Chapter 797: Deadly Joke (Part 24) (Patreon)

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There was once a very famous movie called "Rain Man," which depicted the daily life of a person with a certain condition. However, the movie was a bit exaggerated, as individuals with this special ability were exceedingly rare, and many psychologists and mental health professionals would never encounter one in their entire careers.

Bruce also knew a term called "Born Psychopath." It wasn't a psychological disorder but a term related to criminal psychology. It referred to those individuals who were born without any compassion for their fellow beings, lacked an understanding of societal morals, and derived pleasure from controlling and harming others.

In countless lessons from the study of criminal behavior, criminologists proposed that these individuals were the most challenging criminals to deal with because their motives for murder were often inexplicable.

They didn't kill for fame, profit, or even pleasure. Many times, they killed simply because they felt like it, much like a person deciding to have beef for dinner without any particular reason.

Their minds conceived the idea of murder as casually as someone thinking about eating beef. When this thought arose, it didn't get hindered by any sense of morality or empathy.

Therefore, they often created the most perplexing cases for investigators – random murders with victims who had no relationship with them whatsoever. After being caught, they were nearly impossible to rehabilitate, akin to grim reapers wandering among humanity, randomly choosing their victims and ending their lives.

Bruce wasn't certain if Schiller was one of these people, but he noticed that Schiller indeed lacked the most basic sense of morality and compassion when it came to harming others. It felt like a natural mental disorder rather than something triggered by personal grudges or vendettas.

After observing for such a long time, Bruce found that if the anti-social behavior was the result of personal grievances, there would often be emotions involved – happiness, excitement, fear, and so on – when they acted out.

But for those born with an anti-social disposition, they remained eerily calm during their actions, as if they had done nothing at all. Even the most advanced interrogation techniques had difficulty discerning whether they were lying or not.

Because these individuals genuinely believed they hadn't done anything wrong; they had merely taken a bite of beef. They couldn't comprehend why there was such a fuss over their act, from the interrogation to the trial and imprisonment.

Being able to observe Schiller up close and on an equal footing, Bruce suspected that he might have drawn the worst straw. Schiller was a Born Psychopath with high intelligence, always ready to change dinner plans to beef at any moment.

Schiller, seated across from him, asked, "Are you planning to rent my room? If not, then leave my house; I have other matters to attend to."

Bruce hesitated for a moment. He realized that leaving might not be a wise choice at this point. Nobody knew what Schiller might do when left unattended.

He had initially intended to blend into the life of an ordinary person and observe the ecological environment of the slums. However, he had ended up in the home of an ordinary person who, on his first day in Gotham, had acquired a two-bedroom apartment and a glass of water from the entire Living Hell gang.

With a sigh, Bruce replied, "Yes, I will rent a room here, but I can't pay the rent immediately. I need to find a job first to have some liquid funds."

"Since you've been here for a while, you should be able to tell me about the available jobs in this area," Schiller suggested.

"There are plenty of jobs here, but none of them would meet your requirements," Bruce replied, resting his hands on the desk. "Near the Pier, there's work for laborers, or you can work in a warehouse. Nearby restaurants need dishwashers or cooks. Inside Living Hell, there are jobs as water delivery workers and record keepers, and outside, there are truck drivers."

Schiller observed Bruce's expression and commented, "From your expression, it seems that your job search hasn't been going smoothly these past few days. What kind of work have you tried, and what has been causing you difficulties?"

Bruce pursed his lips and hesitated to speak.

Schiller remarked, "You're even more tight-lipped than I imagined, unwilling to share any advice with someone who's just starting to live here."

Bruce was about to say something when Schiller interrupted, "How about this? I can try out all the jobs you mentioned tomorrow, starting with a visit to the Pier to see if they need any help."

Bruce took another look at Schiller and shook his head.

Regardless of how you looked at it, Schiller wasn't a physically imposing person. He was tall, standing at 187 centimeters, but he appeared rather slim, and his attire concealed any muscles. It was not an image suitable for physical labor.

After a few days of life in Gotham, Bruce learned that employers at the Pier were very discerning, able to tell instantly whether someone had work experience, with a significant focus on assessing one's hands.

