Tim was bewildered by Shiller's contradictory statents. Just as he was about to ask more questions, Shiller had already stood up and headed to the fireplace.
So, he could only exchange a glance with Pala, but so suspicions were inconvenient to voice at the mont. They too left the table; Tim headed to the kitchen to see what ingredients might be available.
Pala went upstairs to tidy the rooms.
The house was obviously recently inhabited, and the occupant had good living habits, as everything was well organized, many items were newly replaced, and the cupboards were stocked with ready-made food.
As evening approached again, Tim cooked so pasta. Just as the al was ready, Shiller returned with firewood, and once the fireplace was lit, the damp chill from the nearby sea disappeared, leaving the air sowhat dry from the heat.
After the al, as his blood sugar heightened and the room beca slightly warr, Tim, unable to cool down even with lots of water, suggested a walk on the nearby beach. Being an average person in an unsafe area, Pala, concerned for his safety, put on her coat and joined him.
Initially, Tim did head down towards the beach, but just as he reached the edge of the sand, he turned and went back.
"You're not trying to eavesdrop, are you?" Pala asked, "You won't succeed; Shiller has Gray Mist..."
"He doesn't have it now," Tim said in a lowered voice as he walked forward, "I'm sure he currently doesn't have the Symbiont."
"How can you be sure?"
"This guy is not like the Professor; he values efficiency. If he had the Symbiont, he wouldn't resort to less efficient thods unless he had no other choice."
"Even so, what do you plan to listen for?"
"Don't you find it odd?" Tim said, "The area around this house is clearly maintained, and not just recently. I estimate it was cleaned up over a month ago."
"So he was prepared in advance? But that's not odd," Pala said, looking at Tim ahead of her. "He couldn't just suddenly think of buying a farm a few days ago; it makes sense he'd prepare in advance."
"But since he already rented the house in front, why would he clean this one up in advance?"
"Maybe it's just being well-prepared, don't you know Batman?"
"This is completely different, what's his motive for being well-prepared? Was it in anticipation of being harassed by fans? Then the preparation he should've made wasn't cleaning up an extra house but figuring out how to avoid fan harassnt."
"Are you suggesting he deliberately allowed the fans?"
"That doesn't quite fit either; you can see he's not pleased," Tim glanced at the light blue house perched midway up the hillside and said, "From what I deduce, he actually could find a better excuse to move here, but that wouldn't completely prevent fans from bothering him, so he decided to roll with it, yet he still despises this kind of boundaryless harassnt, just for the sake of his plan, he can endure it."
"That sounds totally opposite to the Professor."
"Essentially, it's the sa," Tim said, "only the unfortunate timings of those he dislikes differ. The Professor avenges grievances on the spot, while he..."
"Do you think he'll settle scores with his fans later?"
"The fans aren't the point," Tim, sowhat exasperated by Pala's lack of detective skills, found he had to clarify further. He continued, "No matter which Shiller, they all love those who genuinely adore and care for them. Even if they appear cold and never respond, they rember."
"That's precisely his downfall. He's a loving psychopath, which makes all his madness a more potent trigger than any evil born out of malice and indifference,"
"So even if so excessive actions of his fans distress him, as long as it's from their genuine feelings, he can completely forgive them,"
"I think I understand a bit," Pala said, "What he truly despises are those who exploit his fans."
"Exactly," Tim nodded, "With many fans, a fan base with so influence is sure to be courted. If that fails, the next step is persuasion, and if that doesn't work, they resort to seizing, just like you said, all disputes amount to this."
"To seize control of a certain group involves typical strategies: woo the indecisive and the needy with promises of profit, the love-starved with commitnts of attention. Once these people are swayed, plant one's own people among them."
"Then both parties use blatantly irrational extremist views to identify the easily manipulated within the group, gradually driving out the rational ones, thus forming a base extremist faction."
"That said, Shiller actually doesn't need supporters," Pala analyzed sensibly, "So it doesn't matter to him who his fans are. Are you saying, if his fans turn into an extremist group, it could harm his reputation?"
"Of course, but that's not the point. Don't forget what the Shiller in this cosmos does for a living."
"What is it? A psychologist?"
"Yes, his life's pursuit is to restore people's ntal health. But do you think any of the maneuvers I've described would improve anyone's psychological well-being?"
Pala shook her head, and Tim continued.
