"Bruce?"
It wasn't just Miaomiao. Dick and Tim, standing nearby, were stunned by those words too.
"You want Miaomiao to build an illusion for you?"
The two exchanged a glance, each seeing disbelief in the other's eyes.
Batman trusted no one, not even himself. That made him extremely cautious about letting anyone invade his mind.
"Why not let me do it?" Dick said, trying to sound casual. "You're so guarded, and your willpower is downright inhuman. Even fear toxin barely affects you. If... I mean, what if your subconscious treats Little Fish's illusion control as a psychic intrusion and fights back? That probably... wouldn't end well for either of you."
Tim nodded in agreement.
Everyone knew how strong Batman's defenses were, and the human brain was the most delicate instrument in the world. If something went wrong in the process...
If they failed to save Harley Quinn and lost Batman in the bargain, they'd really be in for a hell of a time.
"No." Bruce refused flatly.
Seeming to realize he had fallen back into his old habits, Bruce cast an almost imperceptible glance toward Alfred, then softened his tone a little.
"I'm the only one who can do this. It's precisely because I'm guarded enough that I'm most likely to spot flaws in the illusion. You trust Miaomiao too much. That makes you more likely to become immersed in the illusion she weaves and overlook the hidden details."
That reasoning really was airtight.
Dick opened his mouth to say something, but in the end, he only let out a heavy sigh and patted Bruce's shoulder. Then he turned to Miaomiao. "Be careful. If anything goes wrong, make sure you tell us right away. Bruce... tends to tough things out."
Miaomiao understood what Dick meant and nodded solemnly.
Bruce walked