Chapter 18 Since ancient times, the routine is popular!

After dinner, it was time to start planning, and Mark offered to escort Teacher Dana home.

In this era, the city that never sleeps is still chaotic. During the Great Depression, finding a job is incredibly challenging, and making money is even harder.

As a result, the number of unemployed people continues to rise. Even a toilet cleaning job, which pays very little, faces competition from hundreds of applicants!

What does this mean? It indicates that for a single job, at least five or six hundred people are vying for it. Without advanced education or special skills, trying to secure a position is a fool's dream.

This has led to a significant increase in unemployment and a rise in local ruffians. You have to be very careful when walking the streets at night; there's always a risk of robbery.

Indeed, it's a real concern. There was once an unfortunate soul who, while walking at night in this city, was robbed five times within a 300-meter stretch. It's hard to imagine the mental toll of that experience! What kind of fate is it to be robbed five times in such a short distance?

Beautiful women need even more protection, so Teacher Dana did not hesitate to accept Mark's offer to escort her home. He might look a bit thin, but he was very clever—better than going alone!

Mark felt somewhat helpless; he wasn't a super soldier like Steve—just a student. He exercised regularly, but he had yet to develop the explosive physique that commanded respect. Achieving that kind of body requires constant eating and rigorous training.

Did he expect to look like the Terminator or Wolverine? It was a bit of a stretch!

"Don't worry, Teacher; I will get you home safely!" Mark said confidently.

Although he wasn't a skilled fighter, he had faith in the black technology he had developed himself. To be a man, one must have confidence. With a little self-belief, he could definitely become a wealthy individual like Tony Stark, surrounded by beautiful women!

"I believe in you, Mark. You are the smartest," Teacher Dana replied with a sweet smile.

There was no doubt about the intelligence of someone who received an invitation from a prestigious mechanical and electronic college. Such institutions don't accept fools; they only admit students with exceptional abilities.

It's not an exaggeration to say that if you graduate from there, you're likely to achieve great things in the future—provided you can pay off your student loans first!

If Mark knew about Teacher Dana's last thought, he would probably burst out laughing. Why? He was currently one of the shareholders of Stark Industries. While he might not have a fortune, he definitely had enough to cover his education.

It would be ridiculous for a shareholder to be short on cash for school!

As they walked down the street, they talked and laughed, occasionally delving into professional chemistry topics. Teacher Dana was particularly excited, as that was her area of expertise! Mark felt fortunate; pursuing a girl in this day and age required substantial knowledge.

Otherwise, merely mentioning a table of chemical elements would leave the other person bewildered!

Time flew, and they were soon halfway to Teacher Dana's apartment. If nothing unexpected happened, they would arrive in about ten minutes.

Just then, a man jumped out from the shadows, brandishing a small gun. He grinned menacingly and said, "Haha! After waiting all night, I finally have two victims! Now it's time for some easy money! The man stands on the left, the woman on the right, and neither of you stand in the middle!"

Mark and Teacher Dana exchanged glances, realizing that the only one standing in the middle was the robber. This was a first for them! After a moment of shock, Teacher Dana looked scared and took out her wallet. "Please, I'll give you the money! Just don't hurt us. Take the money and let us go!"

Now it was Mark's time to shine.

What could be better than a hero rescuing a damsel in distress? He stepped protectively in front of Teacher Dana. "Hey, man, don't do this. You just want money, right? We can give it to you, no need for violence. Don't be afraid, Dana. I'll protect you!"

"Ouch, brat! What kind of hero are you trying to be? Do you think you're tough? Hurry up and hand over the money, or I'll treat you to a round of fresh peanuts!" the robber shouted, pulling back the trigger.

In this turbulent early World War II period, it was common to pull the trigger as soon as the safety was off. There's a saying: "Leave the green hills without worrying about firewood"—money isn't worth dying for.

No need to cherish it too much; you can always earn more. But if life is gone, then what's left to enjoy?

"Yeah, right! You're just a bad man!" Mark thought. "What's the point of living if you're going to act like this?"

Rummaging through his backpack, Mark said, "Alright, no need to worry. If you want money, I'll give it to you. Just don't hurt my girlfriend!"

"Hmph! Stop with the nonsense! Hurry up and take out the cash! Otherwise, enjoy a nice bowl of lotus seed soup!"

The robber surprisingly seemed somewhat educated. "Lotus Seed Soup" was a term from the East, so he actually knew a bit of culture! Well, even robbers need to be cultured—otherwise, how could they compete in this line of work?

Mark wasn't going to hand over the money easily. Activating the electric current device, he pulled out a wallet to distract the robber. Then, with lightning speed, he delivered a powerful uppercut with his right fist, knocking the robber down in a single blow.

One shot—kill! He certainly wasn't playing around. The force of the punch was so powerful that the robber lost the will to fight.

The sudden attack was successful.

Mark quickly grabbed his wallet and pulled Teacher Dana away, sprinting to a safe spot before stopping.

"Are you alright, Dana? Don't worry; we're safe here. I promised I would protect you, and I will!" he assured her.

Teacher Dana smiled sweetly, saying, "Thank you, Mark. You're truly brave, and you really know how to use tactics. I'm so happy for you and proud of you! If you're tired, come to my house for a cup of coffee!"

The next day, Mark went out to buy breakfast for Teacher Dana. They happily enjoyed a lavish meal at the breakfast shop. After all, he wasn't short on cash anymore. If he had money, he should treat himself well!

As he ate, he thought about the future and how he should develop. After all, this world is filled with extraordinary individuals, many of whom possess an IQ rivaling that of two Einsteins.

Some have combat abilities that are incredibly powerful. If he didn't work hard to enhance his own strength, he might find himself outmatched and unable to keep up in this competitive environment.

That wouldn't be any fun at all!