"What?"
"He thought the Behind-the-scenes Manipulator was targeting him. So he used the Magical Defense Network to create a safe fortress, believing that as long as he planned there, he wouldn't be overheard. However, the real target was me."
"How do you know?" Arkham Knight instinctively asked, but after glancing at Shiller's expression, he remained silent.
"I need Batman's strength, so you have to cooperate with me in putting on a show. Doctor Houston, who formerly worked at the FBI base, has a terrible record of selling hospital painkillers illegally. He's my informant and can stage the illusion of you being critically injured. Once you're hurt, Batman would definitely intervene."
"No way." Arkham Knight said instinctively, "Batman and my injuries... I mean, he might have some psychological scars. If he's provoked, his actions could be... extreme."
"If that weren't the case, I wouldn't have approached you." Shiller's words made Arkham Knight's heart sink.
Suddenly, Shiller put away his gun. Arkham Knight stood up from the ground. He no longer wanted to fight Shiller. Although he also had a gun and many advanced gadgets, he couldn't figure out Shiller's ways at all. Violence would only cost him more initiative.
"From the day I became an agent, I understood. Everyone has weaknesses. Only when a bullet hits his most painful scar can he be manipulated. Your scar isn't Batman, but rather Batman's scar is you. It goes both ways."
Arkham Knight's hand in tactical gloves tightened slightly, saying, "You want to use me to provoke Batman? But I must remind you, angering him is not a wise move. You might pay an unimaginable price for that."
"That's my problem, so don't worry about it. Even if he does something to me, wouldn't that suit you well?"
Arkham Knight didn't seem hopeful at all. He said, "I don't know which cosmos you're from or what illusion your cosmos's Batman gave you. I must tell you, our cosmos's Batman is exceptionally cold and violent. If you decide to provoke him, don't fall into his hands. Otherwise, you'll suffer."
"Good, it seems you're willing to cooperate. Follow me to Gotham University's Medical Research Center."
Arkham Knight snapped out of it. He saw Shiller climb out the window and disappear into the vast night. He crumpled the burger wrapper he'd finished eating, tossed it in the nearby trash, stood up, stretched, and said, "I can't actually stay here for a dozen hours. I want to see the so-called electronic life..."
Before he finished speaking, he suddenly felt a sharp pain at the back of his neck. Doctor Houston had appeared behind him at some unknown time, with a syringe jabbed into his neck.
"Sorry, Mr. Todd. Detective Rodriguez instructed me to keep an eye on you. You should take a nap now."
The scenery before Arkham Knight's eyes began to shake. He cursed softly, then slowly fell down.
Shiller, carrying a briefcase, surveyed the surroundings before getting in the car. The two cameras on the street corner blinked red in the dark. Within two minutes of him driving away from the street, the FBI convoy sealed off the area.
The black Chevrolet sped along the road. Shiller quickly saw two police cars catch up in the rearview mirror. But he didn't speed up immediately; he maintained a steady pace. He reached out to turn the knobs on the car radio and soon heard a voice over the radio.
"Schiller Rodriguez! Please pull over for inspection immediately. Otherwise, we will charge you with resisting arrest..."
The radio emitted a burst of noise, which quickly transformed into Barbara's voice: "Shiller! What are you up to?! You injured Jason?! Why???"
"I can't explain to you in detail right now." Shiller said while driving and checking both side mirrors, noticing that a car on the right had caught up. It reached the ideal PIT (Precision Immobilization Tactic) position.
The police car lightly nudged, colliding with the back of Shiller's black Chevrolet. He turned the steering wheel to steady the car, slightly increased the speed, and drove forward.
He looped from the interstate back into the city, with Gotham not being too congested yet. He maneuvered the car, constantly switching lanes, and soon the sound of a helicopter was heard overhead.
But the helicopter arrived too late. Shiller made a turn, directly entering the underground parking lot below the overpass. He grabbed his gear, got out of the car, opened his phone, and dialed a number, saying, "Block Batman's control over the cameras. Lady Gordon. Temporarily prevent him from finding me."
"Are you insane?!" Barbara's angry voice came from the other end of the line, "You injured Jason and still expect me to help you?"
"Anyway, Batman will catch me eventually. What's wrong with helping me delay a bit? Or do you think he can't handle me, so you refuse to help?"
"Provocation won't work on me! I've already sent Batman your coordinates. I advise you to surrender. For the sake of the time you saved me once before, I must warn you. Not resisting might reduce the pain."
Upon hearing Barbara had sent his coordinates to Batman, Shiller stopped listening. He hung up, glanced at the camera in the underground parking lot, and leisurely walked towards the exit.
He left the parking lot smoothly, found a nearby car, skillfully broke its lock, got inside, and drove towards Old Town.
Five minutes later, Arkham Batman stood in the center of the underground parking lot, scanning around but not finding the counterfeit black Chevrolet at all. He pressed his communication device to speak to the other end: "Barbara, are you sure he's here?"
"Of course. I just saw him through the cameras! He exited from the eastern exit. Have you checked there?"
"Eastern?" Arkham Batman pressed a device on his arm. The complete underground parking lot map appeared in holographic projection. "This parking lot only has one exit, facing north."
"How is that possible?!" Barbara exclaimed after hearing Arkham Batman's words, "Wasn't it 'Palm Tree Hotel underground parking lot on Radwenden Street 223'?"
Arkham Batman looked down at the coordinates Barbara had just sent. They clearly showed "Information Technology Building underground parking lot at Radwenden Street 106."
Arkham Batman immediately realized that the electronic Ghost lurking in the network had reappeared.