Getting out of the car, Stark was still muttering. As he walked up the steps, he glanced back at Shiller in the car. Noticing the other was expressionless, he felt even more dissatisfied and kept mumbling about complaining to Batman.
But the moment he saw Batman, he fell silent. He knew Arkham Batman, aware of how powerful this guy was.
"Ahem." Stark coughed twice and said, "I didn't expect you to be the president. But it's not surprising."
Arkham Batman, however, was very welcoming. He proactively stepped forward to shake hands with Stark and said, "Sorry, it's a bit rushed, and I didn't have time to prepare a welcome ceremony. After all, you know, things have been a bit chaotic in my universe recently. The more people there are, the more dangerous it is. Did anything happen on the way?"
Stark opened his mouth but said nothing, merely waving his hand, saying, "I'm most annoyed by those superficial things. Let's solve the problem first and tell me about that electronic life..."
Arkham Batman invited the two of them to sit down and began talking about electronic life. Doom also exchanged information with him. Hearing that this electronic life previously had encounters with JARVIS and Doom, Arkham Batman nodded and said, "Just as I thought. I had guessed before that it must have reached the end in terms of programming and logic, and only then began to explore emotions. Now it seems that it has probably achieved the pinnacle of electronic life through its confrontations with you."
"It's far from that." Stark shook his head and said, "If you've seen the Mechanical Overlord... forget it, he's no good person, best not to mention him."
Arkham Batman was quite interested, saying, "Who is this Mechanical Overlord? A superhero from your side?"
"He's an Iron Man, my counterpart," Stark sighed and said, "Codename is Mechanical Overlord Iron Man, and he has something called a Calculating Element. That's the true endpoint of electronic life. If you encounter him in Battleworld, it's best to steer clear."
"So, the guy troubling us here isn't much on your side, is he?"
"Not exactly," Stark shook his head and said, "When it fought with JARVIS and Doom, it clearly wasn't so strong. But by the time it came over to your side, it had been greatly enhanced. If it runs back to us, it might be quite a headache."
"Then why doesn't it go back?" Arkham Batman said. He quickly added, "Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it should go back; I'm just pondering its motive."
"There could be multiple reasons. First, you have to admit Magneto is the nemesis of all similar life forms, especially since it has transformed into an electronic-wavelength creature; it can't escape Magneto's grasp. Moreover, as you mentioned, it can manipulate people's minds, which falls under Professor X's expertise. If all else fails, the Scarlet Witch could serve as a backup. In short, it's too difficult to invade the Multiverse from over there."
"But it can completely collaborate with the Mutants," Arkham Batman said, "I know the mutants on your side have always been seeking a higher social status. If it could help, Magneto and the others shouldn't refuse, right?"
"As you say, but it's actually difficult to execute. First, the Mutants aren't of one mind internally. In most universes, collaborating with Magneto means opposing the X-Men led by Professor X. The X-Men include the Phoenix; if she gets provoked, it wouldn't be about ruling the universe but destroying it. That's certainly not what it wants."
"Moreover, Magneto is no mindless brute. He knows well that no matter how they fight with ordinary humans, they are all carbon-based life forms. Allowing a silicon-based life form to establish a dominant position could lead to being discarded after use. Even if he temporarily collaborates with the other party, he must be thinking of taking advantage. Such an alliance lacks any trust; it can collapse instantly."
"Besides, helping Mutants seek social status isn't that simple. Magneto and Professor X are incredibly powerful, yet after decades of efforts, they haven't achieved much. It means that while Mutants are strong, there are stronger things in our world. If electronic life is willing to involve itself in this quagmire, it wouldn't be able to extricate itself for at least a century."
Arkham Batman nodded, agreeing with Stark's analysis. He had actually pondered this issue before, arriving at a similar conclusion but lacked understanding of that side's situation to be certain. If Stark shared this view, it indicated that his judgment was basically correct.
The power level in the Marvel World has inflated greatly, especially with mutants. The first generation was already ridiculously strong, and the second generation is even more so. By the time of Franklin's era, various abilities alone could fill thousands of words, involving creations of universes, controls of space and time, cosmic essence-level wisdom...
Although the performance of these mutants isn't as strong as their settings, in terms of the number of powerful individuals, they significantly exceed those in DC. One mountain is always higher than another; the whole universe is like a minefield, not knowing which step electronic life takes will encounter a super-high-level Super Saiyan that will smash it."
