Harvey Dent

Chapter 38 Harvey Dent

Regardless, the new principal's campus-wide alcohol ban was being implemented in an orderly fashion.

Vehicles and shops selling any alcoholic beverages were prohibited from appearing near Gotham University, all gatherings and parties would be inspected, and dormitories would be searched. However, they wouldn't confiscate high-power appliances; instead, they would find all the alcohol and give students demerits.

Of course, these students had no way to resist. Although Gotham University had produced the supervillain Scarecrow, most students were still quite obedient.

However, it was obvious that this had also encroached on the interests of others.

Everyone knew what kind of city Gotham was. The drunks here didn't start drinking only after they started working.

Tens of thousands of alcoholics in Gotham City supported countless bars and liquor stores. The annual sales of tobacco and alcohol were a major source of tax revenue.

You could, of course, stop students from drinking, but if they didn't have a drinking habit, who would the liquor merchants sell to?

Students were too easy to fool. Any habit they picked up during this period could accompany them for life, and drinking was no exception.

If they started drinking at twenty, they would spend tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars on alcohol in their lifetime. Every drunkard would spend a large portion of their salary on various types of alcohol.

The profits from selling alcohol were then pocketed by monopolists. They used these profits to invest in production, open larger factories, and hire those alcoholics at lower wages, with the only compensation being two bottles of inferior liquor after work.

What a perfect industry chain this was. All they had to do was to distribute delicious beer at low prices near Gotham University, without regard for profit, starting with beer, then distilled spirits, and finally strong liquors.

Gotham City had been operating like this for centuries. If you didn't let those people corrupt the students, wouldn't Gotham have become a civilized city with simple folk long ago?

Schiller knew this very well, which was why he never intended to be a dedicated, good teacher here. This city did not allow any clean seedlings to grow, because only villains and criminals could survive here.

To turn Gotham University into a utopia? Don't be ridiculous. The naive graduates wouldn't survive in Gotham City for more than a year.

This was just a large whirlpool, containing countless smaller whirlpools. No one could escape.

Since Schiller had sent Bruce a withdrawal notice, the principal rarely mentioned involving him in this matter. However, having disrupted the interest chain, he was under immense pressure and had to find himself another helper.

"Hello, my name is Harvey, Harvey Dent. I'm a lawyer, specializing in criminal litigation and adjudication."

Schiller shook hands with Harvey. Before Schiller could speak, Harvey said, "I've heard of you. You did very well in Keystone City. That damned serial killer was brought to justice and is now in prison."

He spoke quickly, much like a lawyer, with a steady tone and firm voice. He continued, "But I must say, you haven't performed as well in implementing Gotham University's alcohol ban as you did in those major cases. I believe saving the future of this city is as important as apprehending criminals, don't you think?"

Schiller had just released his hand and pursed his lips. "Perhaps."

Harvey detected the reluctance in his tone and frowned. "I've heard some of your deeds from the south, but it seems you're not as hateful of evil as the rumors suggest."

"Instead of that, I'd rather know who is spreading my deeds?"

Harvey was taken aback. "Didn't you say it yourself?"

He sized up Schiller. Schiller didn't look like a shrewd and brave detective, nor an impartial judge. He looked very refined, fitting his professional demeanor.

Harvey, being very smart, said, "You mean someone is deliberately spreading your deeds? But why would they do that? To make you famous? What's the benefit?"

Schiller invited Harvey to sit down, and he sat opposite him. "Perhaps you only know the first half of the story. Later, I was ambushed in a case in Metropolis. Otherwise, why would I come to Gotham? It wasn't a good thing, and clearly, these people still don't want to let me go."

Harvey was stunned for a moment. "I'm sorry, then you really shouldn't have been in the spotlight. But it's okay. I am now Gotham University's legal advisor, and I strongly support this alcohol ban. Drinking a little isn't a big deal, and I certainly drink. But heavy drinking during student years, that's not acceptable."

When Harvey spoke, he was always clear, logical, and his tone was firm, giving people an unconscious sense of security. If Schiller hadn't already known he would later become Two-Face, he would never have associated him with that coin-flipping madman.

Two-Face was a very complex villain, and the only one Batman tried to save. Batman tried many times but failed. Perhaps this failure affected him more than being defeated by the Joker.

Because Harvey Dent was truly a good person, Gotham City's Knight of Light.

Batman was too deeply influenced by him. Maroney's assault on Harvey in court, which drove him mad, made Batman realize that without violent enforcement and authority, law and judgment were nothing.

