batman openly cursed Wayne, Theodore wouldn't easily reveal his true feelings.
He rely replied in a subtle tone: "It's hard to say whether I like or dislike him; I haven't spent much ti with Mr. Wayne yet." Batman noticed a small detail.
"He has already adopted you, yet you still address him by his surna? Is this an extra request from Bruce Wayne?" Batman knew very well that Bruce had made no such request.
From their very first eting, Bruce told Theodore he could call him by his first na. But Theodore had never initiated doing so.
In his mory, similar things had happened before.
Whether it was their first eting at the orphanage, or when he drove Theodore away, or even when Theodore and Tim were alone at the breakfast table…
Theodore seed to have a strange persistence when it ca to addressing him by his surna.
Just as in a cri scene, any tiny trace can point straight as an arrow to the culprit. In Batman's view, Theodore's persistence must also have a reason.
"No, he told to call him by his first na." Theodore paused slightly at this point.
Batman did not interrupt Theodore's thoughts.
After a while longer, as if he felt this topic didn't need to be kept secret and was fine to discuss, Theodore spoke again. "But I don't want to call him that—rather, the more he tells to call him by his first na, the more I'm reminded of my previous foster father."
Avoidance, disgust, murderous intent.
In a re fraction of a second, Batman clearly saw these three most intense emotions, like a sudden blizzard, covering Theodore's face.
"Oh?" Batman repeated in a flat tone that would never arouse suspicion, "Your previous foster father?"
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