Working as a laborer often left marks on one's hands, such as calluses from friction, bruises from bumps, or signs of exposure to the elements.

After losing his job due to a warehouse fire, Bruce attempted to find work as a laborer again, but initially, he was only hired because the employer needed someone unlucky enough to accompany Crocodile Man.

Since Crocodile Man couldn't work due to his injury, Bruce was rejected on his second visit to apply for the job.

He no longer appeared as strong, and his well-kept hands gave the impression of inexperience. The employers didn't like such individuals as they were likely to damage the goods. Consequently, Bruce hadn't found a new job yet.

Hearing that Schiller planned to try his luck at the Pier the next day, Bruce didn't hold much hope for their success. Neither of them seemed to meet the requirements of Pier employers.

On the second day, Schiller and Bruce arrived at Pier nearby. However, Schiller didn't head straight to the employers' tent but instead circled around the entire warehouse area, stopping briefly at the entrance of each warehouse and then observing the unloading process for about two hours.

Afterward, he approached the employers but didn't mention that he was there to apply for a job. Instead, he engaged in a friendly conversation with them. The morning passed without any progress in their job search, but they became familiar with the layout of the Pier warehouse area.

During lunchtime, Bruce, feeling hungry, wanted to grab something to eat. However, Schiller showed no intention of leaving. Fortunately, there were several food stalls nearby, and Bruce chose one with the best view. While eating, he kept an eye on Schiller's actions.

When he saw Schiller enter a small alley, Bruce frowned. However, he quickly noticed a sign indicating it was a public restroom.

Relieved that Schiller had only gone to use the restroom, Bruce relaxed. He was genuinely hungry, so he concentrated on his lunch for the next half-hour.

The lack of proper nutrition during this period had started affecting his thinking speed. Although Batman was already a super genius, his thought processes were several times faster than average. This lack of nutrition had only slightly slowed him down, and it wasn't easily noticeable.

After finishing his meal, Schiller approached and said, "I found a job as a warehouse goods record keeper."

Bruce's hand, holding a fork, froze in place. He asked, "How did you find it?"

Schiller responded, "Oh, I just happened to meet the same employer I was chatting with earlier when I went to the restroom. He told me that the goods record keeper for an urgent warehouse shipment had accidentally broken his leg. However, there's an urgent batch of goods to be released this afternoon, and not just anyone can handle it. They needed someone reliable like me."

Bruce slowly put down the fork and looked into Schiller's eyes. "An employee broke his leg, specifically the goods record keeper for an urgent shipment this afternoon. You happened to run into the person hiring when you were in the restroom..."

"Opportunity favors the prepared mind," Schiller shrugged. "Although we're not in a teacher-student relationship now, I still have to remind you that preparation is essential before taking action. You see, this morning wasn't a waste of time."

Bruce stared at him and asked, "Where did you send the goods record keeper?"

"He fell from the second floor of the warehouse and broke his leg. He's probably been taken to the hospital," Schiller replied nonchalantly, taking out a napkin to wipe his hands.

Seeing Bruce's increasingly dark expression, Schiller continued, "A happy life is built with your own hands, and opportunities are seized by your own efforts. By the way, did you just say you still don't have a job? Do you want me to help you secure an opportunity? It'll only cost you ten US dollars..."

"No need," Bruce quickly declined, knowing that if Schiller continued creating opportunities, Gotham's hospitals wouldn't be able to handle it.

"Really? Just now, I heard the employer say that the afternoon shipment is extremely urgent, and they need at least a dozen people to handle it. They're still short of half the workforce, and he even asked me to help find workers at the Pier..." Schiller said.

Bruce, holding his fork again, paused. He looked at Schiller and asked, "Are you sure this position doesn't require 'creativity'?"

"Of course, why would I lie to you? You can go over to the employers' tent and ask. I heard that the pay is negotiable," Schiller replied, maintaining a straight face.

Seeing Bruce stand up and leave, Schiller turned his head and said to the snack stall owner, "Could you please bring me another ten US dollars' worth? Put it on his tab."

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Next Chapter>>Chapter 798: Deadly Joke (Part 25)