[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-my-life-as-a-mental-mentor-in-marvel":3,"chapter-my-life-as-a-mental-mentor-in-marvel-my-life-as-a-mental-mentor-in-marvel-chapter-172":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","My Life as a Mental Mentor in Marvel",{"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},2322740,4544,"Chapter 172: The Long Easter (Seven)","my-life-as-a-mental-mentor-in-marvel-chapter-172",172,"\u003Cp>In the interrogation room of Gotham Police Department, Schiller sipped hot coffee, blowing on it; the steam rose and fogged his glasses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The officer sitting across from him stood up, yielding his seat to Gordon, who tapped the table and said helplessly, “Can you at least act like a suspect? This is a police interrogation room! Not giving you handcuffs isn’t a reason to drink coffee!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The officers outside complained you won’t drink Americano—you insist on espresso, so they have to run up to the fourth floor to use the new coffee machine…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can you stop acting like you know this interrogation room by heart, like a seasoned criminal?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m an outsider—that’s why I’m sitting here drinking coffee. If I were a local…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Schiller looked up, scanning the room; Gordon followed his gaze, and both stared at the wall, pockmarked with bullet holes. Gordon fell silent—he knew what Schiller meant to say next: if he were a Gotham local, he’d already be throwing punches.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No matter what you’ve uncovered, I can only tell you this: you’ve got the wrong man. I’m just a university professor who’s never fired a gun.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gordon sighed again, walked over, and sat down opposite Schiller. “According to our investigation, you’re the only faculty member with a clear conflict with the new dean, Xie Dun. You’re our primary suspect.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What conflict do I have with him?” Schiller asked Gordon. “I’ve completed every teaching assignment he gave me perfectly—even those beyond my duties, without delay.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve taken on roles as freshman advisor, librarian, archivist—and never asked for a raise…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But according to testimonies from other staff, Dean Xie Dun was deeply dissatisfied with you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If he was dissatisfied with me, why did he die?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s what we’d like you to explain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You can’t assume my motives by speculating about my mind. To me, he wasn’t a good dean, but neither was he terrible. Maybe he personally disliked me, but we never clashed on work matters, never had any real conflict, never infringed on each other’s interests—there was no deep hatred worth killing over.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gordon stared at him silently. He knew Schiller was right: their investigation showed that although Xie Dun appeared hostile toward Schiller and often sought trouble, they had no major workplace conflicts—Schiller never defied assignments, rarely spoke to him, and never argued face-to-face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, Gordon didn’t expect much from investigating Schiller. He knew the professor—if he’d done it, he wouldn’t have used such a direct method. And if he had, he wouldn’t have left any evidence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Victor was a stronger suspect: he was the first to discover the crime scene, had a good relationship with Schiller, and a poor one with Xie Dun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Also, Victor had previously complained to colleagues that Xie Dun’s Easter schedule was too tight. While not enough to justify murder, it showed his dislike for the new dean.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Interests\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to Gordon’s investigation, Xie Dun had no bad habits. If anything, he acted too much like a politician—constantly mingling with the elite, attending Gotham’s high-society banquets and events, and offering opinions on social issues under his dean’s title.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps out of fear of the gangs, he wasn’t a principled neutral voice; his stance was always shifting. Such people rarely earned lasting enemies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Schiller sat across from Gordon and said, “Actually, I do have a lead to give you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Schiller set down his coffee cup, placed both hands on the table, and said, “This new dean was eager to befriend high-ranking gang members, just as he befriended the powerful in other cities.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But gang members aren’t ordinary businessmen. Certain illegal industries’ lifelines and secrets can’t be known by just anyone. I suspect… well, just a suspicion…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You mean Xie Dun was silenced?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gordon thought for a moment, then said, “It’s possible. The gang members he associated with could have access to secrets no one else knows. If Xie Dun got involved in something…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I must emphasize—this is only a guess. My personal guess. I’m not implying anything, and I haven’t heard any rumors.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gordon stared at him, raised his eyebrows slightly, and asked, “The Code of Silence?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Schiller shook his head and made the sign of the cross over his chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Gordon continued speaking with Schiller, an officer knocked and entered, saluted Gordon, and said, “Chief, we’ve got new findings.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young officer glanced at Schiller, as if asking whether to speak outside. Gordon said directly, “No need. Say it here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a common interrogation tactic—using new case developments to pressure the suspect. Gordon didn’t intend to use it on Schiller; he just did it out of habit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We found all drawers and cabinets in the victim’s desk had been rummaged through. The bottom drawer, which was locked, had been pried open. So we thoroughly inspected the entire desk and discovered a hidden compartment on the side of the middle drawer.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young officer pulled out a clear plastic bag containing a cassette tape. Gordon signaled a colleague to bring a tape recorder. He put on gloves, examined the tape, and said, “No visible damage on the surface—should play fine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gordon inserted the tape into the recorder and pressed play. First came a hiss of static, then a burst of noise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then a familiar voice emerged from the tape: “Their ninth plantation shipment goes through Old Wilkin’s route—through the three streets in the East District. Their volume’s too large, so the drop point’s in the basement of a nightclub. If you need, I can put in a word…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re worried about that? No need. As far as I know, the underground chemical plant in the West District is also Falcone’s…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this, Gordon’s finger jerked—he immediately turned off the recorder. He told everyone in the room, “For your own safety, you heard nothing. Understood?