I'm a proper student; I only take nine kinds of potions every day.

While his mind was racing, Evan, at the prompting of the middle-aged bodyguard, stepped over the red velvet rope and entered the VIP passage.

The red carpet swayed softly beneath his broken-soled leather shoes.

The middle-aged bodyguard pointed to a pile of luggage, where there were two brown leather suitcases with brass edging.

Evan walked over, grabbed the handle of a box with one hand, and easily lifted it up.

Each box weighs at least sixty pounds (for easy calculation, 1 pound equals 1 jin).

But he carried one in each hand, following the middle-aged bodyguard with light steps, not even disturbing his breathing.

"Um?"

The square-faced middle-aged man turned his head and glanced at him, raising his eyebrows slightly.

Based on his experience, this is a suitcase filled with formal wear, dresses, evening gowns, and jewelry boxes.

One of them is enough to make an average adult man stagger (due to instability caused by excessive weight).

His two young bodyguards were already panting heavily when they carried the two suitcases from Hearst Manor to the car at the gate.

The seemingly thin and poor student in front of me was carrying one bottle in each hand as easily as if he were carrying two bottles of soda.

The middle-aged bodyguard silently revised his assessment of the young man.

"It seems that Miss's taste is indeed beyond my reach."

"This kid definitely has something special about him."

As a veteran bodyguard and driver who had served the Hearst family for over twenty years, he did not possess the arrogance and disdain commonly seen in aristocratic servants.

He was a complete pragmatist. Everything was based on the premise of "whether it can better protect the master".

He is willing to proactively reach out to and learn about anyone who can help him in his work.

"You can just call me Garp."

The square-faced middle-aged man slowed his pace, letting Ivan walk to his side.

Ivan grinned, revealing a rather sunny smile.

"Yes, Mr. Karp."

Karp's gaze fell on Ivan's arm, which swayed naturally with his steps.

The muscle definition on his arms was faintly visible beneath the worn wool jacket.

"He's quite strong."

Ivan smiled, revealing a rather sunny and cheerful smile.

"They all say I have superhuman strength, sir."

He spoke eloquently, appearing warm, simple, and without any guile.

"I usually go to the docks to carry sacks. I can carry enough for two people by myself."

"I would work piecework after school every day, earning eighty cents in four hours."

"I can laugh while I work, so everyone calls me a sunny and cheerful big boy."

Upon hearing the words "dock" and "piecework," and the mention of that big boy, the two young bodyguards following behind Kap scoffed.

In their eyes, those were just strong dockworkers who wouldn't last a single round against elite bodyguards like themselves who had received professional combat training.

A fist that can strike a vital point instantly is far more useful than a shoulder that can carry a 200-pound sack.

Garp didn't turn around to look at his two subordinates; he simply nodded slightly.

"Good job. Keep up the good work. You'll get your pay."

His tone conveyed genuine affirmation.

He'd already heard it from Miss Eldin. This guy's short on cash.

As long as you pay, everything else is negotiable.

Evan casually carried two suitcases and followed behind Karp through the red-carpeted VIP passage.

Beyond the velvet ropes on either side lies another noisy and chaotic world.

Beyond the red carpet.

Sweating profusely, Albert was squatting on the ground, sorting and stuffing the banners, small pennants, and bundles of ribbons he had just packed into a gray canvas duffel bag.

He wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve and took a few breaths.

When he looked up, his gaze naturally fell on his older brother, Dennis, who was not far away.

Dennis was flirting with a pretty girl who was clearly not from the University of the Wise.

The girl's lips were painted with bright red lipstick, and she wore a perfume with a sweet, cloying scent.

She smiled, tilting her head back, revealing a small canine tooth.

"I've already booked a private room!"

Dennis's tone carried the flippancy typical of a playboy.

"Oh dear, what are you saying?" The girl playfully patted his chest.

"What's there to be shy about?" Dennis reached out and put his arm around the girl's waist, gently pulling her into his embrace.

He brought his nose close to the top of her head and took a deep breath, a gesture that conveyed an almost greedy enjoyment.

