Days as a Spiritual Mentor in American Comics

It was another morning, neither warm nor bright. Gordon set down his sixth cup of coffee and rubbed his eyes vigorously. When he reopened his eyes, they were so red it looked like they were bleeding.

The door was knocked, and in came a fully armed Nightwing. Gordon took another sip of coffee and said, "You look as sour as someone who hasn't slept for days. What now?"

"There's been a protest against pollution in the X15 district, and Batgirl has detected criminal activity from Arkham Asylum. We're preliminarily suspecting it's either Bane or Killer Croc."

"Have you investigated it?"

"Not yet." Nightwing's eyebrows were deeply furrowed as he said, "That's what I've come to talk to you about. The GTO has been withholding salaries for over a month now. What are you going to do about it?"

"Stopping the protests isn't your responsibility," Gordon shook his head and said, "If there's a super villain, then wait until they show up to act. Stop preaching to others, just like that."

Nightwing, standing by the door, hit the door frame hard and then said, "I'm not preaching, I'm stating a fact! The city is getting better, why not push our advantage?"

"Because things are not as simple as you think," Gordon sighed slightly and said, "Batman has protected you too well, so you always struggle to see the deeper root of the problem. If you want to investigate and stop the super criminals yourself, I won't stop you. After all, your gear alone must be worth at least 50,000 US dollars, whereas I need to find a way out for those who aren't as wealthy."

"You always compromise," Nightwing said, "Today with this, tomorrow with that, you even let Joker persuade you."

"Don't forget, the GTO you're part of was established by the very 'Joker' you speak of. Let go of your meaningless anger."

Gordon finished, put on his coat, and left the office, with Nightwing following behind him: "Where are you going?"

"City Hall. Someone wants to discuss the security fee issue with me."

"Why are you negotiating with those vampires?!" Nightwing raised his voice, "If they didn't keep skimming our funds under various pretenses, we wouldn't be in a situation where we can't even pay salaries."

"Yes, but do you have any other way to stop them? To kill them all?" Gordon turned to look at Nightwing and said, "I understand your anger, but you'd better realize that I haven't just woken up to reality in this incident. These things have been happening continuously, and compared to the deeper reasons, your anger, everyone's anger, simply pales in significance."

"So you're now going to find a solution to the problem? What are they going to extort from you this time?"

"I've been struggling on my last breath," Gordon turned his head back, adjusted his glasses, and continued, "Like a patient living in intensive care for over a decade. Didn't decades of fighting against death teach me that the bill I get when I'm discharged is irrelevant? What more do I have to lose?"

Nightwing halted, his fists clenched tight, but then he quickly caught up with Gordon and said, "I'll go with you. They are definitely going to fleece you."

Then his tone softened and he said, "Sorry, Commissioner. It's not you I'm angry at, I'm just really angry. I always have been."

"I told you, I understand your anger because I too have had such times when I've been angry at these people daily."

"So you're not angry now?"

"Anger is good medicine for immune fatigue. When I'm tired, I let myself vent anger, and that makes me feel a lot better."

"I don't know how to comment on you, you even put your own anger on a scale, weighing it, then using it with caution."

"Yes, because to this day, my own body and mental state are a significant percentage of the resources I can leverage. Besides that, there's really nothing left."

Nightwing fell silent, looking very sad, while Gordon didn't even look back at him, just adding one more thing as he got into the car.

"The thing I regret the most now is that I didn't stand up when Batman was beating up Joker."

"Were you indulging your own anger at that time?"

"I don't know. Actually, I felt nothing at all at that moment, just numbness, but that made me concede time and again during negotiations with the pale knight."

"It's fine, you've got me," Nightwing said, "I'll help you."

As the car drove toward City Hall, the streets were still bleak. The morning's dim light filtered through the clouds, casting Gotham City back to the Victorian Era, with every scene's beat like a finale.

Gordon and Nightwing got out of the car together, but as they stepped into City Hall, they noticed something different. Each employee seemed panicky, sneaking glances, sweating profusely.

Gordon's gaze moved away from a fat man and towards a lady delivering a speech behind the glass wall of an office. He had a slight recollection of them because the last time he came to see the pale knight, these two had lingered around the coffee machine for three and five hours, respectively.

Gordon didn't think City Hall had so many pressing matters on a normal day; perhaps something had gone wrong.

He quickened his stride, hurriedly pressed the elevator button, and the uneasy premonition in his heart grew stronger.

Just then, Nightwing's phone rang, and after a brief conversation, he hung up and told Gordon, "Batman called me again. He wants me to go back, but I really can't."

"I know he doesn't support me joining GTO, but to use such a trick to call me back is somewhat childish," Nightwing said as he lowered his eyelids.