"It's more like mass-producing psychosis. In this environnt of group hypnosis, very few normal people can keep their sanity. Their thoughts are gradually distorted, their concepts are altered, and they aren't even aware of it."
"For a psychiatrist who pursues professionalism, this is evil. Even without discussing the ethical issues, don't you think this feels like a challenge to his professional abilities?"
"I can probably relate," Pala sighed helplessly. "I feel angry when plant conservationists block my door."
"True, I'm not a normal person, and their actions can hardly threaten my safety. Rather than anger, it's more like sorrow. I can sense that many of them genuinely want to protect plants but lack professional knowledge and firm will; they are being used and don't even know it."
"When I'm angry with them, I'm not mad at any individual in particular. More than anything, I am sad and angry about them being exploited by others."
"This is mainly why Shiller didn't lash out at those who disturbed him," Tim said. "He is an excellent psychiatrist; he certainly knows the difference."
"The journalists chasing him might be after popularity, but deep inside they are genuinely curious about him. The landlord doesn't really hate us; he sincerely believes that inviting fans might damage his property, it's just a self-protective instinct. Even those who were instructed to pretend their vehicle broke down could actually be his fans, simply wanting a photo with him, not realizing the repercussions of such a picture."
"They are all just ordinary people. If they could always easily discern the malign intentions from benign ones in this world, and anticipate the consequences of their actions, then Batman should recruit them."
"Getting angry with these ordinary people is pointless; it only ends up hurting them. The journalists would feel both their work disrupted and scorned, the landlord would see his positive reviews destroyed, and the excited young fans would feel like a bucket of cold water had been dumped on them. They would all end up feeling disappointed and sad."
"anwhile, those high above enjoy the benefits brought by this mutual harm, easily inciting conflicts and reaping the profits, while claiming these people lack manners, have weak emotional self-control, or should perhaps visit a psychiatrist to check their minds."
"Because Shiller is sufficiently professional, he managed to control his emotions very well. Even if he was unhappy, he still dealt with these matters rationally."
"If it were the Professor, it wouldn't be so," Pala said. "Maybe he also clearly understands what's truly going on, but he doesn't see these people as completely innocent."
"They are not innocent; most fail because of their own desires. Perhaps the Doctor understands better than the Professor that life will soday teach these people a lesson, so he doesn't need to take matters into his own hands."
"It seems you agree more with the Doctor,"
"Only because we are both very busy," Tim said with a smile. "Believe it or not, if it were the Professor now, he wouldn't lash out at these people either, because he's also too busy to engage in such inefficient activities."
"So it all boils down to efficiency?"
"Pretty much," Tim said. "The Professor would publicly expose them and teach them a lesson because he's mostly idle and can deal with everyone who offends him. If it were , I really wouldn't have the ti."
"Those who believe rumors easily, can be bought by a tiny benefit, fail to judge people clearly, and act without considering the consequences will always learn their lesson eventually. Since it's inevitable, I won't waste my ti on them."
"That sounds a lot like you."
Tim's smile did not reach his eyes as he said, "You should say it sounds a lot like Batman. Then why do I keep becoming more like Batman?"
Pala intuitively responded, "Every Earth needs a Batman, and if Bruce isn't willing, you'll have to make do."
As they spoke, the two of them had already reached the base of the house's walls. Naturally, they dared not blatantly eavesdrop near the living room's large window, so they circled to the back of the house and crouched under the kitchen window.
"Since you guessed that Shiller is going to teach those behind-the-scenes instigators a lesson, just wait for it. Are you soone who likes spoilers in movies?" Pala asked.
Crouching beneath the window and picking at the wall, Tim said, "The outco is one thing, but the process is another. What do you think the Professor would do?"
"He would definitely make them suffer a lot."
"Yes, that's exactly the problem. We know if it were the Professor, that group would definitely suffer a lot, then things would return to normal, and he wouldn't gain anything from it."
"You an the Doctor will?"
"It's more than just 'will'," as a glint shone in Tim's eyes, he said, "He definitely will gain a lot from it."
Pala noticed the slightly younger man licking his lips, an unmasked indulgence of desire, not necessarily evil, but it was sothing his two brothers neither possessed nor would contemplate.
Ambition? Desire? Or rely indulgence? Pala wasn't sure if these words could describe Tim's thoughts in that mont, but she was suddenly struck by an enlightening realization.
As Dick was becoming a tolerant ocean and Jason grew into a towering mountain, Tim Drake, while staring into the Abyss, also wished to beco the Abyss.
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