[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-built-from-scratch-batman-shattered-my-dream-of-":3,"chapter-built-from-scratch-batman-shattered-my-dream-of--built-from-scratch-batman-shattered-my-dream-of--chapter-3":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Starting from Scratch: Batman Shatters My Get-Rich Dreams",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2215951,3926,"Chapter 3: How Can Someone Actually Rob a Pauper?","built-from-scratch-batman-shattered-my-dream-of--chapter-3",3,"\u003Cp>Ma Zhaodi wandered aimlessly through the streets of Gotham; strangely, he had been roaming for twenty minutes yet had not encountered a single robber.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He even began to suspect he had arrived in a fake Gotham.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey, friend.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as he thought this, a man wearing sunglasses, a mask, and a hood, dressed in a hoodie, blocked his path on the street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn, finally found one. Ma Zhaodi thought, tonight's first pot of gold depends on this encounter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although begging might not count as earning wealth through labor, it would at least help him buy some food; he should save as much of the system's money as possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the next second, the man pulled a handgun from his waist pocket, pointed it at Ma Zhaodi, and shouted fiercely and loudly: \"Stop talking nonsense, hand over everything you have on you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The voice was so loud that several passersby turned their heads to look, then quickened their pace and vanished into the street.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Facing the dark muzzle of the gun, the words Ma Zhaodi had intended to beg with suddenly stuck in his throat; damn it, the criminals in Gotham City were all too high-level, starting with pulling out handguns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you had pulled out a machete instead, I would at least have some courage left to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Zhaodi dared not look directly at the gun muzzle again; instead, he instinctively glanced at the upper right corner of his vision, where the Life Rapid Recovery and Save Point remained, ready to be used and activated at any time. Most importantly, the Safe Time still had about ten minutes remaining, which restored a bit of his sanity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that Ma Zhaodi still did not move, the man's voice grew even louder, bordering on a hysterical scream: \"I said! Hand over everything you have on you!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The handgun thrust forward violently, almost pressing against Ma Zhaodi's head. He instinctively stepped back a few paces, then froze in place, tremblingly reaching his hand into his coat pocket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he pulled out two turned-out, empty pockets, cleaner than his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said \"cleaner than his face\" because Ma Zhaodi felt he had stayed in Gotham City for too long; the stubble on his face had already begun to grow back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you fucking kidding me!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Zhaodi could sense that the robber opposite him was rapidly turning red with anger, so even though he was extremely afraid, his survival instinct drove him to explain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Having no money isn't my fault; do you think I really want to be a pauper?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who did you call a pauper!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn it, how can someone have PTSD over those two words? I didn't even react that strongly myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Zhaodi cursed silently in his heart, and his emotions actually calmed down a bit again. He reached into his pants pocket: \"Let me show you, the pants pockets are empty too.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man's gaze followed Ma Zhaodi's hand. Since the sunglasses made it hard to see at night, he had to free one hand to lift his glasses: \"I'm watching you, don't try anything.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he saw Ma Zhaodi, who wasn't trying anything, pull out two more turned-out, empty pants pockets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice even carried a hint of a cry: \"You must be hiding something! Take off your clothes! Let me search!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Zhaodi offered no resistance, immediately took off his coat, and held his hands up flat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you can find a single coin, I'll call you the God of Wealth right here and now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man searched for a long time but indeed found nothing. He sat down on the ground in near despair, ignoring Ma Zhaodi beside him, lost in thought. Soon, he even clutched his head and began to cry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Zhaodi put his coat back on, sat beside him, and comforted him: \"It's okay, everyone has unlucky moments. If you really don't want to return empty-handed, I can give you my coat.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who the hell wants your coat!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man swung the gun, striking Ma Zhaodi's arm hard enough to cause pain. He raised the gun and pointed it at Ma Zhaodi: \"What does a pauper like you know? You won't even survive tonight!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I know you're a rookie, doing this for the first time. I've been walking the streets for so long that every robber could tell I'm a penniless pauper, my pockets cleaner than my face, yet you didn't notice.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man's hand holding the gun trembled twice, and the tears in his eyes gradually turned into redness on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You wear sunglasses, a mask, and a hoodie for a night robbery, yet you didn't wear gloves, didn't engage the safety on your gun, and your gun might not even be real. After controlling me, you didn't immediately drag me into an alley; you made too much noise during the robbery, drawing too much attention; you thrust the gun barrel too far forward multiple times; when I reached for my pants pocket, your attention completely left the hand holding the gun, giving others too many chances to disarm you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You fucking—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your emotions are unstable, and your looting wasn't thorough enough. A thief never leaves empty-handed; you could have taken my coat and other clothes, but you didn't. After the robbery failed, you could have left immediately, but you didn't. You sat here and started crying.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shut the fuck up!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man swung the gun butt again, but this time Ma Zhaodi dodged it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I know you're anxious, but hold on. Normal people don't just go out on the street to rob for no reason, so what happened to you? Maybe I can help.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man didn't want to waste words. He holstered the gun, wiped the tears from his face, and when he removed his sunglasses, Ma Zhaodi saw his bloodshot eyes, dark circles under his eyes, and his nearly collapsing mental state.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Gotham City already has enough madmen; there's no need for one more.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Zhaodi spoke from behind him: \"You came out to rob money, so you're short on cash; you used a fake gun, which means you originally had a relatively high moral standard and education level; you have heavy dark circles, meaning the money problem has troubled you for a long time; the amount of money you need must be significant.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You can't rob a bank; that's the business of super-criminals and gangs, and I don't advise you to get involved. Trying your luck on the streets is just luck, and trying your luck with me is also luck. If you tell me your story, maybe I can help.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man paused, then spoke again with a hoarse voice: \"Why do you want to help me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don't help people for free. I'm new to Gotham City, unfamiliar with the place, and I need a relatively reliable job. I also have nowhere to stay tonight. If I can't help you, we part ways; you go back to your home, and I sleep on the streets. If I can help you, we team up; I'll stay at your place temporarily, help you solve your problem, and you help me find a reliable job. Of course, it doesn't have to be reliable, as long as no one dies.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man hesitated for a long time, then finally turned around, walked back, and slowly sat down beside Ma Zhaodi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You're not from Gotham. I'll trust you once.\" He took off his glasses and stared blankly at the dark Gotham night sky: \"Anyway, I have no other options left.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1263,"2026-06-17T10:06:51.530Z",1,"Qwen3.5 122B","72df2a789a277556b160c5cbe4dfa9c84cd3c467ab36ffad01cd5586ff8d94aa","built-from-scratch-batman-shattered-my-dream-of--chapter-4","built-from-scratch-batman-shattered-my-dream-of--chapter-2",10,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstarting-from-scratch-batman-shatters-my-get-ric-cover.jpg"]