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After dinner, the real plan began.
Ryden offered to walk Dia home.
In this era's so-called city that never slept, the nights were chaos.
The Great Depression had made jobs nearly impossible to find, and money even harder to earn.
Unemployment was exploding. Even a low-paying job cleaning toilets could attract hundreds of applicants.
Five or six hundred people competing for a single position.
Without higher education or a specialized trade, getting work was basically a fantasy.
Crime followed naturally.
Street thugs were everywhere.
Walking at night required extreme caution, or you'd get mugged.
Actually, "might" wasn't accurate.
It was guaranteed.
There was a story about an unlucky man forced to cross the city at night. In just three hundred yards, he was robbed five times.
Five times.
That alone could drive someone insane.
Given that, a beautiful woman needed protection even more.
Dia didn't refuse Ryden's offer.
He looked a little thin, but he was brilliant. Better than nothing.
Am I really being underestimated this badly? Ryden felt mildly helpless.
He wasn't a super-soldier like Steve Rogers.
Just a student.
He exercised, sure, but he hadn't built that explosive physique yet.
That kind of body required constant food and nonstop training.
Looking like the Terminator or Wolverine?
Keep dreaming. You needed money for that.
"Don't worry, Dia. I'll get you home safely."
Ryden spoke with complete confidence.
He wasn't a street brawler, but with his self-developed black tech, he felt ready.
A man needed confidence.
He believed he could eventually live like Tony Stark-rich, powerful, and surrounded by beauties.
"I believe you, Ryden. You're the smartest person I know."
Dia smiled sweetly.
She didn't doubt someone scouted by a top engineering school.
They didn't recruit fools. They recruited talent.
Graduating from a place like that meant a bright future.
As long as you survived the student loans.
If Ryden knew that last thought, he would've laughed like a wolf.
He was already a shareholder in Stark Industries.
He might not have unlimited money, but tuition was nothing.
A shareholder who couldn't afford school?
People would laugh themselves sick.
They walked side by side, chatting casually.
When the topic drifted into advanced chemistry, Dia became noticeably more animated.
That was her specialty.
Ryden felt relieved.
These days, chasing a girl required knowledge.
Otherwise, one mention of the periodic table would leave most men staring blankly, like deer caught in headlights.
Time passed quickly.
They were already halfway there.
If nothing happened, they'd reach her apartment in ten minutes.
It looked smooth.
Then someone jumped out.
A man holding a small handgun.
He grinned.
"Haha! Waited all night and finally caught two prizes! Overtime pay! Men to the left, women to the right, freaks in the middle!"
Ryden and Dia exchanged a glance.
The only one who qualified for "the middle" was the mugger himself.
Talking to himself like that was impressive.
After the shock passed, Dia panicked and pulled out her wallet.
"Here. Take the money. Please don't hurt us. Just take it and let us go."
This was Ryden's cue.
Is there anything better than a damsel-in-distress moment?
No. Wrong phrasing.
Hero saves the beauty.
He stepped in front of Dia.
"Hey. Easy. You want money, right? We'll give it to you. No need for this. Dia, don't be afraid. I'll protect you."
"Oh? Playing hero?"
The mugger sneered, thumbing the safety.
"You think you're tough? Hand it over now, or I'll feed you a fresh lead salad!"
In the chaotic pre-World War II era, pulling the trigger over nothing wasn't rare.
There was a saying: as long as you're alive, there's hope.
Money could be earned again.
Life couldn't.
I don't believe a word of that.
Ryden's thoughts were cold.
Without life, there was nothing left to play for.
Ryden reached into his bag.
"Okay, okay. Don't rush me. I'm getting it. You want money, I'll give it to you. Just don't hurt my girlfriend."
"Shut up and hurry! Or I'll give you some 'cold medicine'!"
At least he was educated enough to use slang.
Even muggers had to stay competitive.
Ryden had no intention of handing anything over.
He activated his electric device.
As the wallet distracted the man, Ryden's right fist snapped upward.
Fast.
Precise.
A brutal uppercut.
The mugger dropped instantly.
One hit.
Not dead.
Just hit with enough speed and force to shut him down completely.
If the man recovered, retaliation was guaranteed.
So Ryden didn't give him the chance.
He grabbed the wallet, took Dia's hand, and ran.
They didn't slow down until they reached a safe area.
Ryden finally stopped and looked at her.
"Dia, are you okay? We're safe now. I told you I'd protect you. I meant it."
Dia smiled.
"Thank you, Ryden. You're brave. And smart. I'm really proud of you."
She paused.
"You must be tired. Come up for a cup of coffee."
The next morning, Ryden bought breakfast and brought it to Dia.
After that, he treated himself to a full meal at a breakfast joint.
He had money now.
When a man had the means, he should eat well.
While eating, he thought about the future.
How should he grow?
This world was filled with monsters.
Geniuses with IQs twice Einstein's.
People with terrifying combat power.
And there were many of them.
If he didn't keep improving himself, an early series finale wasn't impossible.
And that would be very boring.
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