Bruce, however, averted his gaze, as if he hadn't said anything monts ago. Constantine was eyeing him like a hobgoblin. After an awkward pause, Bruce finally spoke.
"Soone paid his debt."
Constantine looked as if his eyes were about to bulge out of their sockets. He stated emphatically: "It's impossible, no one can pay it off."
Bruce wore a mysterious smile, saying nothing.
Constantine began to feel uneasy.
On the screen, Beihan was continually debating with the doctor, citing examples from his previous conversation with Shiller, such as how to explain his exceptionally high intelligence, his knowledge of business, his understanding of mathematics and physics, which are definitely not what an ordinary ntal patient would possess.
In fact, at this point, the doctor had already shown many flaws. For example, when Beihan first ntioned his experience in business, the doctor told him that he was indeed a businessman who went mad later on.
But when Beihan claid that he also had mathematical and physical knowledge and proved it by himself, the doctor said it was his hobby. Clearly, such an academic level could not be achieved by just a hobbyist.
Eventually, the doctor's responses had beco inconsistent due to Beihan's questioning. Logically, Batman would be certain that it was a woven illusion and not a true story created overnight.
Beihan, too, was Batman. Though not as extre as the other Batmans, he did possess many of their traits. Logically, once this point was confird, Batman would not waste more ti on this issue.
Knowing it was a ga and having guessed how to play it, why not hurry up and gather clues? Why was he still fussing over this with the doctor?
But Beihan didn't. He just sat there, proving to one doctor after another that he was not ntally ill. He was Bruce Wayne and also Batman. He never suffered from schizophrenia or paranoia.
Even Spiderman and Lord Superman felt sothing was amiss at this point.
Batman excelled in verbal debate, but he didn't seem to enjoy it. Lord Superman shook his head, saying: "Or I think he doesn't like talking to anyone, he likes to be alone. Sotis, I wouldn't hear him speak more than three words in a week."
"Words without the backing of power are aningless," Bruce said while watching the screen: "What's the point of winning a debate? It's not equivalent to winning the ga. In other words, even if the fictional characters call you a madman, so what? Who would argue with ga characters?"
"He seems a bit paranoid." Spiderman scratched his head and said, "I am not sure how to put it, but he reminds of a friend of my uncle. When I was a child, that friend always said he was a college student and that his son would be one too, and that his family was full of college students."
"But my uncle told that he didn't go to college." Spiderman paused before continuing, "Later, his son didn't get into college either. I heard that he got so sort of ntal disorder."
"People most emphasize what they don't have." Bruce began, "Essentially, it's a form of self-hypnosis. They remain fixated in the mindset that if they had done sothing differently in the past, they would be different now. This evolves into the belief that they could have been sothing different, then it turns into thinking they are deserved to be that, and ultimately evolves into 'this is what I am'."
"It's not hard to see that this Batman must have doubted his sanity at so point." Bruce pondered, "But he did not want to acknowledge that he had ever had such weak monts, so he wanted to prove that he had always been solidifying his existence, not fooled by any circumstances."
"I think I get it now." Spiderman wore a thoughtful expression, "He didn't just suddenly go mad. He was off from the start."
"You could say that." Bruce nodded.
"We co here at different stages of our lives, dealing with different things." Arthur said with a dark chuckle, "Maybe an infant who is a world-class tycoon will co here."
"Sorry, but you may be disappointed," Owen spoke up, "Only those capable of basic combat co here. It's pointless for an infant, who has no capacity for action, to be here."
Arthur snorted, "I understand you like to watch a good show."
The lights in the clinic remained on. Doctor after doctor ca and went. Finally, even Lord Superman had had enough. He said: "If the setup is that he is a ntal patient, why are these doctors arguing with him? Why can't they just drug him and send him back?"
Obviously, even the killer devil wanted to prove his truth. They were now at loggerheads.
Proof lay in the reality that no one could be as stubborn as Batman. In the end, the doctors were nearly exhausted, and Beihan naturally erged victorious, returning to his ward.
At this point, everyone already knew the scenario on Shiller's side. Batman went to find Shiller, and they discussed Beihan's issue and decided to conduct a psychological examination on Beihan.
Later, the scene shifted to the night when Beihan simply went for it, though clearly, a part was missing in the middle.
