After sending Cesar and the others off to recruit members for the Brigade of Shadow, Darnell prepared to go to bed and get enough rest for the anniversary celebration party of the University of Whiteville.
He promised Karlee, and he would keep his promises.
Moreover, Karlee mentioned that there seemed to be a prominent guest from Lightford, and Darnell wanted to verify if the person was truly as famous as claimed.
However, just as he was about to lie down, his phone rang loudly. Darnell pressed the speaker button, and Garrett’s excited voice quickly came through.
“Mr. Halford, a man named Jefferson is looking for you. He says it’s urgent.”
Darnell squinted slightly. “Jefferson? What’s he doing here?”
Before Garrett could respond, Jefferson’s voice came from the other end of the line. “Boss, it’s me, Jefferson! I have good news for you.”
Garrett then asked, “Boss, should I bring him up?”
Darnell shook his head lightly. “No need. Let him wait in the office. By the way, order some takeout for me. I’m a bit hungry.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Jefferson excitedly shouted again, “Boss, you don’t need to order takeout. I brought some good stuff over.”
“Three roast ducks, five fired chickens, thirty lobsters, and five bottles of good wine. Come down and eat.”
Darnell grabbed his phone and rushed out the door.
Five minutes later, Darnell appeared in the office. The resting area was already filled with food, emitting a delicious aroma. Jefferson was waiting enthusiastically.
Although Garrett and the others could smell the aroma, they did not gather around but continued with their duties.
“Jefferson, what brings you here today?”
Darnell washed his hands and then walked to the dining table, tearing off a duck leg to eat while inviting Garrett and a few others to join him.
It was already eleven o’clock, and everyone who had been busy all morning was hungry. They ate heartily while Jefferson happily responded, “I have three things.”
“First, I’m here to pay my respects. As your subordinate, I need to know where you and the brothers live so that I can find help if needed.”
After witnessing Darnell’s prowess, Jefferson became dependent on him and considered himself one of Darnell’s men.
Darnell glanced at him. “Get to the point.”
Jefferson smiled, “Second, I brought some gifts to thank you. Last night I left in a hurry and forgot to express my gratitude. Today, I brought some food as a token of appreciation.”
Darnell spat out the duck bone. “What’s the third thing?”
Jefferson quickly replied, “The third thing is that I’ve brought you a business opportunity.”
Darnell became interested. “What kind of business?”
Jefferson smiled. “Here’s the situation. Today is the University of Whiteville’s fortieth anniversary celebration. There will be performances tonight, and many distinguished alumni will be present.”
“With other dignitaries joining as well, the crowd is expected to be twice as large as usual. The security force is somewhat inadequate since it’s a big event and nothing can go wrong.”
He looked slightly proud. “I have a good relationship with the vice principal responsible for this event. When he expressed concern about insufficient security, I recommended you in time.”
“He finally agreed to hire fifty of your men to help out. The main task is to ensure the safety of teachers and students at the performance center.”
“Prevent students or fans from rushing onto the stage when seeing celebrities or accidentally causing fights.”
“In short, make sure there are no pushing or trampling incidents.”
He extended one hand. “Working hours are from 4 PM to 11 PM. Fifty people for ten thousand dollars.”
“It’s not much money, about two hundred per person, but it’s an opportunity to showcase your company’s strength and quality.”
“If you do well this time, you won’t lack business in the future. Plus, it gives me something impressive to mention when introducing your company.”
“Our security personnel handled the 40th anniversary celebration of the University of Whiteville with tens of thousands of teachers, students, and dignitaries, all giving unanimous praise.”
At this point, Jefferson chuckled, “Boss, what do you think?”
Darnell patted his shoulder. “Well done!”
Then he called out to Garrett, “Garrett, we’ve got business!”
The University of Whiteville had only been established for forty years when Westergold considered Whiteville’s strategic importance and set it up for local residents’ benefit so they could contribute without worries.
Therefore, its admission scores were always fifty points lower than those for non-local students, considered local protectionism.
And indeed, Westergold’s decision proved right. Whiteville transformed from a desolate adventurers’ haven into an international metropolis.
Its economic output grew rapidly every year. Population influx continued for forty consecutive years. Housing prices soared close to ten thousand per square meter, showing how crucial the University of Whiteville was.
Despite nationwide criticism of its protectionism policies, it continued its path undeterred by public opinion.
Westergold’s government and Whiteville’s rich families supported its operation firmly so that local residents’ children could attend university, indirectly retaining many talents.
The University of Whiteville produced numerous talents across various fields in Whiteville and beyond. Even Abbigail earned her doctorate there.
Over thirty years of development saw the University of Whiteville’s faculty grow from eight hundred students initially up to forty thousand now.
