Chapter 236: I Think, Therefore I Am
"What's he saying? Self-introduction?" Professor Connors's eyebrows knitted together as he asked Dr. Banner.
Banner scratched his head:
"That's not English. Let me think... seems like ancient Egyptian?"
Dr. Octavius guessed partially:
"I caught something about the moon... is this guy from the moon?"
"Lunar beings speak ancient Egyptian?" Professor Connors rejected that hypothesis.
"The moon lacks conditions for generating life. He's probably introducing that moon-shaped staff." Connors proposed a new theory.
"Self-introduction... but introducing the staff?" Banner scratched his head harder. Connors had successfully derailed his thinking.
"Just ask Batman. He brought him here." Octavius suggested.
This idea received unanimous approval from Connors and Banner. All three looked toward Batman.
Batman sighed silently.
Inside the Metropolitan Museum's Egyptian galleries, beyond the first sentence in English, Batman and Khonshu had conversed entirely in ancient Egyptian.
He'd mastered most world languages. Ancient Egyptian naturally fell within Batman's linguistic range.
But Connors and the others couldn't understand, causing even Banner—who'd originally intended advancing for handshakes—to hesitate uncertainly in position.
Just as Batman prepared introducing Khonshu, Professor Morbius unexpectedly answered the other three scientists' questions:
"He said he's Khonshu."
"Ancient Egypt's Moon God. Master of time and moon. Guardian deity of night travelers."
Following this statement, Banner stopped scratching his head. He, Connors, and Octavius responded in unison:
"What?!"
Batman nodded slightly, confirming this deity's identity:
"Correct."
Moon God Khonshu raised his head slightly. Moonlight rays radiated from his crescent staff. Not particularly bright compared to laboratory lighting, but still conspicuous.
No wind existed inside the laboratory. But Khonshu's suit hem danced regardless. Moonlight condensed into sand grains swirling beneath his feet.
"Stop." Batman frowned, watching Khonshu manifest divine phenomena. "You don't need to do this."
Indeed, Khonshu needn't demonstrate miracles proving divine identity. Batman had brought him. That alone sufficed for the four scientists believing everything.
Facts confirmed this.
The moment Batman personally verified Khonshu genuinely being a god delivered mental impact to the four scientists comparable to boarding a vacation flight, only discovering the aircraft aimed toward two towers piloted by President Kennedy experiencing a creativity surge.
"Morbius, when did you become an ancient Egypt specialist?" Octavius nudged Morbius lightly with his elbow, asking quietly.
His voice wasn't loud, but Connors and Banner still heard, simultaneously redirecting curious attention toward Morbius.
Even Khonshu's hollow eye sockets seemed containing slight interest observing Morbius.
"Look at my appearance—obviously a vampire, right?" Under these combined gazes, Morbius smiled helplessly. "During my hiding period, I researched worldwide mythological vampire materials."
"Then found Egyptian mythology?" Banner appeared genuinely interested.
Morbius showed zero reluctance using his appearance for explanation:
"Although medieval vampire legends are most famous, tracing origins reveals basically all vampire legends derive from ancient Greek and Egyptian mythology."
"Those represent vampire prototypes—like me, unable transforming into bat swarms for flight. Modern stories featuring bat-transforming vampires flourished during medieval periods."
Mentioning the word "bat," Morbius glanced surreptitiously toward Batman.
He suspected Batman was precisely that medieval legend figure—capable of transforming into bat swarms.
"Additionally, tonight's protagonist is the esteemed Moon God Khonshu. Not me." Morbius quickly redirected before the topic drifted further.
Only then did Banner and the others transfer attention back toward Khonshu—or rather, Batman beside him.
Scientists, especially those reaching Banner and Octavius's caliber, possessed clear understanding regarding world mechanics.
Even with Batman genuinely presenting a deity before them, scientists experienced shock followed immediately by excitement. They maintained certain reverence toward Moon God Khonshu, but not extensively.
They wouldn't worship devoutly like faithful believers. But they also wouldn't rudely interrupt Moon God Khonshu displaying miracles like Batman.
Batman can't actually transform into bat swarms and fly away, can he?
This thought simultaneously emerged within all four scientists' minds.
Even Professor Connors—knowing Batman's mask concealed Peter Parker—couldn't restrain wild speculation.
After all, with Batman bringing an actual deity, what else remained impossible?
Morbius even connected his previous Batman-related fear toward vampire legends' bloodline suppression concepts.
"I need your assistance completing something." Batman spoke. "Moon God Khonshu will also participate in this attempt."
Collaborating with divinity?
Now the four scientists' minds finally abandoned Batman considerations, each studying Moon God Khonshu with excitement and curiosity.
"What task?" Banner excitedly rubbed his hands together before Octavius quietly restrained him, preventing this ungraceful gesture.
"Remember Venom?" Batman asked.
Morbius looked completely confused:
"What venom?"
"Some extraterrestrial symbiote. A life form requiring hosts." Connors explained.
"I remember." Octavius responded to Batman.
"I have a concept requiring your assistance implementing." Batman's voice remained low and powerful. "Khonshu needs a proxy. I need Venom achieving independence from my body."
"I'm attempting mutual symbiosis between them."
Morbius appeared increasingly bewildered. What symbiote? What proxy? What was Venom doing inside Batman's body?
He'd developed good relationships with North Brother Island's three scientists, learning considerable Batman-related information. But extraterrestrial symbiotes represented first-time knowledge.
"I came precisely for this purpose." Khonshu ceased speaking ancient Egyptian, switching to gentlemanly British-accented English.
The accent combined with his white suit inexplicably added elegant sophistication to Khonshu.
"Explain how to implement this?" Octavius asked.
Batman extended one hand, watching moonlight radiating from the crescent staff illuminate his palm, then addressed the four completely clueless, eagerly anticipating scientists:
"Cogito, ergo sum."
"That's Descartes." Morbius nodded slightly. Finally understanding something.