The subsequent scene revealed what they had not seen before: how Batman persuaded Beihan to have the examination.
Probably after lunch, Beihan was looking out the door as if he wanted to talk to a nurse, but when he saw another version of himself approaching, he simply kept the door open, waiting for Batman to enter.
After Batman walked in and sat down on the edge of the bed, just as he had done at Shiller's, he said: "It seems this is the main challenge of this level."
"This really isn't much of a challenge," Beihan shook his head and said, "This deception lacks logic and is unlikely to fool anyone, they don't even bother preparing any evidence."
Batman shook his head slightly and said, "They do not need evidence, they have us trapped in here."
Then he slightly lowered his head and observed Beihan's expression. In Beihan's view, Batman appeared sowhat puzzled.
Beihan spread his hands, sat down on his bed, half-leaned on it, and put one hand behind his head, saying, "I was planning to ask the nurses for so information. Do you think we can leave by regular process?"
"I'm afraid it won't be that simple, but I think you can try," said Batman, pouring a glass of water for Beihan.
"Don't pour water. You didn't really co to visit ." Beihan looked back at his movent and said.
Batman's movent paused for a mont, but he hid his emotions well, so Beihan couldn't see anything. He appeared as serious and grave as a corpse.
Beihan looked at Batman's face for a while but couldn't ascertain anything. He seed a bit frustrated, let out a sigh and then said, "I'll probably head to the director's office tonight. There might be so material about this hospital. I think the secret may lie there, which could be the key for us finding a way out."
Batman did not object and just said, "Did you know that Dr. Schiller is a world-renowned psychologist?"
Beihan paused for a mont, then said, "At least not famous in my world."
"Not in mine either, but I do know he's highly competent," Batman replied.
"So what? Do you like people analyzing you psychologically?"
Batman shook his head, "But he wants to perform a psychological examination on you, or rather, he seems very interested in the psychology of all Batn."
Despite initially planning to object, upon hearing that Schiller wanted to study the psychology of Batman, Beihan seed less resistant.
Lord Superman stated, following the observation of people around them, "That's weird. He dislikes regular psychological examinations, but he doesn't mind being studied."
"This ans that he's more against being studied, he's always been worried that the psychologist would issue him a ntal hospital treatnt notice," another person pointed out.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, hands on his lap, Beihan let out a sigh, "Will he go crazy if I don't agree?"
Batman showed a complex expression for a mont, but Bruce imdiately decoded it, "If you agree, he might still go crazy."
Beihan, however, did not notice this complex expression. He just sat facing away from Batman, and then nodded, "Okay, not a big deal."
"You often do psychological checkups," said Batman in an affirmative tone.
"Yes, the outco of every check isn't very different, but I dread the feeling of intrusion into my mind."
"I don't like it either, but if it can effectively ensure your ntal health, then it's worth it," Batman stood up and said, "While you're still ntally healthy."
After finishing his thought, Batman left. It was clear that they had reached an agreent on this matter, though it wasn't difficult to tell Beihan was not in his normal state during the entire process. He was resistant but did not reject it outright.
This confusion was quite strange. If a word had to be used to describe it, it would be a contradictory resistance. It seed like he did not like psychology examinations but also longed for them. This paradoxical feeling was felt by everyone present.
"I guess he must be at a crossroads in his life," Constantine suggested while touching his lips, "He has realized that there are problems, but he hopes there is no problem, or at least hopes that other people wouldn't see them. But he also hopes that either he himself or soone else can resolve these problems."
"What could the problem be?" Lord Superman turned to Bruce.
After so contemplation, Bruce ca to a conclusion, "He's considering whether to abandon Bruce Wayne."
Lord Superman and Spider Man both showed puzzled expressions, but Arthur laughed, "As per his own words, those versions of himself who couldn't survive past disasters were abandoned."
"Apparently, Bruce Wayne either couldn't get past the last disaster, or just barely managed to. He is deliberating whether or not to abandon the identity of Bruce Wayne and truly beco Batman."
"What's the difference between the two?" asked Lord Superman.
"Bruce Wayne is an emotionally normal person, while Batman is an unfeeling god, a machine executing justice, the eternal Dark Knight of Gotham," ca the reply.
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