Ryden didn't really have any special preferences.
But what could he do?
The woman was older than him.
Besides, there were plenty of girls his age at school. With his fame, finding a few pretty girlfriends wouldn't be difficult.
Still, his ambition was bigger.
Now wasn't the time.
What he needed most was to stay alive.
Last night, Ophelia had made it very clear.
He was being watched.
He had no intention of being captured and enslaved.
Or assassinated.
If he messed around too much and got himself killed, that would be the biggest joke of all.
After sending Lydia and her two children to the academy, Ryden only stayed for a single day.
The entire time was spent in the laboratory.
Improving his magnetic weapon.
He had no intention of selling it.
This was his ace.
His means of self-preservation.
That said, the magnetic technology used in the weapon could be applied elsewhere.
It could boost generator output.
It could be used to develop induction cookers.
Most importantly, it laid the foundation for maglev trains.
A truly groundbreaking invention.
Just licensing the technology would earn him a fortune in patent fees.
Sarah's pregnancy wasn't very noticeable yet.
But she clearly enjoyed being cared for by a man.
She took daily walks.
Basked in the sun.
Chatted with the professors' wives who lived nearby.
Her sociable nature allowed her to quickly become familiar with most of the academy's faculty.
The academy wasn't short on students who had invented things.
But very few had patents published in newspapers and known nationwide.
Ryden was one of them.
The academy itself was a private institution.
Its goal was profit.
But not from students.
In fact, students could make money for MIT.
The academy's real income came from the government and corporations.
It handled patent applications and commercialization on behalf of students.
That brought prestige.
And publicity.
The business model was clever.
Undeniably so.
Talents with major achievements were often obsessed with science.
Once distracted, their results suffered.
So they handed over all the miscellaneous work to the academy staff and focused entirely on research.
People like that old pervert Howard-smart and capable of managing everything-were rare.
Fortunately, Ryden was one of the exceptions.
With money clearing the path, Lex and Lena were enrolled in Boston Middle School.
It was more than ten kilometers away from the academy.
Because of that, Ryden bought a car.
And taught Lydia how to drive.
She became their driver.
Perhaps because she knew Sarah was pregnant, Lydia was always a little shy around Ryden.
Afraid she might end up like Sarah one day.
Ryden had no intentions toward her.
Sometimes, a chess move was just a chess move.
No need to expect returns.
During this time, he could also train the future bald Lex.
It was obvious the boy cared deeply about his mother and sister.
Hehe.
It was good to have a weakness.
After handing the lithium battery over to Wayne Enterprises, Howard became much more relaxed.
He spent most of his time back in the laboratory, tinkering with inventions.
With a large company handling everything else, all he needed to do was wait for dividends and keep an eye on the accounts.
Every day, massive numbers of parts rolled out of the factory.
Produced across multiple departments.
Then gathered for final assembly, testing, and packaging.
Each heavy crate represented stacks of shining Franklin banknotes.
Ophelia's first move as the new boss was to establish authority.
She ruthlessly killed disobedient gang members.
Along with those who had improper thoughts about her.
At the same time, she promoted a group from the bottom ranks.
Rumor had it she even hired several prostitutes as bodyguards.
After using bloodshed to secure her position, she followed up with incentives.
Following Ryden's advice, she conducted a full census of the gang.
Held a celebratory banquet.
Then announced improved benefits.
She introduced a brand-new points system.
Promotion paths were clear.
Positions.
Rights.
Benefits.
Obligations.
Everything was written down explicitly.
Every completed task earned points.
Enough points meant promotion and a raise.
Simple.
Crude.
Extremely effective.
For uneducated thugs, only shiny Franklin banknotes spoke.
After that, came the gang's deeper problems.
When she was with Ryden, Ophelia acted harmless.
Like a noble lady.
But in private, her ruthless nature surfaced.
When it came to seduction, the current Ophelia couldn't compare to the future Madame Hydra.
But when it came to killing and arson?
She was absolutely top-tier.
Even ten Rios wouldn't be her match.
The Spades Gang, once focused on snack stalls, began to feel restless.
No one knew what they were planning.
Two days later, Ryden took Orley to the station.
Orley was heading to California by train.
They didn't know when they'd meet again.
Graduating middle school was a watershed.
Their futures would depend on what came next.
Orley hugged him.
"I'm leaving, brother. Take good care of my mom and sister."
Ryden hugged him back.
"Don't worry. I will."
Of course, he would also try his best to satisfy them physically.
But he kept that lewd thought to himself.
Otherwise, they wouldn't even be friends anymore.
He returned to school and said goodbye to his teacher, Dia.
Even though he was reluctant, he had to part ways for the sake of his future.
Dia was especially fond of him.
She changed all her classes to self-study.
And spent an entire morning alone with her "little husband" in her room.
After returning to the academy and handling all miscellaneous matters, Ryden finally began his experiments.
The first task was solving electromagnetic overheating.
Maybe it was because they hadn't seen each other in a while.
Or maybe because the lithium battery patent now bore both their names.
But Mrs. Jennifer's guidance was noticeably more meticulous.
Before, she mostly observed.
Now, she occasionally offered suggestions while Ryden thought.
"The overheating can be addressed by changing materials or adding cooling methods. Also, excessive wire resistance can generate heat."
Mrs. Jennifer was a senior professor.
She went straight to the core of the issue.
Ryden's overall plan was clear.
Weapons first.
Then defensive armor.
Then transportation tools.
After that, biology.
At the very least, he planned to join the so-called Science and Strategy Team.
"I see. The earlier materials were too crude. I need top-tier materials."
He spoke rapidly, thoughts flowing.
"I can also apply dynamics and aerodynamics. After the bullet is fired, the excess kinetic energy can open the exhaust valve. That would improve air cooling efficiency and reduce heat."
"I can simplify the circuit, reduce wiring complexity, and increase spacing to further control overheating."
The words poured out.
Equations flashed through his mind.
The magnetic gun's structure formed clearly as he optimized every scenario.
Mrs. Jennifer watched him, surprised.
She gently stroked her silver hair.
Turned.
And sat back at her desk.
Crossing her elegant legs, she took a sip of black tea.
The student already had the solution.
All that remained was experimentation.
The hands-on work-
She would leave that to the young man.
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