Chapter 27: Ch-27 University of Texas at Austin.
Ryan's driving skills were solid, and the school wasn't far from his home. He arrived at his destination within 20 minutes.
Looking out the car window, a tall, imposing building came into view. It stood like a monumental smokestack, radiating a powerful historical aura that reflected its rich heritage.
It was The University of Texas at Austin.
Founded in 1883, it was a world-renowned top-tier public research university. At the same time, it was one of the nation's prestigious public Ivy League schools, consistently ranked among the top 100 universities in the world.
The original owner of this body had been admitted to this institution, a testament to his exceptional academic achievements. However, Ryan had inherited only fragments of his predecessor's memories.
Processing nearly 20 years of life experience and knowledge was a daunting task. It would take months, if not years, to fully digest all those memories. For now, Ryan had selectively absorbed only the parts he found useful.
Academic knowledge, unfortunately, wasn't one of them. His current level of education was about that of a high school student.
In United States, university programs weren't strictly bound to a yearly system, but operated on a credit-based structure. As long as a student earned the required credits, he or she could graduate. This usually took three to five years.
Ryan was now in his third year, about to graduate. Beyond that, a new chapter in his life awaited him-a life that had already cost him his relationship.
Emma, his ex-girlfriend, had recently broken up with him.
The reasons were as clear as they were painful. Ryan was an orphan with no family background or financial security, while Emma came from a wealthy family that owned a thriving business.
Faced with the inevitable challenges of adulthood, she had chosen stability and privilege over love. It wasn't unusual, but that didn't make it any less painful.
Suddenly, a burst of mocking laughter pulled him from his thoughts.
"Hey, look who it is!"
"Our clown Ryan! His girlfriend dumped him and he sulked at home for three days."
"This coward finally got up the courage to show his face at school again. Ready to be laughed at?"
Ryan's eyes narrowed as he turned to face the voice.
A tall, freckled white guy stood nearby, smirking provocatively.
"So what if you got yourself a car, huh?" he sneered. "I bet she's getting fucked doggy-style by someone else right now."
The freckled youth added an obscene hip thrust for effect, drawing laughter from the crowd around them.
Ryan glanced at the onlookers - both familiar classmates and strangers. None of them stepped forward to defend him. They simply stood back, entertained by the unfolding drama.
USA might pride itself on being a civilized society, but at its core it still adhered to the law of the jungle. The strong were revered and the weak despised.
Ryan had done nothing wrong to any of these people, yet they joined in the mockery.
The reason?
He was considered weak.
The original owner of this body had been introverted, reserved, and socially isolated. With few friends and no support network, he became an easy target for adolescent bullies looking to assert their dominance.
Weakness, Ryan realized, was the ultimate sin in this world.
"It's ridiculous," Ryan muttered, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
Bullies didn't challenge the strong to prove themselves. They targeted the weak to hide their own insecurities. They weren't strong - they were cowards.
"What are you smiling at?" the freckled youth snapped, his expression darkening.
Ryan's calmness unnerved him. He'd expected the loser to cower or lash out emotionally. Instead, that angry grin was like a knife slicing through his bravado.
"Have you forgotten the lesson we taught you three days ago?" the boy hissed, trying to regain control. "Looks like I'm going to have to remind you what's worse than a broken heart."
Fueled by anger, he marched toward Ryan, intent on teaching a lesson.
"Teach me a lesson?" Ryan asked, his smile widening, his tone dripping with irony.
He opened the car door and stepped out, towering over the freckled youth like a shadow of doom.
The laughter in the crowd died instantly.
The boy's anger evaporated as he took in Ryan's sheer size and muscular frame. Gone was the frail, timid figure he had bullied before. In his place was a man who radiated raw power and menace.
Ryan's physique wasn't just intimidating - it was overwhelming. His strong muscles and imposing presence made him look more like a predator than a man.
The freckled boy swallowed audibly, his bravado crumbling as fear set in.
Even his friends, who had just been egging him on, froze, paralyzed by the same primal fear.
This wasn't the Ryan they remembered.
It was as if they weren't facing a person, but an animal - a starving brown bear ready to attack.
Ryan stared down at the boy, his gaze cold and unyielding.
"Well?" he asked, his voice calm but laced with a quiet threat.
The freckled youth stumbled backward, his former confidence shattered. His group of friends followed suit, retreating hastily, leaving Ryan standing alone, calm and victorious.
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