[{"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-966":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},2323534,4544,"Chapter 966","my-life-as-a-mental-mentor-in-marvel-chapter-966",966,"\u003Cp>The lights of Wayne Manor flickered in Gotham’s night rain, like candles about to be snuffed, yet this glow had burned here for decades—no matter whether its master returned, the loyal butler would always remain, guarding the beacon of home through the endless night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alfred picked up his gardening spade, uprooted a broccoli plant from the garden, and hurled it over the fence—it struck a mad passerby on the head, eliciting a scream.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alfred made the sign of the cross over his chest and said, “My apologies—but if this helps you wake up, it’s for the better.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He then shook his head and added, “Miss Elsa dislikes broccoli. Though I think she should eat more vegetables, there’s no need for the entire garden to be overrun with it—that would make her sneeze.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, he resumed digging up the broccoli vines, one spade in hand, one axe in the other—no broccoli survived more than three minutes under his blows; soon, the felled plants had piled into a small mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, he heard the bell on the mailbox ring. Alfred glanced up at the sky—clearly, this was not the hour for a paperboy to deliver newspapers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He frowned but set down his tools, went to the tool shed to change his clothes and shoes, crossed the hall, and reached the door—where he found Merkel, drenched in a raincoat, face tense with urgency.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why are you here now?” Alfred asked as he opened the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Actually, I should have come sooner,” Merkel’s voice was hoarse. “But I had to lose the people tailing me first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alfred immediately scanned left and right, then said to Merkel, “Follow me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He led Merkel back to the garden, had him don the gardener’s uniform, handed him a spade, and walked with him to the center of the garden, the most open space. As he dug, Alfred asked, “What’s wrong? Are you being watched?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merkel gripped the spade tightly and said, “CIA agents broke into Rodriguez Manor and arrested Mr. Schiller.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alfred’s motion paused. He asked, “Why? What grounds did they have to arrest such a respected professor?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They claimed he was a KGB agent…” Merkel’s voice trembled. “I should’ve realized—if he weren’t one of us, how could he have tolerated me wandering freely through the manor?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can you imagine? A thoroughgoing American, knowing his own butler might be a Soviet spy, pretending he knew nothing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merkel struck the ground in frustration. “I thought maybe he merely sympathized with our ideals—or had friends over there. But I never imagined he was…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Calm down, Merkel.” Alfred’s tone remained steady. “How many of them came? What were they wearing? What kind of vehicle did they use?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merkel gave a brief description. Alfred nodded. “That’s good—it seems like a routine arrest. There’s still room to recover. Let me contact Kaira first…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But at that moment, Merkel looked directly into Alfred’s eyes and said, “Yes, I know it started as a routine arrest. They sent few men, showed little urgency.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But Professor Schiller declared himself the organizer and leader of the Central American revolution, and requested witness protection,” Merkel sighed deeply. “He likely realized exposure was inevitable, so he adopted this identity to shield our comrades.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alfred’s expression stiffened, but before he could speak, Merkel continued on his own:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“According to my sources, the FBI, CIA, and KGB are all investigating Central America. Mexico is in complete chaos. If Schiller steps forward now, he’ll draw most of their attention.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That might ease the pressure on the comrade leading the revolution in Central America—but it also means Professor Schiller must now face those terrible interrogators.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They’re nearly out of their minds!” Merkel raised his voice. “They’re willing to use any means. Even with Schiller’s extraordinary abilities, he’s unlikely to survive. We must get him back!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sighed again. “But I dare not contact Moscow directly. I know the CIA is trying to find leaks within our ranks. If I send this message back, they’ll use it to exploit Schiller’s weaknesses—and make his interrogation even harsher.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merkel looked utterly lost. His face was pale with guilt. “I’m an idiot. I suspected Schiller might be one of us—I felt he was like us. But I thought, since he didn’t speak up, I shouldn’t press him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Or rather, I thought we each had our own missions, and I didn’t need his help to complete mine. It was my arrogance. We lost the critical window for communication. I gave him no vital intelligence; he left me no vital information. This is fatal!