The gunshot startled all the Batmen in the room.
With a single shot, a bloody hole was opened directly in Laughing Bat's head, clean and ruthless, showing no mercy. From the moment he raised his hand to pulling the trigger, there was not a hint of hesitation, leaving no opportunity for anyone to stop him. More importantly, it did not endow any noble meaning of choosing life or death, nor did it have any philosophical intention to discuss justice and judgment. It was so casually dismissive that it seemed like provocation to Batman.
Batman does not kill. This is a principle held by all just Batmen. Every character, every force, whether foe or friend, inside the walls or outside, countless debates and troubles have arisen around this principle. Everyone who understands this principle—everyone who understands Batman—must think carefully, with utmost caution, when undertaking actions related to this principle.
Perhaps they also have a special attachment, whether it's about killing or not. Rather than the act of killing itself, it's more about wanting to see how Batman reacts to his stance on the matter. Essentially, it is about capturing Batman's attention. Not killing is compliance, killing is rebellion, and Batman always sets the standards.
This results in everyone daring to attempt life deprivation in front of Batman having much thought beyond slaughter, imbued with a philosophical quality that makes them seem deeply melancholic and overly conspicuous.
But Shiller is not. His mind has no prison of thought, his arms no shackles of morality, his fingers no emotional constraints. The gunshot is not the courtroom's gavel, the bullet is not the thought-transmitting train—this shot is purely about slaughter.
Because it's pure, it's sharp; because the intent to kill is too blunt and straightforward, it instead arouses fear.
Night Owl gazed at the fallen Laughing Bat, somewhat dumbfounded. Then he looked at the other Batmen. The room was eerily silent, all the Batmen in silence.
Night Owl suddenly found it absurdly funny. Why were these gentlemen not speaking a word?
Were they afraid that they'd get shot too?
Night Owl had no doubt that anyone daring to jump out and educate Shiller not to kill right now would also get shot without hesitation by Shiller. This is something those who debate with Batman about whether to kill would never do. Because arguing implies caring, while directly killing means that even if 99 percent of the people present dislike slaughter, the one who fires does not care. He does not care how Batman thinks of him, nor does he care about the potential threat of force from many Batmen.
It seemed like holding the gun made him God. The world began with pulling the trigger and ended with the blooming blood. The split seconds of bullet flight interpreted the cosmos he created. No rule or sermon could become his god, yet thus creating an aesthetic of violence so solemn and pure that even Batman could not help but appreciate.
Shiller slowly put away his gun, glancing around as if unaware of their silence. Just a second before the Primary Universe Batman opened his mouth, Shiller said, "He's the fusion of Batman and Joker, he wouldn't die so easily. I just wanted him to be quiet."
Better not to explain at all. Night Owl thought. Not explaining would just mean hard-heartedness; explaining afterwards seems more provocative.
The Broken Bat swallowed a belly full of questions back. He simply couldn't find the chance to question. He wasn't quite clear about the other Batmen; he only knew that if he were shot in the head like that, he definitely wouldn't survive.
Fortunately, Shiller had already put away the gun. He seemed unaware of the strange atmosphere and instead lowered his hat brim, saying, "I still have half of my mission unfinished, and now I need to reorganize Gotham's order. Who among you will go with me? Or will you stay here to deal with them?"
Again, he turned to glance at the Laughing Bat lying on the ground. The latter didn't seem dead but was unusually quiet. Shiller speculated he had more tricks up his sleeve since he hadn't yet used his best skill, "Prediction."
"I advise you not to enter the city," Night Owl suddenly spoke, "Laughing Bat has gathered the Batmen from the dark universe, and spatial fractures are likely already opening everywhere. The army will soon arrive."
"Seems like he's determined to mess up my mission," Shiller smirked coldly, "Even so, his stupid plan better be truly effective. Otherwise, he'll be waiting for another bullet."
With that, he walked out of the chapel, leaving the Batmen in the room feeling unsure about whether to stay or leave.
Logically, the best way now is to grab the dark Batmen in the room, figure out what their exact plan is, and what they've arranged in the city, to formulate a counterattack plan. But honestly, compared to Shiller, who has already decided to dive headfirst into the city, these dark Batmen don't seem so dangerous.
"Keep an eye on him," Primary Universe Batman whispered to Arkham Batman, "Batmen of the Dark Multiverse aren't entirely beyond saving, we can't let him kill them all, or we'll be in a passive position afterward."
Arkham Batman glanced at Broken Bat and saw the complex emotions roiling within him; said nothing, just nodded.
Mad Laugh had a bit too much nonsense but rarely spoke some sensible words today. For the Batmen of the Dark Multiverse, everything they've suffered—all these merciless disasters—weren't their own fault. If all beings in the cosmos were like this, one could still say "Heaven and Earth are unkind"; but strangely enough, there's a normally developing Bright Multiverse. The resentment isn't about scarcity but inequality.
