Jason Brooks explained that the company was hiring, but didn’t want to recruit “lords” whose families were in Jingmen, nor did they want to hire “big shots” from prestigious universities, and even less did they want to hire those with extensive work experience who were already in the habit of job-hopping. So, they set the standard to people who had come to Jingmen to look for work. As for rejecting everyone on the spot, that was to test a job seeker’s psychological resilience. After all, if you can’t even handle a little humiliation, how will you face tough questions from clients in the future?

Evelyn Carter explained gently and at length, her voice sweet and pleasant, and everyone’s anger dissipated as they listened. After she finished, she glanced at David Clark, who seemed unmoved. She looked to him for his opinion, and David Clark smiled and said, “No need to beat around the bush. Just say what you mean. If it’s a good fit, we’ll do it. If not, we’ll leave.”

“Great, straightforward. Show them the contract,” Jason Brooks said with a smile.

Evelyn Carter took several employment contracts from her bag and handed them out one by one. The group eagerly looked them over. They were much the same as what they’d seen before: responsibilities, obligations, plus notes, five insurances and one housing fund, benefits and subsidies all detailed clearly. As everyone read, Jason Brooks gave Evelyn Carter a look, and she handed out a printed bank receipt for everyone to pass around. David Clark smiled, and Paul Grant paused, curiosity in his eyes as he asked, “Is this... employee salary payment?”

“Yes, the names have been redacted for confidentiality, but I guarantee its authenticity. This is a receipt for this month’s company payroll,” Jason Brooks said politely.

“Let me see...” Sam Parker snatched it from Jill King’s hands and exclaimed, “Wow, over ten thousand a month, even the lowest is five or six thousand?”

“Sometimes the highest can reach tens of thousands,” Evelyn Carter added.

This... Sam Parker scratched his forehead. He’d never earned that much before and wasn’t sure what it would feel like. At a loss, he looked at David Clark, who just glanced at the contract and smiled, saying, “There are people who win five million every day, but we’re not that lucky. The fruit that hangs too high isn’t for us. Let’s be practical—what do you want us to do? How long is the probation period? What are the pay and conditions? If it’s suitable, we’ll consider it. If not, I won’t take advantage of you—this meal’s on me.”

He spoke calmly, and Jason Brooks appreciated his attitude, giving a thumbs up and saying, “You’re exactly the kind of people we’re looking for—those who’ve suffered setbacks, hit walls, learned to keep their feet on the ground, and can endure hardship. Do you know anything about business investigation work?”

No one did. From David Clark to Sam Parker, from Paul Grant to Jill King, each shook their head cluelessly.

A group of complete outsiders—Evelyn Carter almost had a toothache just looking at them.

“It’s good if you don’t know. You won’t be limited by rules and habits, and can start from scratch,” Jason Brooks unexpectedly praised, then suddenly asked, “But you’ve all read stories about spies, right?”

“Oh, I get it. You want to train business spies?” Paul Grant said, suddenly enlightened.

“Legally speaking, no country allows business spies to exist. But in reality, wherever there’s business, there are business spies. Market analysis and investigation, data collection, customer segmentation, and so on—many areas of business rely on this kind of business-spy-like investigation. No one’s going to throw open their doors and let their secrets be exposed, right?” said Jason Brooks.

“That sounds pretty fun,” Sam Parker’s eyes lit up. But as soon as he spoke, everyone else’s eyes dimmed. He added, “Isn’t it kind of like stealing, robbing, swindling—like ticket scalpers, just trading information?”

Evelyn Carter looked pained, but Jason Brooks laughed and said, “Pretty close, except scalpers do illegal things, while business investigation is legal—of course, as long as you don’t use illegal means to obtain information.”

“But... can we really do this?” Paul Grant asked nervously. It was a pretty mysterious profession, and he knew nothing about it.

“That’s why there’s a probation period. Are you all interested in giving it a try?” Jason Brooks asked.

He didn’t think the answer would be difficult. At most, these people might be a little intimidated. He looked at Paul Grant, who seemed a bit weak; then at Sam Parker, who was a bit cheeky and kept staring at Evelyn Carter’s chest; then at Jill King, who seemed a bit too young. Finally, his gaze returned to David Clark. In a short time, this person seemed to have become the leader of the hastily assembled four-person group, looking completely confident.