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hearing Merkel’s words, Alfred fell into thought. When the Central American revolution first erupted, everyone—KGB included—had searched for its organizer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After months of internal investigation, KGB found no one. Eventually, their eyes turned to Alfred. This was no coincidence—the deduction was logical, for Alfred’s rank was higher than Batman imagined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Consider the Philby affair: Philby had risen to head Britain’s intelligence service. When he came under investigation, he was placed under strict control—this level of scrutiny was extraordinary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the most incompetent British intelligence officers knew the consequences if their own leader was compromised. For once, they united. Philby faced a near-certain death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Alfred had access to Philby—and even managed to extract the list. This alone proves his status in Britain was not low. Such a source held equal weight within KGB.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This status came from the hereditary butler family Pennyworth. Though “hereditary butler family” sounds like a noble appendage, the opposite was true: the Pennyworths originated in the era of absolute monarchy, having served several British monarchs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even after the establishment of constitutional monarchy, they remained deeply connected to the royal family. Generations of Pennyworths served as Whitehall butlers and the so-called “Number Ten Life Minister,” their network permeating Britain’s entire upper class.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man like Alfred, allied with Philby—who controlled British intelligence—was nearly unstoppable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, Alfred had lain low in America for years, giving him ample time to plant seeds and orchestrate such an operation. So KGB believed Alfred was highly likely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, they couldn’t be certain. But the reason they gave Alfred the Order of the Red Banner and a personal letter was precisely a test—and the result pleased them. Alfred did not deny it. That meant, even if he hadn’t organized it, he knew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in truth, Alfred knew nothing. He accepted the accusation to shield the real organizer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Intelligence work is like this: no one has full transparency. You must guard against the enemy—and your own side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alfred didn’t know the true purpose of those who delivered the medal and letter. Were they trying to lure out the real organizer through him? So he simply accepted the label. If anyone followed this trail to find the organizer, they’d only reach his door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And reaching Alfred’s door was tantamount to walking into a trap. Not only did Wayne Manor have formidable defenses, but Gotham’s chaos alone would be enough to drown them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But when Alfred heard Schiller had claimed this identity, another suspicion arose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Schiller might, like Alfred, be shielding the real organizer. But another possibility existed: Schiller was the real organizer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merkel was Schiller’s butler, but he knew Schiller far less than Alfred. For one, Alfred was an old friend of the Father and the Old Priest. When Schiller first arrived in Gotham, the Old Priest noticed him and recommended him to the Father—and thus into Alfred’s awareness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alfred operated on a higher level. As a contemporary of Philby, his experience and instinct far surpassed Merkel’s. Long ago, he suspected Schiller was like him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Later, Bruce became Schiller’s student. Alfred interacted with Schiller more and more. Then Dick and Elsa began attending classes at Rodriguez Manor. Alfred and Schiller grew closer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew this professor possessed abilities beyond ordinary men. He also knew Schiller was not as apolitical as he appeared. Alfred always believed Schiller was quietly stirring the world’s currents in his own way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【A ten-year book friend recommended this reading app—Huanyuan App! It’s truly amazing—I use it to listen to audiobooks while driving or before bed. Download here: huanyuanapp.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So when carefully considering who might have organized the Central American revolution, Alfred believed Schiller was highly likely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he had never heard Schiller’s name in KGB circles, that was normal. KGB departments rarely shared intelligence; personnel often didn’t even know each other. Perhaps this revolution was the result of Schiller’s long-term covert mission after he settled on the East Coast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking this, Alfred frowned and turned to Merkel. “Do you remember the car that took Schiller away? Do you know which route they took?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course,” Merkel replied. He took several deep breaths to steady himself. “I originally planned to pursue immediately, but they left several agents watching the manor. I needed a plausible excuse to leave.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And Gotham is in chaos right now—every street is filled with broccoli and biting madmen. Alone, I couldn’t handle so many agents. That’s why I came to you, Alfred.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alfred nodded. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, the phone in the hall rang. He walked over, picked up the receiver, and heard Kaira’s anxious voice:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alfred, just now I received word from the CIA—the organizer of the Central American revolution has been arrested…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But the FBI’s escort agents and their prisoner have both vanished!”\u003C\u002Fp>",1551,"2026-06-20T16:39:22.658Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","5bcae2d29ae806108197a9abfc6d9ebac8058557ef7b9e1be45511b8aae9da1f","my-life-as-a-mental-mentor-in-marvel-chapter-967","my-life-as-a-mental-mentor-in-marvel-chapter-965",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fmy-life-as-a-mental-mentor-in-marvel-cover.jpg"]