"The psychiatric evaluation indicates that Robin is in a constant state of craving validation while simultaneously fearing abandonment."
"He doesn't exhibit signs of schizophrenia or the emergence of other personalities. However, regarding last night's situation, Batman, you should know better than I do that Venom and Robin are clearly two... uh, two separate personalities."
Venom's psychiatric evaluation and analysis had been conducted by Dr. Banner. At this moment, wearing his glasses, he sat across a table from Batman and said:
"Of course, my dabbling in psychology is shallow at best. Perhaps you need a more professional psychiatrist to re-evaluate Robin."
Batman looked at Dr. Banner and shook his head slightly.
"That won't be necessary. I trust you, Dr. Banner."
Batman himself was the "more professional psychiatrist" Dr. Banner was referring to; he had no doubts about Dr. Banner's analysis.
"I'm more curious about how, as a physicist, you are so proficient in psychology as well?" Batman asked.
"Betty." Dr. Banner pushed up his glasses, a trace of melancholy appearing on his face. "My ex-girlfriend, Betty, was a professor of psychology. I learned a lot from her."
"General Ross's daughter, correct?" Batman asked.
Dr. Banner wasn't puzzled as to how Batman knew this. After all, even General Ross himself was currently in Batman's hands. He simply smiled bitterly and said:
"That's right. Three years ago, it was Betty who secretly tipped me off about General Ross's operation. That was the only reason I managed to escape before they decided to use a nuclear weapon."
"It is highly likely that a nuke would pose no threat to the Hulk," Batman said, watching Dr. Banner's expression as he spoke.
"But the Hulk would definitely get angry. And when he gets angry..." Dr. Banner smiled. "I really can't say what would happen then."
"Do you want to see Betty?" Batman asked.
The moment these words came out, Dr. Banner immediately became alert. He lowered his head slightly, his gaze peering over the rim of his glasses at Batman.
"What are you planning?"
Batman didn't hide much from Dr. Banner. The doctor was too smart, and the Hulk was simply too powerful; Batman hoped they would become his allies rather than his enemies.
"I have locked General Ross away. In the future, it is very likely he will need to remain imprisoned for a long time... Yesterday, before coming here, I noticed Betty searching online for information regarding General Ross."
"Additionally, over the past three years, Betty has searched the keywords 'Banner' and 'Hulk' on the internet nearly five thousand times."
"This means she attempts to find you in the news at least three to five times every single day."
Dr. Banner couldn't sit still anymore. He stood up abruptly, rounded the table to reach Batman, and gripped Batman's arm tightly.
"You can help me, right?"
Batman stood up and patted Dr. Banner on the shoulder reassuringly.
"Yes, I can help you."
Dr. Banner's chest heaved, his breathing rapid. He smiled somewhat sheepishly at Batman and returned to his seat.
"Bringing Betty to this island to stay away from human society with me—I definitely wouldn't agree to that. You surely anticipated that as well."
"But if I were to return to human society, I would be a massive threat to you and everyone else... Of course, even I worry about the Hulk when I'm in crowded places."
"So I'm guessing... does this have to do with what you mentioned last night? And what you didn't say to Professor Morbius?"
Dr. Banner certainly didn't disappoint Batman. After his brief emotional outburst, he immediately regained his composure and quickly deduced the reason Batman had mentioned Betty.
He even understood why Batman had handed Robin's psychiatric evaluation over to him last night.
Batman had planned everything that was about to happen long in advance.
"Correct." Batman confirmed Dr. Banner's guess. "I plan to form a League."
"A Monster League?" Dr. Banner chuckled. "But the formation of a league won't directly allow us to return to human society... and it seems you also really need us as a research team."
Batman didn't smile; he was very serious at this moment.
"I will handle all of that. Once Professor Connors returns from South Brother Island, I will formally announce this matter."
"Did Khonshu say something to you?" Dr. Banner asked again.
Batman had never mentioned the idea of forming a league before this.
"That is only one of the reasons," Batman said.
Dr. Banner pushed his glasses up.
"For the moment, I can't figure out how you're going to establish this league, or what the future state of our league will be. I also can't figure out how you'll help us return to human society, or, most importantly, help Betty and me reunite..."
"But at least so far, nothing you've done has crossed my bottom line. And the Hulk likes you quite a bit..."
"Therefore, I support your decision."
Batman truly needed Dr. Banner's support; otherwise, he wouldn't have gone to such lengths.
"Thank you, Dr. Banner. And please thank the Hulk for me."
As they spoke, the two men shook hands across the table.
"Timeline-wise, the most recent incident related to Batman is the theft at the Metropolitan Museum. Five thieves explicitly mentioned that their opponent was a black figure with sharp, pointed features."
Hawkeye stood with his arms crossed over his chest, his longbow already transformed into a staff held within his embrace.
He was no longer in the dilapidated apartment but had moved to a luxury hotel.
Although he was penniless when he arrived in New York, that wasn't a major problem for Hawkeye.
"I still can't find any movements regarding Black Widow... There is no information on her inside Oscorp."
Hawkeye, Clint Barton, couldn't help but rub his temples.
Among the intelligence gathered in New York, the events of the last month or two could be summarized into three main things:
Batman, Oscorp, and Kingpin.
Among them, Kingpin's whereabouts were unknown after his escape from Ryker's Island, and Batman's movements were elusive. Hawkeye had gone to the Metropolitan Museum last night but failed to find any traces left by Batman.
Only Oscorp might be a breakthrough point. Batman had appeared there multiple times, and Oscorp had previously been under military supervision by General Ross, which also involved the Hulk.
"Maybe I need to change my approach," Hawkeye muttered to himself.
He thought back to a month ago, to his conversation with Dr. Banner inside the Cube prison. It was precisely after that conversation that Hawkeye had witnessed the transaction between Black Widow and Hydra, and had been locked in prison ever since.
"If I can't find Batman, maybe I can try finding Black Widow... or operate in New York as a criminal. That might be one of the simple and effective ways to make contact with Batman."
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