Albert, who was crouching on the ground, watched this scene, and the light in his eyes changed.

It was a kind of naked envy and longing.

That is his ultimate goal.

Join the Phoenix Brotherhood.

Once he joined that small circle, he could become one of the same level as these middle-class students and rich kids.

By then, he too could be like them, surrounded by beautiful girls at any time, easily putting his arm around a girl's waist, and enjoying the dashing lifestyle that belongs to upper-class men.

Since being admitted to university two years ago, Albert has vowed to transcend social class.

You must expand your network of contacts.

For this reason, he practically treated himself like a beast of burden, following these wealthy young men around at their beck and call.

Do the hardest and most tiring odd jobs.

Be the fiercest and most ruthless dog.

In order to keep up with his older brothers and not fall behind in any social activities, he asked his parents for money until they turned against him.

His mother cried three times because of this, and his father beat him twice.

In the end, he still managed to get the money back by promising that "I will definitely be successful in the future."

However, two years have passed.

He was still the same "Trus" who could only do odd jobs.

When the Phoenix Brotherhood was first established, he shamelessly asked Dennis to help him apply for the membership.

But now, more than a year after the fraternity was founded, several of his juniors have already put on the bronze badge of the phoenix with outstretched wings and are surrounded by beautiful women every day.

He still went every day to clean the club room, which was littered with empty bottles and cigar butts left behind by people playing around.

Why is this happening?

He squatted on the ground, staring at the dusty tips of his shoes.

Why haven't my efforts been rewarded?

He never considered the most core and essential questions.

He felt that his talents were not being recognized.

And in that very instant.

He glanced unintentionally toward the VIP passage.

Then he froze.

On that passageway, a familiar figure was wearing a worn-out woolen jacket, carrying a brown leather suitcase in each hand, and was walking unhurriedly toward the second floor of the station.

Evan Arkham.

The slug that used to follow me around.

And that guy actually used the VIP channel.

Not only that.

He was accompanied by a square-faced middle-aged man with the Hearst family crest pinned to his chest, who was clearly a high-ranking bodyguard.

The two seemed to be having a very pleasant conversation.

"What's going on?"

Albert was completely stunned.

In that instant, his squatting posture seemed to have been paused.

In the past two years, he has always believed that he has escaped the lower class of Guding Street and is climbing up the social ladder step by step.

He even deliberately reduced his contact with his old gang of neighborhood thugs.

They were afraid of being seen by someone and losing their "identity".

Aside from needing money, he rarely goes back to Guding Street.

But now.

A younger brother who used to call him "Big Brother".

A guy wearing shoes with broken soles and the buttons on his jackets all fallen off.

They were able to use the VIP lane.

They actually managed to get on the good side of the Hearst family.

Albert felt as if he had been struck hard in the head.

The echo of that strike reverberated endlessly within his skull.

The Phoenix Brotherhood had rejected his membership application for a year.

The scene shows a senior bodyguard from the Hearst family having a lively conversation with Evan.

These two things were forcibly pieced together in his mind, shattering all the self-persuasion he had done over the past two years.

"On what grounds?"

He squeezed out three words through gritted teeth, without even realizing it himself.

At the same time, the pocket watch on Dennis's chest suddenly rang softly.

He looked down in surprise and found that all the pointers, which should have been working properly, were pointing at Albert, who was squatting on the ground.

"Looks like this stray dog ​​is finally useful; we can use it now!"

A hint of joy flashed in Dennis's eyes.

This pocket watch was a "sacred object" bestowed upon him by the company president.

He can help the president select the people the president needs.

The previous one selected was LeBron.

And indeed, LeBon agreed to hold that ceremony for revenge.

They also helped the witch test the effects of her spells.

Now, it's the stray dog ​​that's already annoyed them.

Then he revealed a sinister smile: "Trus, your chance to join the Brotherhood has come."

Albert, who was squatting on the ground, widened his eyes in excitement after hearing this.

He stood up, incredibly excited.

At that moment, he felt as if heaven had opened its doors to him!