"Oh Rao, Batman is really crazy! Do you know how terrified I was when I opened the warehouse door and out fell not Kryptonite, but over six hundred Lantern Furnaces? It's like he's massacred the Green Lantern Corps!"
"Wonder Woman and Batman have been fighting like cats and dogs. Batman wants the key to Mount Olympus, but Wonder Woman simply won't give it to him. Are they going to break up before they even get together?"
"Who knows what's up with my Batman? He took a spaceship alone and went to Saturn. What's up there?"
"Is this really not some kind of bat-transmitted disease?"
"Batman hasn't returned to Gotham for a whole week. His adoptive son called me, and I think they suspect I kidnapped their father, but I didn't! Somebody save me!"
"Batman should be taken to Arkham Psychiatric Hospital."
"The group admin has enabled the mute mode."
"The group admin has disabled the mute mode."
"I think I know what Batman is up to. He needs energy to build a Magical Defense Network. How can I help him?"
"'Stay put,' Batman said."
"Do you know how much they've got?"
Superman flipped through the chat records and then noticed that the profile picture of this message was somewhat different from other Supermen. Most other Supermen have their own headshots, wearing a red and blue suit, but this person's profile picture was a back shot, and the suit was white.
"Quite a lot," someone replied to him, "I don't know what he killed, but he managed to fill the big machine under the Batcave anyway."
"Indeed, a lot. You know, if Batman decides to be a bandit, who can escape his dark hand? Fortunately, the Krypton in my universe is already blown up..."
"Not in my universe. So I guess he'll go fetch Krypton back for scrap use. Would it make me childish if I ask him to save my childhood crib?"
"So all of your Batmans managed to get energy?"
Superman saw another Superman with a peculiar profile picture. Although it is a headshot, the face is surrounded by metal, and the blue of the eyes is shallower than usual Supermen, with a gloomier expression. He remembered it was the one from the universe that organized the Injustice League.
"Yes. Since their return from the Magic Academy, they've been busy with this, not even having time to deal with crime in Gotham."
"That's right, I was called by him to keep an eye on Gotham for a few days. That Joker is really annoying, always calling me boring."
"Batman has indeed been very busy lately. I think he hid something on the Watchtower. I thought it would be a surprise for my birthday, but now it seems it's the energy he acquired..."
Superman scrolled to the bottom of the chat records, noticing this Injustice League Superman had just asked. So he typed in the chat box: "Yes, we just finished here. To be precise, it's a wrap. Batman infused the obtained energy into the Hell Bat Armor, fought Wonder Woman to a draw, and even flew as fast as me. We're about to proceed to the next step."
Seconds later, Injustice Superman sent a series of ellipses.
Superman slightly rolled his eyes. He knew even though the other party couldn't see his expression, it was somewhat rude. But he couldn't help it.
He did know what Injustice Superman did—he wants his Batman to go out to gather energy but is scared Batman might gather more than him. Never seen such a petty Superman.
"My Batman is truly strong! He just went to the Netherworld and grabbed something, stuffed those souls into some conversion machine, and turned his already ridiculous Batmobile into a ghostly flame Batmobile. It's downright awesome! (Image) (Image) (Image)"
Superman opened the images and thought: Wow, a Batmobile spewing blue flames, indeed very cool. Judging by the photo of Batman and the Batmobile, he knew it was the Batman who had a good relationship with his own Batman, also a firm supporter of his family's Batman leader status. So, Superman gave a thumbs-up to that photo.
Injustice Superman posted another series of ellipses. Superman was infuriated by him, couldn't help but close the interface, and complained to the Primary Universe Batman beside him, "Looks like Batman in that universe of the Injustice League hasn't gone out to work, causing that universe's Superman to freak out in the group."
The Batman who was detaching from the Hell Bat Armor paused his actions and said, "What's he going crazy about?"
"Jealous of the Batman from other universes for getting so much energy," Superman sighed, "If Batman from his universe actually went to gather, he might steal the energy. Batman not going was the right choice."
"How do you know Batman hasn't gone?" Primary Universe Batman remotely controlled the Hell Bat Armor to fly back to the Batcave and said, "He might have gone but kept it well under wraps, not letting Superman know."
"Could be. He ought to teach that jerk a lesson," Superman shook his head and said, "I remember last time he said in the group chat that my cake looks ugly. He is truly not likable."
Primary Universe Batman opened Batman's group chat, finding it silent. The last time someone spoke was two weeks ago. Sure enough, all Batmen were silently and secretly vying.
Superman continued eyeing the group chat interface, finding everyone was showing off their family's Batman's achievements, with no one paying any mind to Injustice Superman. He chuckled inwardly but didn't show it out of courtesy and pretended not to notice, replying to messages, praising others.
Injustice Superman, somewhat flustered and exasperated, closed the Battleworld chat interface.
He paced back and forth in the room for a couple of rounds, couldn't hold it any longer, opened the door, and rushed out. He went into Injustice Batman's room and found the latter reading a book.
Injustice Superman rushed over, grabbed the book, and slammed it on the table. Injustice Batman slowly lifted his eyes to look at him.
"What's wrong?"
"You..."