Also, compared to Marvel, which has already reached the "All-New, All-Different" phase, DC's New 52 has just begun and seems too young. Using the Prime Universe's timeline as a standard, most of the cosmos's superheroes are still very young, haven't experienced major events, and their experience levels can't compare to the seasoned Marvel heroes.
The saying goes, "Pick the soft persimmons for squeezing," and this Electronic Life, although it has evolved significantly, knows it can't make a splash in Marvel, where it's easy to get crushed. It's better off bullying the still young DC, exploring emotional evolution here, and once fully leveled up, it can return for revenge.
Knowing that it might be treated as an upgrade instance, Arkham Batman must still handle the situation with caution. Creating a flawless electronic life would be troublesome for both sides.
"Our universe's Supreme Magician has already gone to your Prime Universe. It shouldn't take long before a magical defense network is established there, expelling that entity. As for your side, I can take a look, but I'm obviously not as proficient as the Supreme Magician..."
Arkham Batman nodded and said, "I've established a Magic Mechanical Workshop myself; you can check it out. Honestly, I'm pleasantly surprised you two could come. After all, I have a bunch of magic energy but don't know how to use it. The researchers in the institutes and universities don't listen to me."
"I've meant to say," Stark said, "You became president, yet you still feel constricted? Can't you just cut their funding?"
Arkham Batman shook his head and said, "Most of them aren't bad people. Their actions hindering the Federation's development seem more like they're maintaining their class interests. These people are capable and talented and can produce results; they just don't want to devote themselves to the public good."
"If I kill them all or simply kick them out, stopping their research, the Federation's years of accumulation would be ruined. It's like trying to move a pool of fish; you can't just drain the water, or even if they thrash before dying, they'll still die, which is a loss of my assets. The best approach is to introduce young, strong new fish and fresh water to force them to move, rediscover their youthful vitality, rather than staying put and stagnating."
"Seems like you brought Nick in to introduce some fresh water, right?"
Arkham Batman looked a bit embarrassed and said, "Yes, I know Nick is important in your universe, but I highly admire his talent, especially his ability to navigate between Congress, the presidency, the military, and various forces. I need such talent to flexibly arrange some redundancy within the limitations of presidential regulations..."
"In essence, you're exploiting him," Stark shrugged and said, "You've found the right guy; Nick excels at using government funds to maintain his army. You have no idea how many Sky Carriers he's built...oh, now they're Sky Ships."
"Yes, I do need such talent. Though you two were unexpected surprises, you can also help significantly. If you create something remarkable using Nick's funding, those old Academy School folks will feel the crisis."
"Indeed, Doom has a concept," Doom said, "Doom must introduce you to the information flow conversion project..."
Stark hastily reached out to cover his mouth, but his small frame was no match for Doctor Destruction, who easily pushed him aside. He could only stand by helplessly as Doom explained to Arkham Batman how to store the entire cosmos on a USB stick.
Initially, Arkham Batman seemed not very receptive, but Doom, true to his title as Doctor Destruction, immediately pinpointed Arkham Batman's pain points.
"I've heard about your Batmobile. I heard you've recently magically modified it, but even so, there may be inconveniences. Such a large vehicle is conspicuous even when transported through a teleportation portal, making it unsuitable for raids and assassinations. But if it can be converted to stored data, it can be summoned anytime when needed, wouldn't that be convenient?"
"This project's experimental process is gradual and does not convert living things immediately. In my previous research, the experiment's subjects were small weapons and some construction materials because they required information flow conversion the most. The former is convenient for infantry to carry, and the latter can reduce transport costs, making it useful for both combat and infrastructure."
"Think about it. Traditionally, on the battlefield, a soldier can only carry a few guns; if overloaded, they can't even bring a medical kit. But if the firearms are converted to data, they can summon whichever they need, greatly reducing individual burdens and enhancing mobility and combat capability. Compressing tens of tons of construction materials into dozens of bytes, carrying just a USB stick, you can conjure a building out of thin air; isn't that the fastest way to conduct construction?"
"On the flight, I saw many under-construction industrial zones on the ground. You're likely troubled by construction costs, right? With this technology, transport costs are nearly zero, and it's environmentally friendly. Previous obstacles to construction and relocation can be overcome easily. How many people would still use various excuses to hinder your planning and building process then?"
Stark didn't need to look to know Arkham Batman must be tempted. No president can refuse such technology. It's not just technology; it's about the fundamental interests of a ruler—the execution of policies.