Shiller was sitting on the sofa next to them, watching their interaction. He found it quite interesting.
Actually, Jason had grown a lot before, and because Arkham Batman often felt guilty, Jason could even vaguely one-up him. But now, Jason obviously didn't dare to talk back to Arkham Batman, probably because he hadn't been beaten less recently. More importantly, Arkham Batman had evolved since becoming president; even without using violent means, he could control those around him perfectly.
Before coming here, Shiller had learned about the situation in this cosmos mainly concerning the Justice League. The Justice League in their cosmos is quite young, hasn't been established for long, but all the necessary people are there.
Currently, among the three giants, Superman has basically been sorted out by him, not through violent means but through policies like reducing agricultural tax, providing subsidies for the purchase and repair of agricultural machinery, and improving medical standards in rural towns in agricultural states, thus gaining Superman's trust. It's not accurate to say he can direct Superman, but at least Superman doesn't oppose Batman's decisions.
Wonder Woman poses more of a challenge. Arkham Batman deliberately lowered the diplomatic status of Amazon in America, missed two routine visits, and even didn't pass when their special plane needed to borrow a flight path, essentially suppressing her to a certain extent in the diplomatic arena. Wonder Woman is quite annoyed by this.
Wonder Woman's identity as the Amazon Princess is public, and because of her princess status and her own appearance and temperament, she is widely recognized in the international community, with her every move sparking wide discussion.
Her and Amazon's diplomatic status complement each other: previously, America valued Amazon highly as a sidekick, which is why Wonder Woman had high international status; and because Wonder Woman was popular, Amazon also rose, gaining more attention from America.
But since Arkham Batman came to power, he has been rather neglectful toward this loyal sidekick, and more accurately toward all past sidekicks, instead frequently contacting some former adversaries and competitors. This has already caused dissatisfaction among many countries.
Wonder Woman is bound to feel wronged, after all, for so many years, Amazon has been conscientious without a second thought, and she herself didn't know how much international public opinion support she brought for America. Yet, Arkham Batman came to power and immediately tossed her aside, and Wonder Woman cannot accept this no matter what.
After all, if it were a stranger president, it would be understandable, but Justice League members see Batman as one of their own. Why doesn't one of their own take care of his own people when he comes to power? Even if he doesn't take care of them, he shouldn't suppress them, right?
But Arkham Batman has always adhered to the principle of "no talking" on this issue. Any inquiries from Justice League members regarding presidential matters are met with a terse "no comment," leading to some discontent within the alliance.
Shiller knew that introducing himself as this variable was nothing more than buying time. More precisely, it was about diverting the gaze and firepower of Justice League members onto himself, giving Arkham Batman time to do more important things. Although being a target doesn't feel great, even Superman, who has a good relationship with Batman, wouldn't welcome this newcomer who has been inserted. But Arkham Batman was offering a lot.
Moreover, if their attitude is unfriendly, is Shiller some sort of good person? He certainly wouldn't turn the other cheek. Rather than bringing Justice League members to Gotham and having the Batman Family keep an eye on them, it would be better to have them keep an eye on Shiller to ensure he doesn't really break up the Justice League.
Shiller stood up and shook hands with Arkham Knight. Feeling the real touch transmitted from his hand, Arkham Knight breathed a sigh of relief. The previous rooftop encounter was indeed a bit bizarre, making him question whether what he encountered was really a person.
Then Arkham Knight scrutinized Shiller, seemingly unable to discern his depth, so he shifted his gaze to Arkham Batman.
"Alright, once the Justice League members arrive, we'll hold a welcome party. You must ensure that you and other Gotham locals attend in formal attire. And, if that lady comes to discuss something with you, neither agree nor refuse, just be vague about it," Arkham Batman said.
This somewhat puzzled Arkham Knight, he stared at Arkham Batman and said: "What are you up to? Wonder Woman she…"
"Don't ask too much, you will soon find out," Arkham Batman said.
Though curious, Arkham Knight did not pursue the matter further. Inside, he knew what Dick said was correct: whatever Batman wants you to know, you'll eventually know, but if he doesn't want you to know, no amount of questioning will uncover it.
The welcome banquet was set for the evening of the following day. As helicopters landed on the rooftop of Wayne building, Justice League superheroes gradually emerged from the aircraft. Even those capable of flying disembarked from the plane and walked steadily inside.
Shiller watched from afar on the rooftop as this scene unfolded. He thought, Arkham Batman sure is having a great time as president, with all fifty states of the Federation bowing to him and the Justice League incredibly docile. No matter what they think inside, at least their surface behavior is done thoroughly.
The Justice League members seemed somewhat tense, not a single person noticed the bright moon hanging high over Gotham until Arkham Batman began introducing Moon Knight.