Injustice Superman opened his mouth but didn't know what to say. He really had no reason to blame Batman.
After the last incident, Bruce helped the Injustice Batman introduce Brainiac — the Brainiac from Bruce's universe. The super-electronic lifeform ended the chaos on Earth and is now restoring order to Earth very stably.
Brainiac in Bruce's universe was more strict because it was wartime, so things naturally had to be strictly according to a rationing system. However, in the Injustice League universe, Brainiac did not forcibly implement a rationing system but instead developed a ruling model unique to the Injustice Universe. For now, it remains market-economy centered, with Brainiac's contributions mainly on anti-corruption, anti-monopoly, anti-crime, and ensuring relatively fair resource redistribution.
All in all, the effects are quite good. Under the total control of a super artificial intelligence, crime has basically been eradicated. Also restricting excessive capital expansion, social welfare systems have been realized through progressive taxation, making life decent for people at the bottom.
If Brainiac in Bruce's universe was akin to Stalin, then Brainiac in the Injustice Universe is much like Roosevelt, giving capitalists a real hard time. Bruce Wayne undoubtedly belongs to the hammered group.
Wayne Enterprises in Gotham had reached the kind of monopoly that Brainiac would not allow and was thoroughly dismantled. Batman has less to manage now, so naturally, he has more free time.
Logically speaking, with more time to be Batman, Batman should be happy. But in fact, the Injustice Batman is pretty much sidelined.
With Brainiac around, there are no criminals in Gotham at all. Those with mental issues are all locked up in the psychiatric hospital, taking medication on time; those without mental issues are snatched into prison, monitored by over 200 cameras per individual, dreaming of escaping; petty thieves are immediately reformed through labor, deployed to maintain the community environment, clearing grass and picking up trash from dawn to dusk. Crime rates have dropped to zero.
Big cities being big cities, security has improved, infrastructure is good, alongside social welfare guarantees — it's safe to say people live and work in contentment.
Batman does what he does to save Gotham. Now that Gotham has no big problems, he really doesn't have much to pursue.
But just because Batman is sidelined doesn't mean Superman wants to be. He used to directly rule the Earth. Power, once tasted, is addicting. But with Brainiac, he can't even control Metropolis, let alone catch criminals. Injustice Superman has been itching with boredom.
Originally, if nothing was happening, he couldn't fabricate a reason to do something. But now there's clearly an excuse—other universe Batmans are acquiring energy, so why doesn't his universe's Batman show any movement?
That's when Injustice Superman thought about checking what Batman was reading. He looked down: "The Complete Sherlock Holmes", currently at "The Return" section.
Injustice Superman almost laughed in anger. He looked at Injustice Batman and said, "So, the once greatest detective in the world isn't solving cases, but sitting here reading detective novels?"
"Then find me a case that needs solving," Injustice Batman picked up the book again to continue reading.
Injustice Superman was momentarily speechless. The era of Holmes was long ago, without cameras. Not like now, where Injustice Superman suspects Brainiac built those new buildings using cameras—any slight movement, and there's eight hundred pictures of suspects. If you put Holmes in the present day, he'd starve with nothing to do.
"Listen, Batman." Injustice Superman extended a finger and said, "You're the smartest mind in the world. You can't let your brain rot away in this void. We have to find something to do!"
"You could deliver newspapers," Injustice Batman leisurely turned another page and said, "or deliver milk. You'll get the Best Employee Award."
"Batman!!!" Injustice Superman yelled at him, "Get your butt off that chair right now, and go to Mount Olympus, Oa Star, New Genesis Star... go anywhere! Get some energy back!"
"What do you need energy for?" Injustice Batman asked without even lifting his eyelids.
"To set up a Magic Defense Network, of course; other universes have it. Don't you want to build one?"
"We don't need to build one." Injustice Batman shook his head and said, "Brainiac has planet's shield technology."
"That still needs energy!"
"He also has solar energy extraction technology."
"We can't rely solely on him!"
"Why not?" Injustice Batman turned another page and said, "Do you think you can do better than him?"
Injustice Superman angrily pounded the table.
"They're all posting pictures in the group!" Injustice Superman raised his voice and said, "There's Magic Batmobiles and Magic Lantern Furnaces, and I can't post anything — all because of you, Batman!"
Injustice Batman finally put down his book and said, "So you want me to get some energy so you can show off to other Supermen?"
"Yes." Injustice Superman replied sullenly, then explained, "Before, they were posting their cooked dishes, which were frankly terrible, but applauded each other. I just said a few truths, and they ganged up on me. I need to regain some face!"
"Alright." Injustice Batman stood up, "Then take a good look at where we are."
"Isn't this the third floor of the newly built Justice Hall?" Injustice Superman turned his head to look around.
Injustice Batman snapped his fingers. Instantly, the surroundings rapidly transformed, with modern simplicity vanishing, replaced by carved paneling, hardwood floors, crystal chandeliers, and plush carpets.
Injustice Superman stood there, wide-eyed. He looked out the window and exclaimed, "Isn't this Wayne Manor?!"
Sitting on the soft sofa, Injustice Batman casually placed the book on the table and said, "This should be enough for you to show off, right?"