Emily Carter arrived and immediately suggested firing Lucy Clark.

Edward Baker didn’t say a word; the next day, he simply brought Emily Carter along to accompany them on a trip to the market.

There was a refrigerator in the dorm, but power outages were so common in Kanem that everyone was used to it. The weather was hot, so food had to be bought daily to ensure freshness.

The largest market in the West Bank district was just one kilometer from their community.

As for how big the market actually was, even though Edward Baker had followed Walter Baker and Lucy Clark inside several times, he still hadn’t figured it out. He only knew that the countless stalls squeezed the narrow aisles so tightly that only two people could pass sideways, the passages dense and tangled like a spider’s web.

Unlike Chinese markets, the aisles didn’t have tiled or cemented floors—they were all dirt, piled with discarded animal offal, rotting fruit, and vegetable leaves. A thick layer covered the ground, and stepping on it would squeeze out a gush of foul black water, enough to make someone’s stomach turn for days.

Besides the filth and the indescribable stench in the air, the chaos inside the market was also beyond imagination.

After arriving at the market, Edward Baker held back Walter Baker to sit in the car, watching as Emily Carter and Lucy Clark went inside to buy the day’s food.

In less than five minutes, Emily Carter came fleeing out of the market, pale and shaken, holding one high heel in her hand, stumbling as she escaped.

Once inside, Emily Carter’s phone, shoulder bag, and jewelry weren’t just stolen—they were snatched directly by two locals. There were even several handprints left on her jeans-clad, curvy hips.

Emily Carter never mentioned firing Lucy Clark again, but Lucy Clark was full of complaints about Emily Carter and became even friendlier with Edward Baker.

Of course, Emily Carter later realized that Edward Baker had set her up on purpose, and for a while, she was quite displeased with him. But no matter how sly Edward Baker was, he couldn’t help but scheme a little.

The local employees, especially Walter Baker and Lucy Clark, were the foundation Edward Baker had painstakingly built up in the branch over more than a year. He felt at ease involving them in anything.

John Foster didn’t want to see the local staff getting too close to Edward Baker. He’d tried to reshuffle the local hires a few times, but Edward Baker had threatened to quit if he did, so John Foster never succeeded. Would he really let Emily Carter kick out Lucy Clark so easily now?

When the food was served, the already starving Edward Baker and Emily Carter didn’t care that Walter Baker still had to drive David Sullivan and John Foster and hadn’t eaten yet. They just left a portion for Walter Baker and focused on filling their own stomachs first...

...

...

The China Business Center was located on Victoria Island in the embassy district, south of Salt Lake Island. Driving there meant crossing the entire Salt Lake Island—a considerable distance.

However, by this time it was already late at night, so there was no traffic on Salt Lake Island’s roads. Still, by the time Edward Baker heard Walter Baker’s car pull up in front of the building, an hour and a half had passed.

“On the way, President Sullivan gave me quite a scolding. Luckily, nothing happened this time...”

John Foster walked into the living room and saw Edward Baker sitting at the dining table, reading by candlelight as if he’d been waiting for him to return. He paused, rubbed his hands to ease his guilty conscience, and said with relief.

“I’ll head back now.” Walter Baker put the car keys on the table, ready to take his leave.

This was a rule set by David Sullivan and John Foster.

No matter how close or far Walter Baker’s home was from the community, unless he was on a business trip out of Degulamo, he was required to park the car on the villa’s lawn every night, hand over the keys, and then find his own way home.

Even before Edward Baker and John Foster got their local driver’s licenses, parking the car on the lawn at night was pointless, but John Foster still wouldn’t allow Walter Baker to take the car home. Ultimately, it was a matter of not trusting the local staff.

“After you got to the business center, did Manager Foster hesitate for a while and then decide to go in and talk with Sullivan for a bit, which is why you got back so late?” Edward Baker felt that if he kept being so passive, he’d never get ahead. He shot John Foster a glance and asked Walter Baker directly.

John Foster must have given instructions on the way, but Walter Baker glanced hesitantly at John Foster, then nodded, confirming Edward Baker’s guess.

“What do you mean by that? Are you telling Walter Baker to spy on me and Sullivan?” John Foster’s expression changed. Sensing the aggression in Edward Baker’s gaze, he became both embarrassed and angry, lowering his voice to question him.

“Screw you! You have the nerve to ask me why?” Edward Baker walked over, deciding not to hold back anymore. He raised his foot and kicked John Foster hard in the stomach, asking, “Do you really think I’m Hello Kitty or something?!”

John Foster was sent flying two or three meters, curling up on the ground like a shrimp, unable to get up for a long time. He was also frightened by the sudden ferocity from the usually mild-mannered Edward Baker.

“Edward Baker, what are you doing? Are you crazy?!” With the power out and no fan to relieve the stuffy heat, Emily Carter hadn’t gone to bed yet. Hearing the car pull up, she ran downstairs and was shocked by what she saw.

Seeing Edward Baker looking ready to go at John Foster again, she screamed and rushed over to grab him, never expecting the usually gentle Edward Baker to suddenly get violent with John Foster.