Arkham Batman raised his glass, walked alone to the front of everyone, and said: "Since I took office, you all have contributed significantly to the security of the Federation. Despite this, there are times when it feels like power is lacking. Fortunately, a friend of mine is willing to come and help, and I introduced him to join the Justice League. I formally introduce him to everyone today."
He said this, yet alongside him was emptiness with not even a shadow. Superman looked around erratically, while Wonder Woman seemed to have realized something, turning her head to look outside the window.
At that exact moment, a beam of moonlight shone in from outside the window, making the entire banquet hall excessively bright. Misty white light blurred the vision, and a tall figure suddenly appeared beside Batman, yet seemed to have been standing there from the start.
Superman paused for a moment and was the first to express goodwill. He stepped forward, shook hands with Moon Knight, and said, "Hello, welcome."
Shiller nodded to him lightly. Wonder Woman frowned, not seeming resistant, just looking a bit skeptical. However, after glancing at Arkham Batman, she didn't plan to make trouble in this setting, so she nodded to Shiller, and Shiller nodded back at her.
The others were more straightforward. The Flash directly asked Arkham Batman, "When did this guy join? What's he here for?"
"Just yesterday," Arkham Batman said, "I registered him on the member list. Whatever you do, he does."
Mentioning this, not only The Flash but also Green Lantern sighed.
Originally, the Justice League was supposed to be a self-organized superhero group, completely independent of Federal Government control. But since Arkham Batman took over, it has become an official organization.
It's not that they wanted to change; the key is if you don't change, you won't be legal. In the past, there was a saying that without public complaints, there would be no investigation. Now, regardless of public complaints, Batman will pursue it. What other options are there but to accept this form of recruitment?
Of course, they could just give up and stop running this group altogether. But it's hard to resist because Batman offers quite a lot.
Since it's an official organization, there must be government funding, and since it's a security organization, it runs on military expenses. The military budget approved by Arkham Batman is substantial, and they receive a percentage of it. Who can resist that?
Even though it's all about money, they didn't initially seek to maintain security for it. But when it involves "power," very few can resist.
Everyone in the Justice League has become a "Federal Security Advisor" for the city they protect. Though this title doesn't seem significant, it grants substantial power: not only can they mobilize the local police, but they can also engage the State Police, Federal Guard, and even the military; both municipal and military systems cooperate unconditionally in investigation, essentially granting unlimited enforcement authority.
For instance, if Superman wants to investigate a criminal, both the police department and the state police must unconditionally share their information with him; upon completion of the investigation and preparing for an arrest, the mayor must assist him in closing roads and evacuating civilians; upon capturing the person, the trial and imprisonment receive the highest priority, usually adjudicated on the same day; any troubles that arise afterward are handled by organizations like the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Before experiencing these privileges, they didn't notice much. But once they have, there's no going back to the old ways.
Superman is that kind of omnipotent superhero, with no difficulty in investigation and capture. For someone like Green Arrow, who lacks superpowers yet desires to uphold justice, this government authorization is crucial, akin to holding a decree, arresting whoever they choose.
Additionally, the logistical support available to the Justice League is impressive. There are now six bases across All America. Apart from the headquarters in Washington, there are branches in major cities on both the East and West Coasts, and if the one in Gotham is completed, there will be seven.
Despite the numerous bases, they each serve distinct functions: some specialize in providing information and intelligence support, others in equipment research, resource planning, or offering lifestyle conveniences, ensuring every aspect of the Justice League members' lives and work is well-managed.
Overall, the entire Justice League now relies on the president. Even if they are dissatisfied with certain aspects of this president, they don't dare speak out because they're beholden for the support.
Take the matter of new members, for example. Normally, inducting a new member requires a vote by all members. But here, it's Batman's sole decision: whoever he registers as an official member becomes one, and others can't intervene. After all, it's Batman who pays the salary, and if he chooses to add one more to the payroll, providing extra benefits, there's nothing others can do. No one else could afford it otherwise, so they have no choice but to comply.
Although they hadn't heard of this superhero Moon Knight before, Shiller's debut and his appearance were quite impressive. Plus, the human race on Earth harbors many romantic fantasies about the moon. Not long after the banquet started, The Flash approached and began chatting with Shiller.
"Hello, I'm The Flash. I'm from Central City. Where are you from?"
"I'm from New York," Shiller didn't hide it, as this cosmos also has a New York, albeit a smaller one.
"Oh, I know, that's the Justice Society's headquarters. I've heard the security situation there is pretty good."
"Not as good as Central City," Shiller acknowledged sincerely. The security in Central City is incredibly excellent, nearing the level of some Asian countries where people can leave their doors unlocked at night.
Hearing someone praise his hometown, The Flash was delighted. He chatted with Shiller for a bit more, but soon noticed Wonder Woman's signal. Evidently, this lady was also interested in the newcomer and was eager to have a conversation.