Shane Freak
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Chapter 38: Harvey Dent
🕑 Added 2023-10-03 14:58:08 +0000 UTCIn DC World With Marvel Chat Group : Table of Content/Chapter List
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Regardless of how, the new school principal's campus alcohol ban continued to be implemented in an orderly manner.
Any vehicles or shops selling alcoholic beverages were not allowed near Gotham University. All gatherings and parties were closely monitored, and dormitories were searched. They wouldn't confiscate high-powered appliances, but they would unearth all the alcohol and sternly discipline the students.
Of course, these students were powerless to resist. Despite Scarecrow's presence as a major villain, most students at Gotham University were still relatively obedient.
However, it was clear that this move also stirred up trouble for some.
Gotham was a unique city, and everyone knew it. The alcoholics here didn't start drinking after work.
Gotham City was home to tens of thousands of alcoholics who supported numerous bars and stores selling liquor. Cigarette and alcohol sales were a significant source of tax revenue each year.
You could certainly prevent students from drinking, but if they didn't have a taste for it, who would the liquor merchants sell to?
Students were easily influenced, and any hobbies they developed during this period could stay with them for life, including drinking.
If they started drinking at the age of 20, they would spend tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of dollars on alcohol over their lifetime. Yet, the profits from selling alcohol were being siphoned off by monopolies. They used these profits to expand production, open larger factories, and employ those alcoholics at lower wages, providing them with two bottles of inferior liquor after work as compensation.
It was a perfect industry chain, and all they needed to do was to distribute some good beer at low prices near Gotham University, starting with beer, then moving on to distilled spirits and hard liquor.
For hundreds of years, Gotham City had operated this way. If you prevented those people from corrupting the students, wouldn't Gotham have become a civilized city with pure-hearted citizens by now?
Schiller understood this very well, so he had never intended to be a responsible teacher here. This city didn't allow any clean saplings to grow because only villains and criminals could survive here.
Turning Gotham University into a utopia? Don't be ridiculous. Graduates who didn't know better wouldn't last a year in Gotham City.
This was just a big whirlpool, with countless smaller whirlpools within it, and no one could escape.
Since Schiller sent Bruce that expulsion notice, he rarely mentioned involving him in this matter. But he felt a lot of pressure, having touched the interest chain, so he had to find another helper.
"Hello, I'm Harvey, Harvey Dent, a lawyer specializing in criminal litigation and judgments."
Schiller and Harvey shook hands. Before Schiller could speak, Harvey said, "I've heard about you; you've done a great job with those high-profile cases. That damn serial killer was brought to justice and is now in prison."
He spoke quickly, much like a lawyer. His tone was steady and his demeanor confident. Then he continued, "But I must say, your efforts in enforcing the alcohol ban at Gotham University haven't been as impressive as your work on those major cases. I believe saving the future of this city is just as important as apprehending criminals, don't you?"
Schiller released his hand and pursed his lips. "Perhaps," he said reluctantly.
Harvey sensed the reluctance in his tone and furrowed his brow. "I've heard some stories about you down south, but it seems like you're not as relentless as the rumors suggest."
"Speaking of which, I'm more interested in knowing who's spreading these stories about me."
Harvey looked Schiller up and down. He didn't look like a shrewd and brave detective or a fair judge; he appeared refined and suited to his profession.
Harvey was intelligent. "Are you saying someone is intentionally spreading your stories? But why would they do that? To make you famous? What's in it for them?"
Schiller gestured for Harvey to take a seat, while he sat across from him. "Perhaps you only know the first half of this story. Later on, I was set up by someone in a case in Metropolis. Otherwise, why would I come to Gotham? It's not a good sign, and it's clear these people don't want to let me off the hook."
Harvey paused, then said, "I'm sorry, you probably shouldn't be in the spotlight right now. But, without a doubt, I support this alcohol ban at Gotham University. Drinking is fine, I indulge occasionally, but excessive drinking during one's student years is unacceptable."
When Harvey spoke, his arguments were clear, logical, and delivered with unwavering confidence. If Schiller hadn't already known he would become Two-Face later on, he wouldn't have associated him with that coin-flipping madman.
Two-Face was a complex villain, the only one Batman had attempted to save. Batman had tried multiple times but had not succeeded, perhaps because this failure was more devastating than being defeated by the Joker.
