Natasha finally decided to meet Penguin Man. Because Gordon told her that in Gotham, to catch someone, two people's consent is needed, Batman and Penguin Man.
Considering Penguin Man is unlikely to welcome a public visit from the CIA, Natasha decided to meet him privately. So in the evening, she went to the Iceberg Restaurant in casual attire.
Natasha wore a strapless top, paired with a high-waisted tight-fitting skirt, with sparkling earrings, and her long red hair draped down. As she walked through the front door, she attracted everyone's attention.
She sat at the bar and casually ordered a drink. Almost immediately, people came to chat her up, but Natasha refused them all. It wasn't until the restaurant's business hours were about to end that Natasha looked at the bartender and said, "I have business with your boss."
The bartender seemed unfazed by this. Since Penguin Man became mayor, he had been besieged by honey traps. Although today's was rather beautiful, it seemed unlikely to succeed.
The bartender gave Natasha a look of pity. Such a fiery beauty, who would soon go seeking treasures deep beneath the Atlantic Ocean today.
Soon, two strong bodyguards in black suits and sunglasses appeared beside Natasha. Natasha got off the bar stool and gestured to show she had no weapons.
The outfit she chose today was not just for looks—it was so tight-fitting that it highlighted her figure's curves and showed off muscle lines. This sufficiently proved she was unarmed and had no training.
Normally, reaching Natasha's strength level would require at least the body type of a heavyweight boxer. But Natasha wasn't that muscular; her figure was evenly toned, her waist rather slender, and her legs showed no muscle shapes.
So when she wore skirts or very tight clothes, people might more easily assume she was a model maintaining her figure through dieting, perhaps just doing some weightlifting at the gym, appearing no threat at all.
The two bodyguards clearly thought so too and confidently led Natasha out of the Iceberg Restaurant through the back door. After getting into a car, they headed to Penguin Man's estate.
Natasha was now praying that this universe's Penguin Man hadn't seen Black Widow. It was quite possible—although Penguin Man might have participated in Battleworld, there were so many superheroes participating, unless one dived in regularly for massive raids, it would be hard to meet oneself from another universe.
Upon entering the estate, Natasha briefly looked around and didn't find any issues. Then they went up to the second floor, where Penguin Man waited for her in one of the offices.
Natasha walked in, and when Penguin Man turned around, he was momentarily stunned, seemingly having anticipated the situation but still shocked by Natasha's beauty.
"Hello, Mr. Penguin Man. I'm sorry I had to approach you this way, but it's for your reputation—CIA Special Agent Natasha Romanoff."
"God's crap!" Penguin Man cursed, "I have only one question: Is the head of the CIA out of their mind? Hiring someone named Natasha Romanoff as an American agent?!"
"Didn't you also hire someone named Antonio Kuznetsov as a host?"
"What do you mean? Are you implying he's a Russian spy?"
"I hope he's the Eden Killer," Natasha said calmly, "Gotham can't remain chaotic; this issue needs resolving. Blaming it on a Russian spy would be great."
"You're not sent by Batman, are you?"
"Exactly. Because Gordon told me there were no other options, I had to choose to persuade you. Is this Antonio important?"
"It's not about whether he's important or not," Penguin Man said, watching Natasha. "Aren't you planning to catch the real Eden Killer? What if he murders again?"
"Are you afraid he'll kill you?"
"It's not impossible," Penguin Man turned and sat back down. "He killed the mayor, so he could naturally kill me. Now the upper-class society is on edge. If you only catch a fraud and the real one acts again, what will you tell Batman?"
"He... probably finds it hard to act directly."
A glint flashed in Penguin Man's eyes. He stared at Natasha's face and said, "You know something, don't you?"
"Yes, but I can't explain it to you now. Every CIA agent has secrets; it's better if you don't know. If you must know, go ask Batman."
Penguin Man perked up his eagle hook nose. He was clearly annoyed and disgusted by this suggestion, yet he wasn't about to let Natasha off so easily. "My life's at risk, and I'm kept ignorant. That's unfair to me; you should leave something at least."
"Do you know the last person who slept with me and lived?"
"Who was it?"
"Batman."
Penguin Man's nose rose higher. He looked Natasha up and down, then shook his head and said, "No, Batman wouldn't sleep with you. You're not his type."
"You seem to know him well."
"Not as much as Joker does. But you're not lying, so it's another Batman?"
"Since you figured it out, there's no need for me to circle around. This might be a cross-universe conspiracy; more than one Batman is trying to save the day. There's not much we can do, so don't make things harder for him."
"Ah," Penguin Man uttered a noncommittal sound. He still looked as sinister as ever, turned his head to Natasha and said, "Have you visited Kazsow 125?"
"No, where is that?"
"Gordon and Batman's ally's home, a psychologist, and also a lecturer with the Federal Bureau of Investigation."
"Why should I go there?"
