“You don’t need to feel lost,” Thor smiled gently. “We are a team. Each member is only responsible for their own specific details, and integrating everything, merging them into a complete whole, is my job as Thor—the ‘Tower’. As the team organizer, I see myself as a businessman, just a businessman. As a businessman, before every deal, of course I have to consider risk assessment. Our ultimate goal is to make money, not to take risks. We just do a special kind of business, so our methods are inevitably special as well, which is why we need some special talents—like you.

I have always believed that employees are our greatest asset. To find qualified employees with special talents, we have spent countless effort. So, no matter the cost, it is never worth exchanging an employee’s life, and nothing is worth defending with an employee’s life. This is especially important—of course, except for betrayal.

After joining our team, you don’t need to tell others your real profession. We all have a cover identity for the outside world. For example, Alfred, his profession is a doctor; as for me, I’m a professional investor… As for what specific project you’ll be doing in the pipeline cleaning industry, you don’t need to worry, we’ll give you the necessary training.”

So I’m actually a talent! After all these years, I’m finally recognized as a talent!

To be honest, back then David Carter entered university with this kind of hope, but after entering society, harsh reality made him realize: he was just an ordinary poor guy, an average nobody. He could only live the hard life of an ordinary person. When others had fun, he stood by and applauded… Suddenly, someone told him that he was, after all, a talent, that he wasn’t a nobody, and this gave him the thrill of being discovered by a true judge of talent.

A fine steed, when meeting ordinary people, doesn’t neigh, just keeps its head down and pulls the cart. Now, meeting a true judge, how could it not let out a few proud neighs?

If I don’t neigh, do you think I’m easy to bully?

David Carter vaguely guessed what kind of work this so-called “pipeline cleaner” actually did, but since Thor didn’t say it outright, he didn’t bother to play dumb. Filled with longing for a “tall, rich, and handsome” life, he asked decisively, “Alright, since I have no other choice… when do we sign the contract?”

Chapter 10 The Devil Is in the Details

Thor looked at David Carter with satisfaction and nodded. “Are you talking about an employment contract? Don’t rush. In a sense, you’re still ‘raw material’, so I can’t give you a proper contract. Even if you finish your training and become a ‘finished product’, I still can’t sign a contract with you, because none of our work can be put on paper. But I can give you another employment contract, for example, in the name of Sauron Capital… Of course, what cover profession you use will depend on the specialty you show after you’re ‘shaped’ as a product.”

Thor stood up, took out an envelope, and tossed it onto David Carter’s bedside. “I’ve booked a flight for tonight. There’s some cash and a credit card in this envelope, consider it your signing bonus. Oh, Alfred ran into a bit of trouble with his assignment, so for now you can assist him with his work. As for Miss Jenkins, I’ll notify her. In a few days, your employment contract will be sent together with Miss Jenkins’s contract—from the company’s registered location in the Solomon Islands.”

……

After Thor left, Alfred seemed to have something to do as well and disappeared from the hospital immediately. David Carter climbed out of the hospital bed by himself, struggled step by step to the billing center, checked himself out alone, and then hurried out of the hospital—feeling as if every second of delay meant more money lost and more illness.

When he rushed to the hospital entrance, a car horn sounded outside. David Carter glanced over and saw Alfred sitting in the driver’s seat of a black Audi, staring straight ahead, as if the horn just now had nothing to do with him… Not caring about anything else, David Carter got into the car, took out his phone, and called his boss Brian Cooper to report in.

On the phone, David Carter didn’t dare mention his hospitalization, only reported to his boss that the machine adjustment was complete. The boss, Brian Cooper, seemed very satisfied with the profit from this deal, loudly praised David Carter’s hard work, and generously decided to give David Carter two days off.

Only after David Carter closed his phone did Alfred start the car. The car slowly moved forward. This time, Alfred was no longer speaking in his strange-accented Chinese, but in a normal tone: “You might as well just quit. In the envelope Thor gave you, there’s enough money for a hundred years of salary… I’m very busy these days and need an assistant, so you’ll help me for now. When this period is over and your Sauron Capital employment contract arrives, you’ll start a brand new life—not only free from illness, but also living the happy days you’ve always dreamed of.”

David Carter replied ingratiatingly, “I’ll listen to you, but… it’s only a few days until payday. If I quit now, I definitely won’t get this month’s salary. Do you think I could wait until I get paid before quitting?”