Knowing this truth, the Dark Batmen's resentment, their struggles and efforts to resist and break free, are rightful. Even if this might endanger the Bright Multiverse, the Batmen of the Bright Multiverse would never decide to kill all the Dark Batmen because of it. They still wish to save as many as possible.
But now it seems, Shiller is planning mass executions. So even though it's crucial to catch the behind-the-scenes manipulator for interrogation, stopping this killer comes first.
This task naturally falls on the most capable Arkham Batman. Not that the Primary Universe Batman or others aren't able, but since Shiller chose to skip Laughing Bat's dialogue and directly gave him a bullet, likely other Batmen going there would face the same. This implies Batman's clever mind and eloquent mouth are essentially useless, better to send someone who can fight directly.
Arkham Batman sat back in the Batmobile, turned the steering wheel, and drove out through the church's main gate, returning once again to this broken city. He should have felt some emotion, but before the thought could take root, a familiar gunshot shattered it.
Arkham Batman quickly turned the car around. There was no time for pointless reflection; Shiller's combat style, which skipped all the plot dialogues, demanded him to be faster than ever before.
The Batmobile stopped. As Arkham Batman got out, he saw Shiller already entangled with a formidable figure. The not-fully-closed spatial rifts around indicated that this must be a Batman summoned by the Laughing bat from another dark multiverse.
This figure was different from the usual Batman: wearing a dark gray bodysuit, with a shorter cape, a fully-covered headpiece, and the mask had two smaller ears than usual; most notably, there were many bright red lines on his suit—definitely not a style favored by Batman.
There's no doubt that his skills were excellent, able to hold his own against Shiller, who wielded a gun. Shiller fired two shots but failed to hit him. Just as Arkham Batman was about to rush over to subdue both, a red laser suddenly shot out from the eyes of the unfamiliar Batman.
Arkham Batman was very familiar with this energy: "Omega Effect?"
Shiller also paused his movement briefly. With a roll, he dodged the incoming beam, then stood up and sized up his opponent.
This Batman's outfit was so distinctive that he almost immediately recalled the corresponding character from his memory—the Omega Batman from "Batman: The Last Knight."
This is a DC black label standalone universe work. Although not explicitly stated, the darkness and bloodiness of its story suggest that this universe belongs to the dark multiverse. When mentioning the "most tragic Batman," this universe's Batman is also a strong contender. He, too, fell victim to the Laughing's enticement.
But thinking carefully, it makes sense. Whether Broken Bat or Omega Batman, they are essentially victims of a calamity not of their own making. They were originally good, righteous Batmen, but life's hardships drove them to madness.
Such Batmen harbor far greater resentment than those inherently evil ones. In Shiller's view, a Dark Legion composed of such Batmen is even more formidable than the Laughing Organization's Dark Legion from the original comics, as they are victims of the universe's injustice.
When facing these victims, the Batmen from the bright multi-universe have many concerns. They would never give up on saving this group of victims, which makes them cautious in their actions, perhaps even more so than those outright evil seeds, making them more intimidating.
"Who is he?" Arkham Batman asked. It wasn't really a question since he seemed certain that Shiller would explain it to him.
His answer was another gunshot.
"Bang!" Taking advantage of the moment when the laser withdrew from the other's eyes, Shiller fired again. This time, he finally hit, directly striking the spine. The opponent fell to the ground. Shiller wanted to finish him off.
"Wait." Arkham Batman stopped him, saying, "Don't kill him. I need to know who he is and what this is all about."
"They betrayed me..." The fallen Omega Batman slowly began, "They stormed into the Justice Hall and tore me to shreds..."
Before he could finish, a dark gun barrel appeared in front of his face. Shiller towered over him, saying, "Shut up."
Arkham Batman frowned. He turned to Shiller and said, "We need intelligence about the dark multiverse; you should let him finish."
"No, you don't need it," Shiller said without even looking at him, "I know every one of them carries an unspeakably tragic backstory. But their stories weren't caused by me, nor do I have any obligation to take responsibility, much less listen to him pour out his heart and help him solve his problems."
"But there's no need to kill him either."
"Living might be more painful for him. All my kindness combined is only enough to give him a bullet to end it all. Are you sure you want to stop me?"
Arkham Batman seemed at a loss for words. Shiller's logic seemed a bit too consistent, but he still couldn't let him do it. So he said, "You probably don't have many bullets left; there's no need to waste them on this unnecessary kindness. Let it go."
Shiller put away his gun and said, "I'm not debating with you. You have to realize that for those who have been bewitched by the Laughing bat, the best ending they can hope for is a swift death by my hand. If they miss this chance, they will only fall into an even more miserable state."
"Is it really that exaggerated?" Arkham Batman seemed somewhat skeptical.
Shiller didn't answer him, just glanced at the Omega Batman lying on the ground, then walked away without looking back.