**On the Street.**
Adam and Leonard walked side by side for a while.
"I want to go home!"
Suddenly, Leonard shouted.
"That's fine."
Adam turned his head and saw Leonard's face was pale, his body trembling slightly. After a brief moment of thought, he understood why.
Leonard had always been someone who followed his instincts. Just now, they had encountered such a terrifying and dangerous situation, yet after merely throwing up, he was still able to logically discuss with Adam whether they should save the boy. His state was clearly 'beyond normal.'
The most likely explanation was that the extreme stress had caused his body to release a massive amount of adrenaline, temporarily suppressing his fear.
But as time passed and the adrenaline wore off, the delayed fear and terror surged in, revealing Leonard's true condition.
"I'll take you home right now."
Supporting Leonard, who could barely walk, Adam led him toward the subway station.
"This is kind of funny, but I suddenly miss my mom…"
Leonard forced a smile and said, "Even though she's really strict with me, I just can't help but think about her right now."
"That makes sense."
Adam smiled reassuringly.
This was clearly the classic case of 'the city is too cruel; I want to go back to the countryside' and 'no one loves you like your mom.'
No matter how much Leonard's mother, Beverly, treated him like a test subject and bossed him around, compared to the unexpected life-threatening experience they had just gone through, her strictness seemed like a comforting order amidst chaos.
Of course, human nature is complicated.
Right now, Leonard was scared out of his mind and even wanted to run back to his mother. But once the fear subsided, he'd probably find her scientific experiments on him unbearable again.
Chances were, he would even start to romanticize today's ordeal, turning it into an exciting adventure to brag about to his friends.
After all, it was a truly thrilling experience!
And not just some exaggerated story like Chandler's:
*"One day, I worked late, took the subway home, missed my stop, passed through Brooklyn… and somehow, I made it out alive!"*
After dropping Leonard off at home, Adam returned to Apartment 520.
"OMG!"
It was Saturday, and everyone was gathered there, enjoying Monica's cooking while watching TV. When they saw Adam walk in with his arm wrapped in bandages, they gasped in shock.
"What happened?"
Monica approached with concern.
"Did you try to scam a kid out of their money and get bitten?"
Chandler quipped as usual.
"Something like that."
Adam shrugged. "I guarantee that after hearing what happened to me, none of you will ever dare mess with a 'kid' again."
"So, that Leonard guy really came looking for trouble?"
Monica asked, surprised.
"No."
Adam walked over to the couch and plopped down in the center, surrounded by curious friends. He began recounting the day's harrowing events, and as expected, exclamations of "OMG!" erupted throughout the room.
"No way!"
Phoebe covered her mouth. "There's no way a little girl could be like that!"
"Oh really?"
Adam chuckled. "Phoebe, you've been around the streets before. You've never seen a ruthless little girl?"
Phoebe looked up, thought for a moment, and then earnestly said, "Nope, never!"
"…"
Adam's mouth twitched as he glanced at Phoebe's serious expression and then at Ross, who was completely oblivious.
He believed Phoebe. She was the type of person who would take in a rat as a pet and couldn't bear to see a dried-up Christmas tree get thrown away. Of course, she had never encountered a ruthless little girl…
"OMG! That story is so good, it could be turned into a script and made into a movie!"
Joey's professional instincts kicked in.
Adam's heart skipped a beat.
In America, real-life events like this always had a market. Whether adapted into a movie or turned into a best-selling book through interviews, it could be highly profitable.
His ex-girlfriend, the infamous Amazing Amy, had orchestrated an elaborate scheme in the original timeline. When she made her dramatic comeback covered in blood, the entire nation was captivated. Interview trucks surrounded her house 24/7, and she dragged her reluctant husband onto talk shows and book signings, becoming an overnight superstar.
In just a short time, she made enough money to solve all their financial troubles.
Even her husband, despite his initial fear, eventually became tempted by the fame and fortune. He had no choice but to play along with Amazing Amy's plan, living as the 'perfect couple.'
But after some thought, Adam decided to pass on the idea.
Americans already loved playing twisted games, and the characters in American TV shows took it even further—dying was just another form of entertainment. Who knew what kind of lunatic might see the movie adaptation of his story and decide they wanted to 'play a game' with him?
There were way too many copycat psychopaths inspired by horror movies.
And Adam wasn't desperate for money—there was no need to take that risk.
As his friends continued to joke around, Adam finally started to relax after being on edge all day.
To Monica and the others, no matter how dangerous his story sounded, it wasn't something they had personally experienced. So after some initial shock, they would soon forget about it.
But for Adam, it wasn't so easy.
**That night.**
Adam lay in bed, tossing and turning, deep in thought.
Looking toward the future, he realized he needed to be more proactive.
The world outside wasn't just about flirting with women like Amazing Amy and Juno—it was truly dangerous.
In the past, he didn't have the money or the means, but now he did.
His first thought was to invest in professional training—self-defense, combat techniques, and even firearms. He wanted to fully maximize his advantages in strength, speed, endurance, and intelligence.
If he had been properly trained, no matter how aggressive Esther had been, she wouldn't have been able to stab his arm.
His second thought was to enroll in a psychology course next semester. Enhancing his intuition, improving his ability to read people, and learning how to negotiate with criminals and psychopaths could prove invaluable.
With his current level of genius, taking on an extra course wouldn't be difficult.
His third thought was to cut back on his hospital volunteer work. While it had allowed him to interact with doctors and patients, he hadn't actually learned much.
Given how fast his reputation was growing, he wouldn't need an extensive volunteer record to get into Harvard Medical School anymore.
Instead of wasting time, he might as well start practicing surgical techniques in advance.
Of course, the strict U.S. medical system wouldn't allow him to perform surgeries before medical school, but that didn't mean he couldn't find a workaround.
One widely accepted 'masculine' hobby fit the bill perfectly—**hunting.**
Just like the ancient Chinese tale of the butcher who mastered his craft through experience, surgery was also a skill honed through practice.
The more hands-on experience one had, the better they became.
And at the end of the day, humans and animals were both… well, animals.
Adam could easily buy a cabin in the woods, along with high-end medical equipment. During holidays, he could go hunting for fun while simultaneously refining his surgical skills.
The more he thought about it, the more it made sense.
But then, another thought crossed his mind—
**Self-defense training, psychology studies, hunting, and surgical practice…**
When put together, **why did it all feel a little… off?**
**(End of Chapter)**