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The junior officers instantly covered their ears, nodded, and left. After they were gone, Gordon glared at Schiller. Schiller said to Gordon, “Officer, I’m filing a report. Someone’s been eavesdropping on my private conversations and recording them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What privacy? You…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then you can just broadcast this recording over the police station’s PA system.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just say outright you want to destroy the Gotham Police Department.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gordon took a deep breath, sat back down, gestured for Schiller to sit, and said soothingly, “Alright, alright. I’m not saying you killed Xie Dun. But at least explain this—what’s going on?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll say it again: I didn’t kill him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Schiller sat down, took another sip of coffee, and said, “You know Gotham University has security cameras, right? Our Dean Xie Dun watched campus activity daily through them—from his office.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Including my phone calls in public areas. But I didn’t know he recorded audio.” Schiller shook his head. “To be fair, as an outsider, he was bold.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gordon exhaled the breath he’d been holding. “So he was indeed silenced…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is the crime scene.” Gordon handed over a stack of photos. “According to our investigation, Xie Dun was pushed off the building. His eighth-floor balcony railing was low—he was likely standing at the edge when someone shoved him from behind, and he fell.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“From the scene evidence, he was facing away from the attacker when pushed. Meaning he likely knew the killer and trusted him enough to turn his back while speaking—then was shoved.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is a crime of familiarity. The method is nothing like Gotham’s style—no submachine gun, no shotgun, not even a pistol.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So that’s why you and Victor are suspects—because you both knew Xie Dun, are outsiders, don’t usually use guns, and aren’t physically strong?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now you’re a bigger suspect than Victor. After all, he heard certain insider details that came from you—you had motive to silence him…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, a violent commotion erupted from the center of the police station lobby, accompanied by shouts and curses. Gordon stood up instantly. An officer rushed in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t panic yet—what exactly happened?” Gordon stood up and turned to ask him; the officer shouted, “Winnie at the front desk and Officer Bird have both gone mad! Others are trying to subdue them...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t panic—what happened?” Gordon turned and asked. The officer shouted, “Front desk officer Winnie and officer Bird have gone insane! Others are trying to restrain them…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Insane?” Gordon immediately understood. He turned, opened the interrogation room’s steel door, and ordered Schiller out. Then they hurried toward the lobby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time they arrived, the two men were subdued but still thrashing and growling. Gordon moved forward, but another lieutenant blocked him. “Don’t go near them—they’re insane. I nearly got bitten.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who knows? I was chatting with Winnie, we were talking about this year’s Easter plans, when she suddenly started convulsing, threw herself backward, then began smashing the counter with her arms and threw the chair across the room—Bird over there went mad too...” said an officer holding down Winnie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who knows? I was chatting with Winnie about this year’s Easter plans, and suddenly she started convulsing, arched backward, then began smashing the counter with her arms and throwing chairs. Bird went insane on the other side too,” said an officer holding Winnie down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gordon moved toward the counter to inspect it, but Schiller sniffed the air, grabbed his arm, and said, “Don’t go near. Evacuate everyone. Send the patients to the hospital. And check your armory for gas masks—something’s wrong.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You mean…” Gordon paused, then shouted, “Everyone evacuate! Leave this room! Go to open areas—stay away from here!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once everyone had left, Schiller walked in alone—his steps were too fast for Gordon to stop him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Schiller reached the counter, he saw fragments of colored eggshells.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gordon waved frantically from outside the room. Schiller scanned the area, then stepped out and said to Gordon, “The Easter eggs are contaminated.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eggs? I think Winnie mentioned she got a beautiful one today…” said another female officer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you remember the mass illness among Gotham University students?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Schiller narrowed his eyes, pulled out his phone, and called his colleague Anna: “Hello… Yes, I need to ask—did you distribute the Easter eggs you bought outside to the students?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Really? Can you recall who received them? Can you send me a list? Thank you…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he called Victor: “Did you give your handmade Easter eggs to the students?… Already distributed? Do you remember who got them? Can you send me a list?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Schiller explained to Gordon: “On the eve of Easter, Dean Xie Dun suddenly distributed materials for making Easter eggs, instructing professors to make them and hand them out to students.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[72] “Anna and I found it too troublesome, so we bought pre-made ones instead. Now both types have been given to students. I asked them for lists of who received which eggs—we can compare them and find which batch is contaminated.”\u003C\u002Fp>",1793,"2026-06-20T16:39:12.484Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","a28dc0e19f13d954219d23149c964f806dcb788e3c6b74b2cebbfdce8d7e6be5","my-life-as-a-mental-mentor-in-marvel-chapter-173","my-life-as-a-mental-mentor-in-marvel-chapter-171",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fmy-life-as-a-mental-mentor-in-marvel-cover.jpg"]