Seeing the man with a hooked nose fuming, Darnell spoke coldly, “You can choose to give up.”
“Pfft!”
The man was equally unruly, spitting forcefully onto the polished floor.
“What do you mean? I give up? I’m not backing down because I can’t. I’m just not interested in playing this childish game with you.”
“Damn! I came here to be a security guard for that paycheck.”
“What’s the point of making us stand at attention?”
With a proud expression, the man declared, “With my build, I can take on ten or eight thugs easily. I can be on duty anytime. What’s the point of standing at attention?”
Garrett interjected, “If you can’t even stand at attention properly, how can you expect to earn a high salary as a security guard?”
“Being a security guard isn’t exactly rocket science. Do I really have to stand around like a fool from dawn till dusk? Which security guard works this hard?”
The man pointed at Darnell and continued arrogantly, “I could take on ten of you.”
Darnell narrowed his eyes slightly, suddenly moving with a swift motion as he lunged forward and kicked the man squarely in the chest.
The man was taken by surprise, shifting his body to the side and instinctively raising his fists to block. But he was astonished to find that none of it could help.
Darnell’s kick landed firmly on his chest, and with a pained shout, the nearly two-hundred-pound man was sent flying.
He fell backward, landing about five or six meters away.
He coughed loudly, gritting his teeth and struggling for a while before shakily getting back on his feet.
The three hundred job applicants present, aside from Garrett and his group, stood in shock.
“You think you can take on ten of me?”
Darnell dusted off his hands, asserting, “That’s going to be tough.”
The man with a hooked nose, now furious, shouted and leaped into the air, bending his knees slightly as he charged at Darnell again.
His speed was impressive, like a cheetah, and in an instant, he was right in front of Darnell, showcasing terrifying explosive power that even Garrett found alarming.
Darnell remained unfazed, delivering another kick that produced a dull thud, sending the man flying once more.
The entire crowd was frozen in disbelief. No one had seen Darnell’s kick, including the man with a hooked nose.
Lying on the ground, gasping for breath, the man felt as if all his bones had come loose, and even moving his fingers required immense effort.
Darnell adjusted his pants. “You should give up. You can’t win against me.”
The man looked despondent. He hadn’t expected to be so humiliated today. He also felt a twinge of surprise. Who was this guy? How could he be so strong?
“Look at this photo.”
Darnell stepped back onto the podium, switched on the projector, and displayed a photo from his phone.
In front of Goldkeep’s city gate, a national flag guard stood tall.
Just one look ignited passion and resilience, the scene exuding an unshakeable dignity.
Three meters away, a security guard slouched with his hands behind his back, shoulders drooping, legs slightly bent, and his hat askew-he looked utterly defeated. The contrast was stark.
As over three hundred people stared at the photo, a contemplative look spread across their faces, and many quietly straightened their relaxed postures.
“Do you know why I had you stand at attention? Do you know why I’m being so strict with you?”
Darnell’s voice resonated. “Because what I want from you is not just to be security guards. I want you to stand tall like the national flag guards.”
“Do you see the difference between the honor guard and the security guard in this photo?”
“The honor guard has faith, but the security guard is just going through the motions. Darnell’s Elite Force only welcomes those with faith. We don’t need people who are just going through the motions.”
“Tell me! Do you want faith, or do you just want to get by in life?”
The over three hundred people who had made it this far were almost all veterans who had come from the military.
They once had passion, dreams, and goals, hoping to use the skills they learned in the army to make a name for themselves.
But in reality, they found the world to be harsh. Their skills had no place to be utilized.
They needed to survive and support their families, which led them to put aside their dignity and pride to apply for a decent-paying security job.
Once filled with zeal, these veterans had now shifted their mindset, thinking only of getting by, earning some money, and living a life of mediocrity.
But now, Darnell’s photo reignited their passion and dreams, stirring their once-vibrant hearts back to life.
The man with a hooked nose raised his head, staring at that starkly contrasting photo, and he couldn’t help but feel tears welling up in his eyes.
Wiping his face abruptly, he stepped forward and shouted loudly, “Mr. Halford, I don’t want to be a security guard for life. I want to make something of myself.”
“From today on, I, Sheldon, will follow you through thick and thin, and I won’t back down, no matter the danger!”
The entire crowd of over three hundred echoed, “We want to make something of ourselves!”
The sound was deafening.
At that moment, they suddenly understood. The motherland and faith couldn’t be betrayed.
“Wow, it feels like the Pantheon’s team is getting stronger and stronger.”
Watching them passionately shout, Darnell thought to himself that he needed to keep a low profile moving forward. Otherwise, he would easily attract unnecessary trouble.
He came to Whiteville just to be an assistant, not to dominate. But things had developed to this extent, and Darnell felt immense pressure.
He realized his days were becoming less and less carefree.
He waved Garrett over to handle the scene. After working for so long, he wanted to go back to the office and take a good nap.
Why is being a big shot so exhausting?
Ding!
Just then, Darnell’s phone rang. He put on his earphones, and soon a sweet yet domineering voice came through.
“Baby, why aren’t you at Spectrum Pharmaceuticals?”
Darnell nearly dropped his phone in shock. Karlee?! He quickly dashed outside, pinching his nose and mimicking a mechanical voice.
“Hello, the number you have dialed is out of service. Please try again later!”
He repeated it twice.
Karlee snapped, “Darnell, I’m giving you thirty minutes…”
Darnell switched to a low voice. “I’m sorry, your call cannot be completed as dialed. Please try again later.”
“Darnell! Stop playing games with me.”
Karlee bluntly continued, “If you’re not at Pearl Tower in thirty minutes, I’ll jump off.”
“I’ll leave a note saying you raped me, got me pregnant, and refused to take responsibility.”
Furious, Darnell retorted, “Karlee, you’re being unreasonable. I’ll say it again. We’re not suited for each other.”
Karlee huffed, “I decide what’s suitable or not.”
“Why are you forcing me?”
Darnell nearly smashed his head against the wall. “Don’t you realize that even if you got my body, you wouldn’t have my heart?”
Karlee’s voice was calm. “Twenty-nine minutes left…”
A picture popped up-Karlee in a blue outfit, standing on top of Pearl Tower, looking ready to jump at any moment.
Darnell took off running. “Don’t do it! You still haven’t returned my Porsche!”