The police surrounded Darnell as if facing a formidable enemy, but less than half an hour after they apprehended him, they had to release him, looking utterly helpless.
Aside from Judith and Areli’s maneuvering, Darnell’s actions simply did not constitute a crime. They couldn’t pin anything on him.
The police pointed out that his outfit had misleading connotations, but Darnell retorted without hesitation, claiming it was slander and disrespect to his fashion sense.
He pounded the table, arguing passionately, “Who says you can’t wear a white bedsheet in Westergold? Who says you can’t use a white bath towel to shield yourself from the rain?”
As for the word “bomb” on his clothing, that meant nothing at all. After all, how many young people wear clothes emblazoned with various dangerous slogans and terrifying graffiti?
Did wearing a shirt with Elon Musk’s name printed on it make him a billionaire?
His backpack was merely something he accidentally dropped. The demonstrators outside the Vertex misunderstood, believing he had a bomb. Darnell sternly informed the police that it was the crowd outside that caused the panic, not him. He demanded an apology for the wrongful arrest.
Faced with this bizarre yet airtight logic, the police could only let him go, feeling utterly defeated.
By ten in the morning, Darnell returned to Woodsea. He didn’t check on Garrett and the others’ selection process. Instead, he headed back to his rented place to shower and sleep.
When he finally awakened, it was already three in the afternoon. After freshening up, he grabbed a set of clothes from the closet.
Next, he instinctively went to the fridge for carrots, only to be dismayed to find it completely empty. He patted his stomach and decided to go out for food.
“Combat preparation!”
As Darnell stepped downstairs, he saw Garrett and the others practicing their training regimen with Sheldon’s group in the square.
Each person was spirited, throwing punches and kicks with vigor, their every movement filled with power and passion, like a troop being reviewed at the city gate.
Undoubtedly, everyone was motivated by Darnell’s inspiring speech in the auditorium.
“Bow stance, punch!”
“Throat kick!”
“Block and trip!”
“Strike and choke!”
Under Garrett’s shouts, Sheldon and the others moved fluidly, their actions both impressive and awe-inspiring, drawing applause from onlookers.
Then Garrett shouted, “Form ranks!”
At the command, the noisy crowd quickly dispersed, and Sheldon’s group swiftly formed a neat line.
Standing tall and silent, not a single sound could be heard.
The hundreds of security personnel stood solemnly, unadorned yet seemingly forged from steel.
An indescribable aura gathered above them.
The chilly drizzle wrapped in the cold wind fell on them, only to be mercilessly evaporated by their body heat.
The eyes of these iron-willed men reflected an unmistakable fatigue, but even more so, they exuded resilience and a kind of indescribable fervor.
This security team not only satisfied Darnell but also earned the admiration of the tenants and villagers in the vicinity.
They had seen many security guards and observed their training before, but never before had they experienced a team like Sheldon’s, which evoked such a sense of passion and significantly boosted their sense of security.
Everyone felt that as long as Garrett and Sheldon were around, no one would dare to invade Woodsea and bully its people.
Noemi stood on the second floor of the village committee building, smoking a cigarette and frequently nodding to Leroy and the others, clearly pleased with Sheldon’s team.
“Not bad!”
As Darnell walked toward the group, he couldn’t help but praise, “Real men, you’ve impressed me.”
Upon seeing Darnell, Garrett and the others instantly straightened up and shouted in unison, “Consultant Halford!”
“No need for pleasantries.”
Darnell scanned the group, patting a few shoulders as he smiled, “Continue practicing. You can start working in shifts by the weekend.”
Sheldon and the others responded in unison, “Thank you, Consultant Halford.”
Darnell felt a bit unaccustomed to being addressed with the title of “consultant”, but he merely smiled wryly and let Arthur and Vance continue the training.
“Garrett, the training is going well. Keep it up.”
Darnell patted Garrett on the shoulder. “Everything should proceed according to our established rules. If there’s anything you can’t solve, just come to me.”
“Thank you for the praise, boss. We’re just doing our job. With such a high salary, we can’t let you down, can we?”
Garrett replied earnestly, then recalled something and pulled Darnell aside. “However, there is one problem right now.”
“What problem?”
Darnell glanced over the group and asked, “Everyone seems to be training well. Is it the venue, the troublemakers, or the budget?”
“None of those.”
Garrett exhaled deeply, pointing at Sheldon and his group, “Boss, didn’t you notice that the team is still at three hundred people?”
He wore an expression of indescribable helplessness before adding, “Ever since you gave them that pep talk, they’ve been like they’ve been injected with adrenaline.”
“They’ve not only passed all our assessments but have also persevered until now. I’ve tried to let go of a few, but now there’s really no one left to cut. They’re all nearly equally outstanding.”
“And we’ve also formed some bonds over the past few days. I can’t bring myself to let anyone go. Boss, could you help us out by letting a few people go?”
Darnell was taken aback. Still three hundred? That was an extra hundred people, adding millions to the annual expenses! He looked up at the practicing group, trying to see who could be cut.
