[{"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-9":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},2215977,3926,"Chapter 9: Cat","built-from-scratch-batman-shattered-my-dream-of--chapter-9",9,"\u003Cp>\"Bang!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You little bastard! Do you know how to speak in Gotham now!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bang! Bang!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You old fossil, you're not the only one with a gun in Gotham!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the two bus drivers draw their guns and exchange fire without a word, passengers on both sides agilely climbed out of the windows, skillfully finding safe positions. Those unlucky enough to be hit by stray bullets found cover and joined the fight, while the unscathed quietly waited for the shootout to end. The entire process was smooth and orderly amidst the chaos; while the passengers' reactions couldn't be called well-trained, they were at least the result of practice making perfect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Living in the orderly daily life of Gotham's East District, Ma Zhaodi was moved to tears by this lively atmosphere: \"Drake, you scumbag, if you want me dead, just say it. No need to go through such roundabout schemes to get to me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is the fastest and safest bus we can take in the East District.\" Drake shook his head. \"Take any other bus, and you'll either be forced to the back by armed cars during traffic jams, or have your wallet stolen on board, or worse—in Gotham, people are raped on buses every week, or simply go missing when they get off.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While Drake was rambling on, a stray bullet flew straight through a concrete corner beside Ma Zhaodi, making his already anxious heart sink even lower: \"Doesn't it occur to you that I could get my head blown off in a situation like this!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Trust me.\" Drake gave him a proud smile. \"This bus is different. Most people on board are here for revenge. The debt has an owner. In Gotham, there are times when people have grudges but can't or don't want to settle them by the rules. In such cases, many of them arrange a meeting.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Maybe you stole a customer from me, or I sold you a fake product, or we just bumped shoulders on the road. It doesn't matter. We all know these aren't the real reasons we draw our guns, but we just can't take it anymore.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In any case, anything you can't handle on the spot can be resolved here. The desperate men on this bus can always buy cheap weapons. Everyone has nothing but a meager life and a head full of troubles. We draw our guns and shoot; it decides who is better and who lives or dies. The dead are quietly thrown into the sea, ending everything. The living vent their anger and quietly return to their stone-like lives.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So unless some madman hates us and insists on chasing us down, we, as mere passengers, will hardly encounter trouble. This corner is a spot I carefully selected: good visibility, hidden position, and just the right distance. I can peek out to watch the show, avoid drawing attention, and chase the bus immediately after the fight ends.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I've been hiding here for half a year. The worst injury I've suffered was spraining my ankle from running too fast.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Listening to his explanation, Ma Zhaodi couldn't help but feel deep respect. Drake had indeed spent a year in Gotham, and he already bore the faint air of a true Gothamite. Look at his mind, hey, look at his mindset, hey, look at his adaptability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bang!\" A bullet struck the ground near Ma Zhaodi's feet, interrupting his thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You little brat over there! I've been watching you for ages. You've been riding this bus for half a year, treating our duel as entertainment? Show your face if you have the guts! Today I'll kill you, you damn scum!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ma Zhaodi looked at Drake, then listened to the cursing from afar, and suddenly didn't want to acknowledge this friend anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is this the safety you talked about?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How was I supposed to know there'd be a madman who could ride a bus for half a year without dying! And he specifically took this bus to target me! I was so low-key!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bang! Bang!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching two more bullets fly toward them, Ma Zhaodi felt his heart about to jump out of his throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Stop wasting words! Think of a plan!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Drake looked around. This spot was perfect in every way except for the lack of escape routes. To slip out and run into other streets, he would have to expose his body to the enemy's firing zone for about three to four seconds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Facing the threat of death, Drake seemed unusually calm. He ran the escape route, potential scenarios, and the best postures and evasion maneuvers through his mind again and again. At that moment, he was like John Wick possessed, or like Hitman 47 in a game: emotionless, purely rational.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don't be afraid. I'll get you out.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He analyzed calmly, as if he weren't being hunted in the hail of bullets in Gotham, but chatting on the bustling streets of Metropolis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His mind quickly mapped out an escape route. He could see himself agilely rolling behind the bus, using the hard engine block to shield against nine-millimeter bullets, sprinting and diving behind a trash can during the enemy's firing gaps, crouching forward under cover of the visual barrier, quickly smashing open the bookstore door across the street, leaping out of the second-floor window, rolling to the ground, and disappearing from the enemy's sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if he fired several bullets in anger, they would only graze past his cold face, unable to harm him in the slightest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Watch my move.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A composed smile curved his lips as he gently took off one shoe and flicked it past the corner with lightning speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bang! Bang!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at the two new holes in his leather shoe, he calmly put it back on his foot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One second passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You coward without balls! Come out!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bang!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two seconds passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hahaha, you coward too scared to show your face! Let's see whose gun is harder!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bang! Bang!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three seconds—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What are you doing? Move!\" Ma Zhaodi looked at Drake in confusion. \"Didn't you say you had a plan?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I think it's safer to stay here.\" Drake wore an awkward yet polite smile. \"His marksmanship is a bit beyond my expectations. If we follow the plan, we might get a few more holes in us within the first second of going out.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\".\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I am truly foolish, indeed. Ma Zhaodi raised his lifeless eyes and thought further: I knew only that Drake had lived in Gotham for a year, could find a reliable lead, and could take me to a job so I could live to go to work; I didn't know how ridiculous he was, or how good he was at attracting hatred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Didn't you ever think that someone who has survived on this bus for half a year wouldn't have poor marksmanship?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Stop arguing! Think of a plan! You're the one born in Gotham! You have Gotham citizenship!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I've never even seen my parents!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as the two were arguing, Ma Zhaodi suddenly spotted someone standing on the rooftop nearby. A graceful figure in black clothes was looking at them, a smile like a cat's playing on her lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1195,"2026-06-17T10:15:16.905Z",1,"Qwen3.5 122B","bc0ca6555a976b94e5f072601931935b4d135c0201e9a941a596af530bb9f21b","built-from-scratch-batman-shattered-my-dream-of--chapter-10","built-from-scratch-batman-shattered-my-dream-of--chapter-8",10,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstarting-from-scratch-batman-shatters-my-get-ric-cover.jpg"]