Saul appeared ready to confront, and Garrett wanted to kick him but refrained in front of Darnell.
Darnell teased lightly, “If I really protected them, do you think you could slap them?”
He looked at the furious Saul, continuing, “Although they threatened you verbally, they never laid a hand on you or bullied Raelynn. After I intimidated them, they even apologized.”
“Whether or not to give them a chance is not up to you. If anyone should punish them, it would be me.”
“If you’re really brave, wait until I’m gone and challenge all four of them alone.”
Raelynn quickly spoke up, “Mr. Halford, I’m sorry. Saul just has a bad temper. I’m sorry.”
“Bad temper? I’m bad-tempered?” Saul glared at the woman furiously. “I’m standing up for you, and you say I’m bad-tempered? Have you fallen for this pretty boy?”
“You must have fallen for him. Otherwise, you wouldn’t speak for him. You always listen to me, but today, you’re listening to him.”
“Bitch, you’ve changed too. Turns out you’re a gold digger, too! Go find your sugar daddy. Get lost!”
He angrily pushed Raelynn, who stumbled and almost fell. Darnell quickly caught her.
Raelynn’s momentum caused her whole body to fall into Darnell’s arms like a frightened bird seeking refuge.
Her T-shirt slipped off her shoulder, revealing fair skin. From Darnell’s angle, it was an enticing sight of fair skin with a fragrant aroma.
Darnell quickly looked away and steadied Raelynn. “Are you okay?”
Raelynn blushed slightly. “Thank you, Mr. Halford.”
“Bastard! Why are you touching my woman?” Seeing Darnell holding Raelynn so gently infuriated Saul even more. He stepped forward and punched at Darnell.
“Bang!”
Garrett couldn’t hold back any longer and stepped forward to knock Saul aside. “Bastard! My boss saved you, and yet, you want to hit him?! Are you out of your mind?”
The man with triangular eyes and his group looked bewildered, unable to understand what was happening.
“Saul! Saul!” Seeing Saul fall to the ground, Raelynn ran over to help him up. “Are you okay?”
Saul stood up despite the pain. “I get it now. The real protagonist of today’s drama is this guy.”
“Brilliant! Truly brilliant! I thought it was a script about bullying the weak, but it turned out to be a hero saving the beauty.”
Saul’s imagination ran wild as he pointed at Darnell with a cold smile. “You just want my woman? No way! Raelynn is mine!”
“Stay away from my woman from now on, or I’ll kill you.”
After saying this, he dragged Raelynn away. “Let’s go!”
“Remember, stay away from these people in the future. These rich bastards are all heartless scoundrels who force good people into bad situations.”
Saul was filled with hatred.
Darnell was dumbfounded. What the hell was this?
Now, he understood what it meant to be ungrateful.
“You four can leave too.” Darnell waved his hand to dismiss the four from the Apex and then got into his Ferrari with Jefferson. The car sped away.
Garrett lagged behind slightly and pulled one of the Apex members aside. “Whenever there’s a chance, give that guy some trouble.”
The man with triangular eyes was taken aback but then smiled and nodded. “Don’t worry, brother. I understand. He needs to learn some lessons.”
Fifteen minutes later, in the dormitory of the research institute on the third floor west side, Saul opened the door with his key and kicked it open angrily.
“Those bastards must be in cahoots. Mr. Fowler? That was just a cover. That guy clearly wants to get close to you.”
“They put on such an act, thinking I’m too stupid to see through it.”
He gulped down a glass of water and looked at the silent Raelynn. “I’m telling you now. Don’t associate with them anymore, or I won’t be polite to you.”
“And don’t hang out with Jolie either. She always indulges in nightlife without doing anything good.”
“If it weren’t for needing your earnings, I would have made you leave the foundation long ago.”
Raelynn remained silent and just nodded.
Saul wiped his mouth and turned on his computer. “You need to endure hardships and grievances. Otherwise, how will you achieve great things with me in the future?”
“In another six months, I’ll graduate from my master’s program. Then I can start my own business and make it big.”
“Once I succeed, those big shots in Whiteville can go to hell because I’ll be the richest man.”
Raelynn still remained silent.
After saying a lot more, Saul turned his chair around. “It seems like you got paid yesterday. Pay for my electric and water bills later…”
Raelynn sighed softly.
“Vroom-”
Eleven BMWs soon parked in the area they were responsible for tonight. Jefferson led Garrett and a few others to handle formalities quickly, bringing fifty people into the performance center.
Garrett and Jefferson briefly explained their tasks before everyone changed into their uniforms and gear and headed to their posts.
Their imposing figures in sharp suits with earpieces and expandable batons quickly became the focus of attention.
Many students and alumni took out their phones to snap photos of these impressive-looking men.
Some even thought they were special police officers maintaining order because their appearance was so different from that of regular campus security.
While Jefferson and Garrett were busy managing everything, Darnell leisurely enjoyed the lively surroundings before heading towards the woods behind the performance center fifteen minutes later.
Although the Brigade of Light’s task was to secure the performance center area, Darnell habitually observed the surroundings for complete assurance.