But after observing, he found himself in the same difficult position as Garrett. These three hundred people seemed to be cut from the same cloth.
So outstanding that it was impossible to let any of them go.
Darnell muttered to himself, “This is indeed a bit tricky.”
After thinking for a moment, he patted Garrett on the shoulder and said, “Here’s the deal. You continue training them, and I’ll cover all their salaries and benefits.”
“I’ve told them they need faith and ideals. If I find an excuse to let them go now, it would not only be a disservice to them but would also be a slap in the face for me.”
Garrett nodded. “That makes sense.”
“Complete the training, assign various positions, and have a three-month internship.”
Darnell made the final decision. “If anyone cannot meet the standards or is slacking off, add an extra month’s salary and just let them go.”
“If they all qualify, then keep them all. Although it will cost an extra few million each year, I’d rather spend that money than let them feel disheartened.”
“Besides, I’m currently expanding into other markets, and I believe we will need more manpower, so let’s keep everyone for now.”
Garrett breathed a sigh of relief, looking pleased as he responded, “Understood.”
The next moment, he hesitated as he continued, “Boss, our Darnell’s Elite Force has been established, but the structure seems severely lacking. I have no problem being the deputy team leader.”
“But in terms of finance and administration, we’re a bit stretched. The company is just starting up, and while everything is simple enough to handle for now, once we grow…”
“We’ll need professionals.”
Darnell rubbed his head, wishing he could bang it against the wall. Why was life getting so complicated?
But he forced a smile. “Alright, I’ll look into finding a few talents.”
Garrett exhaled with relief. “It’s so good to have you as our backbone, boss.” He then dashed back to practice with the team.
After reflecting on how challenging it was to be these people’s leader, Darnell rubbed his stomach and went looking for a restaurant. However, at this time, many restaurants were closed for a break.
He ended up at the nearby KFC and got some chicken. While eating, he headed to the supermarket to shop for groceries.
“Woof woof woof!”
As he passed the parking lot, Darnell suddenly heard a frantic barking sound. Turning around, he saw Sugar barking incessantly at a corner of the parking lot.
After barking, Sugar struggled against its leash, looking fierce, as if its territory had been invaded. However, it was quickly scolded by the security guard on duty.
Just as Sugar was about to quiet down, it spotted Darnell gnawing on a fried drumstick and started barking again, pulling desperately at the leash.
Darnell threw a drumstick over, landing at Sugar’s feet, but Sugar didn’t even glance at it, continuing to bark at Darnell.
“Sugar, what are you barking for? You’ve been at it for ages, are you not tired?”
A temporary security guard from the village approached, clearly annoyed. “You’ve disturbed my afternoon nap, Sugar!”
He was about to knock Sugar on the head to teach it a lesson, but upon seeing Darnell, he instinctively stopped and politely called out, “Consultant Halford.”
Darnell smiled lightly, holding out a box of fried chicken, “Brother, you’ve worked hard all day. Go home and rest for a couple of hours.”
“I’ll keep an eye on things for a bit.”
The villager hesitated for a moment, accepting the chicken with a smile. “Consultant Halford, how can I accept this? If Noemi finds out, I’ll be in trouble.”
Darnell chuckled, “It’s fine. I’ll explain it to her. Right now, we’re short on hands, and the security can’t be deployed immediately. You’re already tired working in shifts.”
“You’ll be on duty tonight too, and you didn’t get enough rest at noon. Take the chance to catch up before it gets dark.”
“Come back at five-thirty.”
The villager nodded happily. “Thank you, Consultant Halford.”
Then he dashed off with the chicken to go take a nap.
Darnell slowly approached Sugar, tilting his head. “What are you barking non-stop? Did you see a ghost?”
Sugar barked at Darnell and then turned back toward the earlier direction, barking again at the corner. “Woof woof woof!”
“Could it really be a ghost?”
Darnell tossed a tart into his mouth, casually placing the food in the booth, locking the door and windows, then unleashed Sugar and walked toward the corner.
“Woof woof woof!”
Once freed, Sugar tugged at Darnell, racing toward the corner like a mad dog. Darnell nearly stumbled but had to quicken his pace to keep up.
The corner Sugar was fixated on soon came into Darnell’s view, littered with a few wrenches, tires, a rain tarp, and a jack.
Darnell also caught a whiff of something metallic, a hint of blood, and his gaze fell on a rain tarp with a few drops of blood on it.
His nerves instantly tightened.
As he lowered his left hand to grasp a bit of red, Sugar pulled Darnell right in front of the tarp, barking incessantly.
Before Darnell could step forward to lift the tarp, it was suddenly yanked away, revealing a bloodied figure sitting upright, holding a gun.
The barrel was aimed directly at Darnell.
“Woof!”
Without needing Darnell to intervene, Sugar lunged forward, sinking its teeth into the person’s hand.
“Ahhh!”
The individual screamed, dropping the gun and trying to push Sugar away, but with only one hand free, they could only use his head to ram into the dog’s skull.
In the struggle, the bandage on the man’s head fell away, revealing a perfectly intact face.
Darnell’s pupils constricted in an instant. “Houston?”