Because of Harvey Dent, he truly was a good person, Gotham City's White Knight.
Batman was deeply influenced by him, and Maroni's attack on Harvey in the courtroom, which drove him insane, made Batman realize that without the use of force, authority, law, and justice meant nothing.
A despicable criminal had harmed a fair prosecutor in broad daylight, yet he faced no consequences, and no one dared to bring him to trial again.
Schiller placed his hands on the table and looked into Harvey's eyes. "Mr. Harvey, I believe you understand the situation here better than the new principal does. You must be aware of how this might offend many people's interests."
"I'm aware, but I don't care," Harvey replied.
Schiller sighed and took off his glasses, using a cloth to wipe them clean. As he wiped, he said, "Perhaps you are truly prepared to accept the cost of seeking justice?"
"That sounds like you've had quite an experience."
"Indeed, because I've been lucky."
"Well, I believe I am too," Harvey said. However, he remained empathetic, adding, "I won't condemn those who give up on this road due to the dangers they face. They've already done their best. I don't know how far I can go on this path, but in this world, you don't necessarily have to reach the end to consider it a win."
Schiller chose not to respond further. He shook hands with Harvey, who then left. It was the first time Schiller didn't attempt to interfere with or persuade someone through words.
Schiller remembered a wise saying: "Don't try to remind someone who has been walking in the darkness; they are not blind."
So Schiller didn't try to correct Harvey's thoughts or tell him that his actions were futile in Gotham. Everything Harvey did was right, every choice was just, but unfortunately, this was Gotham.
Neither the White Knight nor the Dark Knight could save Gotham.
Harvey was indeed a charismatic individual. Unlike Daredevil Matt, he didn't prefer solo battles. He excelled in utilizing all the resources at his disposal, bonding with students and even winning the admiration of staff. Mrs. Mafi praised him incessantly and even wanted to introduce her youngest daughter to him.
Most students, while unhappy about losing their hidden stashes of alcohol, still admired Harvey. They saw him as a successful and kind-hearted elite professional.
Harvey had only been at Gotham University for a few days, yet he was welcomed by almost everyone.
The new principal, Seldon, became even more depressed. He had sought someone to be his pawn, not realizing that Harvey would become so popular that he would steal the spotlight.
Few knew the new principal's name, but almost everyone knew Harvey Dent, the new legal advisor with high education, a high income, and a warm heart.
Among the people he bonded with were the hard-to-approach Schiller and Bruce. Schiller was willing to discuss life ideals with him, as their educational backgrounds were similar, and they were both alumni of Columbia University, providing them with a shared campus experience.
Bruce, on the other hand, felt a strong connection with Harvey. They could discuss anything, and Harvey provided Bruce with different perspectives on justice, greatly inspiring Batman.
In contrast to Schiller's often intellectually stimulating conversations, which left Batman stimulated and reflective, Harvey was different. He answered Bruce's questions in detail and didn't mock or disrupt his speech rhythm when they had differing views. He calmly listened, expressed his own opinions, and carefully analyzed the differences. If they couldn't agree, they each preserved their viewpoints for another discussion.
No one disliked having a friend like Harvey—wise, seasoned, enthusiastic, empathetic, and knowledgeable. This was much better than visiting Schiller and getting stressed to the point of aging ten years.
Schiller was also happy because, with Harvey around, Bruce wouldn't pester him every day, and the therapy room finally became quiet.
Apart from Gordon's visit a few days later to invite Schiller to celebrate his promotion, hardly anyone else appeared.
Gordon didn't have many friends, and some of his police station colleagues were envious, so he couldn't invite them. Instead, he planned to have a small gathering with Schiller and Bruce.
Bruce introduced Harvey to the detective. They hit it off, and in a way, Harvey and Gordon were the perfect duo. They were very similar, with Harvey being more radical and Gordon more conservative.
As these two hit it off, Bruce was left out in the cold. Schiller, holding a glass of wine, watched Bruce standing outside the therapy room and said, "Let me see, has the homeless stray finally remembered the garbage dump he used to live in? Should I feel honored?"
"Hey, don't say that," Bruce replied. "Although Harvey is great, I still think you're stronger in terms of professional competence."
"Thank you for the compliment, but I'm sure your credits for this semester will be deducted to zero."
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Next Chapter >>Chapter 39: Batman's Peach-Colored Crisis