Halfway through his walk, Garrett caught up with him.
“Boss, everything is set up. Our brothers are familiar with the site now, so they can handle any unforeseen events.”
Seeing Garrett’s sweaty forehead, Darnell handed him a tissue with a smile. “Thanks for your hard work and that of our brothers. Later on, have Jefferson distribute chocolate bars, five each, to tide everyone over until dinner since we need full concentration tonight. After we complete our task, I’ll treat everyone to a big meal.”
Garrett nodded enthusiastically. “Don’t worry. Everything is arranged.” Then he added with a smile, “Jefferson is even more dedicated than I am.”
Darnell laughed as he walked forward. Last night’s incident had completely won over Jefferson’s heart. He was eager to be part of them.
“Let him work hard then. You can take this opportunity to relax a bit since we need you at your best tonight.”
He pointed ahead. “Come walk with me through these woods.”
This path, paved with cobblestones, was quite secluded, without any students or faculty passing by, completely different from the bustling performance center just a hundred meters away.
Darnell noticed tire marks at the edge of the woods, and it puzzled him. Who would drive into this eerie, secluded forest?
Judging by the imprints on the grass, the vehicle must have been carrying a heavy load.
However, Darnell didn’t dwell on it too much. He had already glanced through the guest list earlier. While there were quite a few attendees tonight, none stood out as particularly noteworthy-except for Abbigail, who had been making waves recently. But her name was marked as absent.
Garrett jogged up to Darnell, and the two exchanged a few words about security details.
As the two ventured another few dozen meters into the woods, their eyes caught sight of a black Mercedes parked in the shadows between two trees.
If not for their keen observation, it would have been easy to miss its presence. At that moment, the idling Mercedes was shaking noticeably, accompanied by sharp, rhythmic creaks that pierced the quiet of the forest.
The car’s windows were covered with curtains, making it impossible for Darnell and Garrett to clearly see inside. They could only vaguely make out two figures.
Before Darnell could say anything, the ever-dutiful Garrett took a few steps forward, scrutinizing the shaking car up close. He called out, “Is anyone there?”
Thud!
As soon as the words left his mouth, a curtain fell, revealing a delicate woman’s face pressed tightly against the window. Her eyes were dazed, and her lips moved silently.
Even through the glass and the distance, her rapid breathing was palpable. She looked as if she were suffocating.
Then, one of her hands slapped against the window, her movements frantic and desperate.
The glass fogged up from her breath.
“Boss, it looks like she’s saying, ‘I’m dying, I’m dying, I can’t take it anymore,'” Garrett said, his voice tense.
“Oh, no! She must be suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning! If we don’t save her, she’ll die!”
Garrett, jolted into action, shouted at Darnell before picking up a brick and rushing toward the car. He smashed it against the other window with a loud crash.
Darnell wanted to cry. “No… Garrett-”
Bang!
The window was sturdy, but under Garrett’s forceful strike, it shattered, the glass falling into the car. Garrett, feeling that there still wasn’t enough ventilation, took another swing at the windshield.
Another loud crack echoed as the windshield broke. Garrett shouted, “Don’t worry, miss. I’m here to save you-”
Before he could finish, Garrett froze. Inside the car, it wasn’t just the woman-there was also a bearded man, both of them half-naked.
The two inside the car were equally stunned, clearly not expecting their vehicle to be smashed and their activities exposed to outsiders.
“Ah-”
The woman in the car let out a piercing scream, startling Garrett so much that he scrambled back to Darnell’s side.
“Boss, I think I messed up…”
Darnell felt utterly drained. Messed up? If the man ended up with any… performance issues because of this, it could turn into a generational feud!
Just as Garrett braced himself for a confrontation, the bearded man and the young woman didn’t step out of the car. Instead, they quickly put on masks and hats, covering their faces as much as possible.
Then, the bearded man climbed into the driver’s seat, stepped on the gas, and the Mercedes, with its shattered windows and windshield, turned around.
As the car turned, the bearded man sharply twisted the steering wheel, sending the car’s rear swinging toward Garrett.
Darnell’s expression changed. He yanked Garrett back several meters, narrowly avoiding the impact, though a few stones still hit them, leaving them in pain.
Vroom!
Before Darnell and Garrett could steady themselves, the Mercedes accelerated again, its front bumper grazing toward their legs.
Darnell pulled Garrett back once more.
Vroom!
The next second, the Mercedes sped past Darnell and Garrett, the bearded man glaring at them with unmistakable venom in his eyes.
The young woman sat up halfway, her ample figure on full display, and gave Darnell a thumbs-up before flipping it upside down.
“Boss, why did they leave?” Garrett muttered, still in shock. “I didn’t even get to pay for the damages.”
Darnell, recalling their disguises and the two attempted hits, smirked. “They couldn’t afford to be seen, so they had to leave.”
“That woman looked familiar,” Garrett said, squinting as he tried to remember. Then he slapped his thigh. “She looks exactly like that celebrity on the posters!”
“Who?”
“Yaretzi Elwes!”