"Though he's not someone who needs company, Alfred has just passed away. Maybe he needs someone to comfort him."

"That person is not me," Nightwing retorted, "I might just be the replacement for his first Robin, but he can't expect to order me around."

The two exited the elevator together, and the receptionist brought them to the mayor's office door with a smile that was particularly sincere, making Gordon feel like he had taken the wrong medication.

The police commissioner of Gotham City was never welcome anywhere, and if the commissioner's name happened to be James Gordon, he could even manage to not see a single smile for six consecutive months.

The door to the mayor's office was pushed open, but sitting inside was not the pale knight, although it was not the pale knight who contacted Gordon either. But he thought the knight would be there.

If he disappeared at this time, it would seem a bit like he was avoiding the situation. The pale knight was not one to show weakness; because of this, he seemed especially convincing.

"Hello, my name is Shiller Rodriguez, but you can just call me Shiller." Shiller came forward to shake Gordon's hand and said, "The main reason we called you here today is to talk about the issue of law enforcement funding."

"Mr. Napier is not here?"

"He's gone to deal with other matters, things much more important than law enforcement funding. I'm his staff and can represent him fully."

"I don't think there's anything more important than public security." Nightwing said.

"Yes, but what we're discussing is just the law enforcement funding. While the issue of money is important, the mayor doesn't have to deal with every single detail," Shiller said with a smile.

They sat down in the meeting area, with Shiller on one side by himself, and Nightwing and Gordon on the other.

"The funding for GTO is running low," Gordon said very directly. "The natural disaster fund used to pay for the squad's expenses is almost gone. We're behind on salaries and urgently need a sum of money to fill this gap. How much can the municipal funds provide?"

Shiller took a drink of water, then said, "If I say it's not the entire amount, who do you plan to ask to make up the rest? Batman?"

Gordon immediately became wary, and Shiller waved his hand and said, "Don't be so surprised. The pale knight has already told me Batman's real identity. This is proof that I am trustworthy. We shouldn't linger too long on these pointless matters."

"Yes, I think so too," Gordon could only respond. "We can reduce the frequency of the squad's activity, which should save some money. Batman should be able to come up with the rest of the funding."

"Don't you think there's a problem with that?" Shiller said. "Batman has never supported the establishment of this squad, yet you're asking him to put up the money."

"He only doesn't support it because this squad was established by the Joker, but Mr. Napier is no longer the Joker." Nightwing said. "I think he hasn't gotten around this turn. He should learn to independently view the former villains and the current heroes."

"Why do you think Napier is no longer the Joker? Because of what he's doing now? Of course, we admit he's done good things, but this doesn't mean he's completely not the Joker anymore."

"Are you Batman's lobbyist?"

"On the contrary, I'm the Joker's staff. I point this out just to tell you that Batman's concerns are not unreasonable. The mental state of the pale knight is indeed worrying."

Gordon felt his heart sinking; he asked, "Are you his arrangement for after his passing?"

"It hasn't gotten to that point yet," Shiller shook his head.

What confused Gordon and Nightwing was that although the news he delivered was one bad thing after another, the man in front of them maintained a relaxed demeanor.

"I hope you understand, whether it's Batman or the Joker, neither are the lifesavers for you. Relying on Batman and then changing to rely on the Joker won't bring any improvement to this city."

"But the pale knight really has..."

"He indeed has made more noise than Batman, but that doesn't mean he's done better. He has just turned the contradictions hidden under the water's surface inside out, but he has never been able to offer a trustworthy solution to these contradictions."

"He saved the slums," Nightwing said. "The charity fund has helped many families, giving many children the opportunity to study."

"Yes, that's good, but it's not the answer," Shiller said. "If a country has to rely on a once-in-a-century leader's generosity to have these things, then that's precisely the problem itself."

The two opposite him deeply furrowed their brows, apparently pondering his words, but Shiller continued.

"Whether it's the former Batman or the current pale knight, they have seen the contradictions. One chose to keep silent but put all his effort into solving them, while the other chose to put the contradictions out in the open, so that people could see hope and work together with him."

"The thoughts and actions of both are good; it's just that the method is problematic."

Gordon leaned forward and then said, "Do you have a better idea?"

"The elite class, the rats that are leeching off your law enforcement funds and natural disaster funds, are not our enemies."

"What on earth are you talking about?" Nightwing, feeling somewhat intolerant, said, "So your method is to praise them for doing things right, for doing things well, and then surrender to them?"

"Of course, I would praise them."

"Why?!"

"Because they have money," Shiller said, looking into Dick's eyes. "They have money, and more than anyone else, they know how to make money. They're also willing to spend a lot when the timing is right. Why would I make enemies with them?"