A despicable and dirty criminal had harmed a just prosecutor in front of everyone, yet he paid no price, and no one dared to judge him anymore.

Schiller placed his hands on the table and looked into Harvey's eyes. "Mr. Dent, I think you understand the situation here better than the new principal. You should know how many people's interests this will infringe upon."

"I know, but I don't care," Harvey said.

Schiller sighed, took off his glasses, and began to wipe them with a glasses cloth. As he wiped, he said, "Perhaps you are truly prepared to accept the price that comes with upholding justice?"

"It sounds like you have a lot of experience with that."

"Of course, because I'm lucky to be alive."

"Then I believe I am too," Harvey said, but he remained empathetic. "I won't criticize those who give up on this path due to various dangers, because they have actually done their best. I don't know how far I can go on this path, but in this world, you don't have to reach the end to win."

Schiller didn't reply further. He shook hands with Harvey again, and Harvey left. For the first time, Schiller didn't try to interfere with the other person through words or try to persuade them.

Schiller had once heard a very sensible saying: Don't try to remind someone who has been walking in the dark; they aren't blind.

Therefore, Schiller wouldn't try to correct Harvey's thinking or tell him that his actions were useless for Gotham. Everything Harvey did was right, and every choice he made was just and correct, but it was a pity that this was Gotham.

The Knight of Light couldn't save Gotham, and perhaps the Dark Knight couldn't either.

Harvey was indeed a very charismatic person. Unlike Daredevil Matt, who preferred to work alone, he was adept at utilizing all the resources he could access and mingled well with teachers and students. Even the various staff members praised him highly. Mrs. Maffei praised him more than ten times a day and even wanted to introduce her younger daughter to him.

Even the vast majority of students, although they disliked having their hidden alcohol confiscated, still admired Harvey. They thought of him as a successful and kind elite.

Harvey had only been at Gotham University for a few days and had already received the welcome of most people.

The new principal, Sheldon, became even more depressed. He had sought someone to be a shield, not to become a shield himself. He just wanted a scapegoat to charge ahead while he reaped fame and fortune.

But just like Schiller's excessive assertiveness, Harvey was too popular, stealing almost all of his spotlight.

Few people knew the new principal's name, but almost everyone knew the new legal advisor, Harvey Dent, a highly educated, high-earning, and enthusiastic elite lawyer.

And among those he mingled with were the most difficult ones, Schiller and Bruce. Schiller was willing to chat with him about life and ideals because their educational backgrounds were similar, and they were both alumni of Columbia University, allowing them to reminisce about their campus days together.

Bruce felt a real connection with Harvey. They could talk about anything, and Harvey offered him many different perspectives on justice that greatly inspired Batman.

Schiller's conversations, which relied heavily on Bruce's own intuition, had accustomed Batman to being provoked first and then reflecting on it later.

Harvey, however, was different. Harvey would answer all of Bruce's questions in as much detail as possible. When Bruce presented a different viewpoint, Harvey wouldn't mock him or interrupt his flow. Instead, he would listen quietly, express his own opinion, and then carefully analyze the differences between his view and Bruce's. If they couldn't agree, they would agree to disagree and revisit the topic later.

No one could dislike a friend like that – wise, experienced, passionate, compassionate, and knowledgeable. It was far better than dealing with Schiller, which felt like losing ten years of your life from sheer frustration.

Schiller was also very happy because with Harvey around, Bruce finally stopped bothering him every day, and his psychology practice became quiet again.

Except for a visit from Gordon a few days later, almost no one else showed up.

Gordon came to give him an invitation. After all, he had been promoted, skipping several ranks. It was a major event worth celebrating.

Gordon didn't have many friends, and his colleagues at the police station were a bit envious of him. It wasn't convenient for him to invite them, so he decided to invite Schiller and Bruce for a small gathering.

Bruce introduced Harvey to the police officer, and the two hit it off immediately. In a sense, Harvey and Gordon were the perfect partners. They were very similar, except Harvey was more radical, and Gordon was more conservative.

As the two of them were engrossed in conversation, Bruce was left out. Schiller, holding his wine glass, looked speechlessly at Bruce standing outside the psychology office. He said, "Let me see, should I feel honored that this homeless stray dog finally remembered the trash heap it used to live in?"

"Hey, don't say that," Bruce replied. "Although Harvey is great, I think your professional ability is still stronger, Professor."

"Thank you for the compliment, but you're definitely going to fail your credits this semester."

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