"He's a friend of Batman's; the two of them have a very good relationship. I think you should listen to his opinion before considering whether to handle this matter so rashly."
"Are you really not concerned about your subordinates?"
"I will have them die for me when the time is right, but that doesn't mean I am willing to waste them. If your plan cannot resolve this matter, why should I give him to you?"
"Even Batman can't change your choice?"
"Batman wouldn't choose this way, ma'am. Do you know he was pleased when Antonio got a legitimate job at the TV station, away from his mob boss brother?"
"I knew it," Natasha sighed, "You all deserve him as your retribution."
Penguin finally laughed, though still with a sinister edge, he said, "Yes, it is our honor."
Natasha eventually left because she realized that Penguin was already one of the more normal ones among those madmen. Natasha knew she couldn't go to Joker; she had seen Joker in the Battleworld and knew there was no way to communicate with someone at that level of madness.
After leaving Penguin's estate, Natasha drove to Kazisova 125. She didn't feel anything at first seeing the house, but standing at the door, she had an ominous feeling. And when the door opened, her premonition came true.
"Hello." Natasha hesitated for a moment before saying, "I know it's not a good time to visit, but I have important business with you."
Schiller paused briefly but then opened the door for her and said, "A patient who is staying here just fell asleep; I hope you don't disturb him, ma'am."
Natasha couldn't help but shiver. She knew she had met before this Schiller in front of her, but she just couldn't adapt—damn it, he actually called her 'ma'am'!
If Greed called her that, Natasha would be mourning her bank card, no, not just hers, she might have to mourn all of the Avengers' bank cards.
Natasha walked in and glanced at the house. Very well, it's the old antique style Greed dislikes the most; such houses from the 'Jane Eyre' era shouldn't appear in a 21st-century American metropolis.
"Please sit, ma'am. Tea or coffee?"
"Water will do." Natasha smiled a tight-lipped smile; she had to admit she was very nervous. This house looked more retro than Ilvermorny Castle, it was like they were shooting a movie.
Schiller brought Natasha a glass of water, placed it in front of her, and then sat on a single sofa, crossing one leg over the other, hands on his leg, and said, "Did Director Gordon ask you to find me? About the Eden Killer case?"
Natasha took a sip from her glass and said, "Sort of. To be precise, Gordon asked me to find Penguin, and Penguin directed me to you. Because Penguin thinks simply introducing a scapegoat to appease things won't work. What do you think?"
"It depends on what kind of person the Eden Killer is and whether he will commit another crime. What do you think?"
"Last time he made a big fuss, he should lie low for a while. Besides, he can't act personally, he can only manipulate others. And the two people who were manipulated before are already unable to kill, so it takes time to choose a new target. We just need to drag through this period."
Schiller slowly shook his head and said, "Whether he stops killing, and for how long, doesn't depend on what he can do, but on whether he wants to do so. Whether he wants to continue killing depends on whether he still wants to continue learning."
"Learning?" Natasha frowned; she heard the word again.
"I thought Batman already told you. The Eden Killer is likely learning something. Considering his murder targets, it's highly probable he's studying intimate relationships based on mating desires and human hormones. He will only stop when he believes he understands these things, otherwise, there will definitely be more victims."
"Do you think he understands it now?"
Schiller shook his head again and said, "Unfortunately, in the last case, the mayor's murder case, the killer was not the real Eden Killer but an imposter. We'll discuss the specific reasons later. But if we don't count this case and take the second-to-last case as the Eden Killer's last case, clearly, he's not learned enough."
"Tell me more."
"All the cases in which the real Eden Killer manipulated others to act show a very clear step-like progression: The first pair of victims didn't have real sexual intercourse, the second pair were interrupted, the third pair afterward, then it starts over again. This proves there's something he doesn't understand. If he doesn't understand, he will keep repeating the process, not like a person, but like a malfunctioning machine."
Natasha felt a bit surprised. She knew that in this universe, all that happened were crimes, and there was no other evidence to suggest the existence of electronic life, but Schiller had almost deduced the truth.
"So, allow me to say bluntly, ma'am, plans of whitewashing tranquillity and obscuring the real issue are extremely foolish. A malfunctioning machine won't stop, it will only become more extreme. Right now, it's just the calm before the storm—the situation is about to escalate."
Just as Natasha was about to say something, Gordon's slightly anxious voice came through her earpiece: "Detective Romanov, I'm afraid you must come back immediately! The chief judge of Gotham Court, Terranis, has died in his lover's bed. This time, it's the 'Eden Killer'!"
Natasha turned to look at Schiller. Those gray eyes, exactly like Doctor Schiller's, reflected an entirely different indifference, matching perfectly with this sinful city. If Gotham is Batman's retribution, then Schiller is like Gotham's retribution.
This bizarre idea, infinitely close to fatalism, felt chilling the first time it appeared in Natasha's mind.