This university boasted top-notch facilities but only had third-rate faculty and students! This was the common perception of Whiteville University. Yet, despite the endless mockery, it couldn’t deter students from all over the country. They continued to apply, cursing the institution while simultaneously filling out their applications.
Because its conditions were top-tier, whether educational infrastructure or campus environment, it ranked among the national top five consistently.
Vroom-
At 3 PM sharp, eleven BMW X5s followed by one Ferrari approached the University of Whiteville.
Though ten thousand dollars wasn’t much for Darnell, it was indeed, as Jefferson mentioned, a great opportunity to display Darnell’s Elite Force’s capabilities effectively.
Thus, besides gathering fifty brothers under Garrett’s command, he arrived early himself, to inspect things personally, hoping this event would open new markets for their company.
Though still several hundred meters away, the campus teemed with students.
Eleven brand-new BMWs rolled onto the streets, causing a stir among the students, who gasped and pointed, speculating about which impressive alumnus had returned to show off during the university’s fortieth-anniversary celebration.
Inside a Ferrari, Darnell wore a bright smile, showing no signs of feeling superior or looking down on anyone. His gaze drifted toward the various beauties on campus.
Although it was already late autumn and a bit chilly, many girls still wore short skirts and stockings. Under the afternoon sun, they looked youthful and charming.
He suddenly realized how wonderful it was to be young.
“Hey, boss, are you checking out the girls?”
Jefferson, slowing down the car, shot a glance at the scene, his face tinged with dissatisfaction. “You can’t be looking at other women while you’re with one. You’ve already got all the beauties to yourself. What about us? Should we go after Garrett?”
“Besides, Karlee is the campus belle. So many people would kill for her attention.”
“You have Karlee, yet you don’t appreciate her. It’s not right to sneak a peek at other girls.”
For Jefferson, if he had Karlee’s heart, he would completely ignore all other beauties.
Darnell burst into laughter at Jefferson’s words and responded with interest, “You’re really smitten with Karlee, huh? Always thinking about her. Anyone else would encourage me to chase after girls, hoping to create some distance between me and Karlee so they could swoop in.”
Jefferson sighed, “I truly like Karlee, but liking her doesn’t mean I have to possess her. Just seeing her happy is enough for me.”
“I know my place. I can’t win Karlee’s affection, so I can only hope she finds someone good for her.”
“Even though Alexander has a better background, I believe you’re much more reliable than he is. I trust you can protect Karlee better.”
Darnell smiled. “Still holding a grudge about his betrayal last time?”
Jefferson didn’t respond, but a flicker of anger crossed his face. Undoubtedly, Alexander’s actions had infuriated him.
Quickly suppressing his emotions, he forced a smile. “Hey, boss, did you know? Karlee is not only the campus belle but also one of the hosts for tonight’s event.”
“You’ll have a feast for the eyes at the University of Whiteville today. You’ll see that Karlee is no longer just a spoiled princess. She’s a stunning, capable woman.”
Darnell’s eyes narrowed. “A host?”
He had thought tonight was merely about accompanying Karlee to watch the event, but now he realized she would be on stage, understanding her insistence on appearing.
Girls wanted their beauty and charm to be appreciated by someone they liked.
As Jefferson turned the steering wheel, he responded, “That’s right. Karlee is one of the top ten hosts in the national campus competition-definitely impressive.”
“She has a lot of fans and even makes occasional guest appearances on TV. If she weren’t so focused on her studies, she could have already made a name for herself in the entertainment industry.”
Jefferson looked at Darnell in surprise. “You don’t mean to tell me you’re completely oblivious to this about Karlee, do you?”
Darnell rubbed his head and honestly replied, “I don’t even know who her father is, so how could I know other things about her?”
He worried Jefferson might pick up on something, so he added, “I fell for Karlee at first sight, so I don’t know much about her.”
“Her father is quite an impressive figure…”
Just as Jefferson was about to say something more, he sighed instead, “It’s not my place to discuss Karlee’s matters. You should wait for her to tell you.”
“By the way, Alexander is also, a graduate student of the University of Whiteville. He’s somewhat of a co-planner for tonight’s event, so you might see him later.”
Jefferson quickly changed the subject. “If possible, let’s try to avoid any conflict with him. He has a strong background and knows how to manipulate people, making him hard to deal with.”
“Don’t worry. If he doesn’t provoke me, I won’t engage with him. I’m here to make money, not to fight.”
Darnell replied nonchalantly while contemplating whether he should look into Karlee’s background. Just then, his eyes caught something unusual.
He looked out the window.
Right outside, he saw four oddly dressed thugs pushing around a young man who looked like a student, their demeanor aggressive.
Next to the young man was a tall, frightened girl, gripping his arm tightly, seemingly afraid he would get into a fight.
Darnell spoke calmly, “Stop the car!”
He recognized someone.