Bab 12: Chapter 12 Teacher Dana's shock!
Mark was also a little surprised, but more joyful. It seems that Howard is very powerful, and it was done so quickly! As expected of the man of the United States in World War II!
Howard has been applying for patent protection since yesterday, using Mark's name. Howard disdains appropriating others' work—he has the pride of a true scientist. Even the Ark reactor developed with Anthony Vanke wasn't stolen; he made sure both their names were on it.
Relying on personal connections, the patent review was quickly completed. If it were an ordinary person, it would take at least a year and a half, but Howard finished it in less than a day—truly remarkable. With the invention patent in hand, he called on an old colleague from MIT. It was easy to be impressed by Mark's skills. There's no need to have perfect academic credentials—if you have strong hands-on abilities, theory isn't as important.
It's like needing a mechanic to fix a car. If you don't believe it, let a cook try. If they don't fry you alive, you won't understand the horror of a five-star chef!
From start to finish, Mark only contributed the design drawings of the AK-47 and leveraged his father's connections. He spent very little time on these early efforts.
Opening the envelope, Mark found a gold-stamped admission letter. Upon reading it, he discovered it was due to his impressive weapon design skills and the success of the AK-47 that he was being recruited. He was to report to school on time in September, but they reminded him to bring his wallet—admission didn't mean free tuition!
Getting into MIT, one of the top schools in the U.S., was a huge accomplishment at that time. It was something only extraordinary people could achieve. Tony Stark had his father's connections and built his own engine at six, joining MIT at seventeen. Mark, however, was two years ahead, already outshining Tony.
"Oh! Thank you, Principal, for bringing me such good news!" Mark replied calmly, though it really hadn't been difficult—it was only a matter of time.
In his classmates' eyes, the guy who often made things explode had just blown up, metaphorically speaking! MIT was the best school in the country, and he got in at such a young age. It was clear his future was bright, even if he only ended up as a high-tech white-collar worker.
Girls, both beautiful and plain, began to notice. They surrounded him, hoping to develop a connection. If they could become his girlfriend, they'd have a promising future.
"Hey, Mark, are you free tonight? I'm having a party at my house, wanna come?"
"Mark, could you come to my house tonight to help me study? I admire you so much!"
"Let's have lunch together later, Mark!"
Surrounded by girls, Mark felt like the prize everyone wanted to win. The world is so real—when you're down, no one cares; but when you're on top, everyone wants to know you.
Mr. Dana stood at the podium, speechless. He had jokingly said he'd marry off anyone who earned a doctorate, but now Mark was accepted to MIT, and his potential was clear. Having the principal deliver the letter in person only confirmed the message's authenticity.
Seeing Mark surrounded by girls, Rocca felt his anger rising. He wished Mark would just disappear. He felt that honor should be his and that the girls should be flocking to him.
Some people want everyone to be as mediocre as they are. If someone excels, they wish them ill.
Noticing Rocca's dark expression, his lackey, Zante, sidled up with a devious suggestion, "Boss, that guy is getting too cocky. We should teach him a lesson. What if we, say, broke his hand? He wouldn't be able to do any experiments after that. Heh!"
As the school bully, Rocca didn't see Mark as a threat. "Fine, we'll go to the Dasco gang after school and find someone to handle this guy."
"Thanks, boss!" Zante replied with a fawning grin, looking cruelly at Mark, who was still surrounded by girls. In his mind, Mark was asking for trouble by standing out without the right background.
Even surrounded by admirers, Mark noticed Rocca's dark look and sensed malicious intent. He wasn't sure if it was his sixth sense, but he always trusted his instincts. Rocca had a bad reputation, with several past incidents swept under the rug thanks to his father, a colonel.
Breaking free from the crowd, Mark quickly grabbed his friend Oli and left for lunch outside the school. He didn't want to linger in the cafeteria.
"Hey, genius, how did it feel to be the center of attention with all those girls around?" Oli teased with a wink.
"Bah, them? Not interested. Let's eat! Order anything you want; this meal's on me!" Mark replied, tidying up his clothes after the girls' excitement.
"Of course! I just became a small business owner yesterday, and today you get into MIT. You must be super lucky! Maybe all those explosions actually increased your fortune?" Oli joked while quickly ordering some cheap dishes, opting for extra-large beef burgers.
"How about I give you some dynamite so you can blow yourself up?" Mark shot back, feigning irritation. He'd just been lucky to avoid any mishaps before. If explosions brought luck, battlefields would be full of millionaires!
"Hey, just saying. But seriously, be careful. I saw Rocca giving you some nasty looks. That guy knows people in gangs; they might come after you!" Oli's joking tone turned serious as he warned his friend. He didn't want Mark, who was just beginning to soar, to be taken down before he could fully spread his wings.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
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