Chapter 43: Pablo Dalton Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios Elle eagerly wanted to know what the mysterious Mr. Steele looked like. However, Jordan had instructed Ashley not to tell others about him. She wouldn’t disobey his orders simply for some money. Ashley hurriedly shoved the money back to Elle and refuted, “Miss Camden, I do not have a photo of Mr. Steele. However, I can tell you that he is very handsome and around your age.” Hearing the words “very handsome,” Elle’s heart began to flutter with joy. Although her request to discuss the contract with Jordan had once again been turned down, the beautiful but foolish and boy-crazy Elle left gleefully. ... Bangkok, Thailand. Salvatore arrived by plane and met up with his boss, Pablo Dalton. Due to Pablo’s involvement in some underground businesses in Bangkok and his recruitment of many fighters, he had been traveling frequently to and from Southeast Asia for the past few years. Pablo drank some alcohol under the dim lights of a small gymnasium where an underground boxing match was taking place, while cheering on his fighter in the ring. “Mr. Dalton,” Salvatore said respectfully when he arrived beside Pablo’s seat. Pablo ignored Salvatore until the boxing match ended. He then looked at Salvatore joyfully and asked, “Salvatore, why did you come here all the way from Orlando? Did something happen?” 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢 Salvatore nodded. Seeing that Pablo had taken a sip of liquor, he hurriedly picked up the bottle to fill Pablo’s cup to the brim. “You’re so wise, Mr. Dalton. I’ve indeed encountered some trouble in Orlando, and I need your help.” Pablo took out a cigar and sniffed it before saying, “There has been a strict ban on the industry of vices lately, and I reckon most of your shops have been seized. I bet you have less than a hundred underlings left, don’t you?” Pablo was the one who groomed Salvatore, so he naturally knew that the latter used to have hundreds of subordinates. Salvatore continued to nod. “You’re right, Mr. Dalton, I only have ten underlings left, but today, a young rascal named Jordan Steele crippled them.” Pablo smiled and was just about to cut his cigar. Still, after hearing Salvatore’s words, he flew into a rage and smashed the cigar cutter against Salvatore’s head! “You f***ing idiot! I thought you’d at least have seventy or eighty underlings left, but it turns out you only have ten left! You even let someone cripple them!?! I handed hundreds of underlings to you before I left Orlando back then, but you failed to keep a single one alive and well!” Still unsatisfied after smashing the cigar cutter against Salvatore, Pablo gave him another hard slap on his head. Salvatore didn’t dare to dodge and merely let Pablo continue hitting and lashing out at him. After Pablo simmered down, Salvatore picked up the cigar cutter and cut the cigar for Pablo. He said, “Not only have my shops been seized, but many other businesses of mine also haven’t been running smoothly. Besides, now that takeout deliverers, taxi drivers, and social media content creators are such lucrative jobs, many underlings have decided to switch to another industry. It’s good enough to still have ten.” While smoking the cigar, Pablo nodded and said, “I’ve long known that the times have changed and the world is no longer like how it used to be when I was younger. In that era, we used to be able to thrive just by winning some brawls and fights.” “The hooligans these days are all good-for-nothings who can’t put up a fight. It’s not surprising that all ten of your underlings had been crippled.” “Any random fighter of mine can easily beat up ten of your underlings. Do you know what the reason is?” Salvatore said humbly, “Mr. Dalton, please educate me.” Pablo said, “It’s because they’re living too comfortably. When you’re living a comfortable life of luxury, why would you bother fighting hard? Only when you’re suffering from poverty will you be able to exert your full fighting spirit!” “We are a group of individuals who live in darkness, and there’s no room for us to survive in broad daylight. Hence, two years ago, I left Orlando to shift my focus to these places in Southeast Asia where poverty is prevalent.” “I already have more than two thousand underlings here, and each of them can defeat ten people at a time!” Full of admiration for Pablo, Salvatore said, “If only I was half as smart as you, I wouldn’t have been reduced to such a terrible plight that I’m in today. Mr. Dalton, please let me take a hundred of your underlings back with me and avenge our brothers!” Pablo glanced at Salvatore coldly and said, “Just like you, I’m an orphan, but I’m less educated than you are. I managed to have the mindset and achievements that I do today, all thanks to Mr. Reyes, who groomed me.” Salvatore had always heard about Mr. Reyes from Pablo, but he never had the chance to meet him. “Speaking of Mr. Reyes, I haven’t visited him for a long time.” It was apparent that Pablo indeed respected Mr. Reyes greatly as he quickly put down his cigar and picked up his cell phone to call him. “Mr. Reyes, I’m not disturbing your rest, am I?” Pablo asked with a respectful expression. Salvatore watched from the side, eager to hear how the voice of his boss’s boss sounded. Pablo said, “Well, I’m planning to go back to Orlando in the next couple of days to handle some matters. I haven’t visited you in a long time, so I prepared some gifts, and I intend to visit you soon. Are you in town?” “What? You’re in Orlando? That’s great. I’ll book a flight back to Orlando now to see you right away, Mr. Reyes!” After hanging up, Pablo exclaimed merrily with a wide grin on his face, “I didn’t expect that Mr. Reyes is in Orlando now!” Salvatore was highly excited, too. “Really? I’ve heard you mention Mr. Reyes several times over the past few years, but I haven’t had the chance to meet him. You must introduce me to him this time.” Smack! Pablo slapped Salvatore and rebuked, “Mr. Reyes is of noble status. He’s not someone whom an incompetent good-for-nothing like you can meet! Even I need to make an appointment in advance to see Mr. Reyes! Book a flight immediately. I’m going to visit Mr. Reyes and at the same time deal with that punk Jordan Steele whom you mentioned.” Salvatore exclaimed, “Yes, Mr. Dalton!” ... In the evening, Elle returned home and told her parents about what happened this afternoon. Herman laughed and said, “I’m surprised Mr. Steele said that he wouldn’t be able to talk about work seriously if he keeps staring at you. Elle, it seems Mr. Steele is smitten with you.” Elle was lying on the couch with a sheet of a facial mask on her face. She said smugly, “That goes without saying.” After some thought, Herman said, “Since Mr. Steele wants someone else to discuss the contract with him, Drew shall take your place.” Drew was texting Salvatore at the moment. He just received a text from Salvatore saying that Jordan would get beaten into a pulp tomorrow. Drew smiled and said, “Sure, it happens that I’m planning to go look for that good-for-nothing tomorrow.” The following morning, Pablo and his 100 underlings, whom he had brought over from Bangkok, arrived at the villa where Mr. Reyes lived. Fearing he might disturb Mr. Reyes’ rest, Pablo stood respectfully at the door from 5 a.m. all the way to half-past seven in the morning. A maid walked out of the villa and said, “Mr. Reyes would like you to enter.” Only then did Pablo, who had always been high up in the air, walk in slowly. As soon as he saw Mr. Reyes, Pablo put down his gifts and knelt on the ground to greet him. “Mr. Reyes!” Mr. Reyes took a seat and glanced at him. “It’s you, Pablo. You’re a boss yourself. You don’t have to get on your knees. Get up.” Pablo continued kneeling and said excitedly, “I managed to come so far today, all thanks to your efforts in grooming me, Mr. Reyes. I will never forget your kindness! By the way, Mr. Reyes, haven’t you been in England for the past two years? Why did you suddenly return to Orlando?” Mr. Reyes said, “Mr. Steele Senior sent me here to assist Mr. Jordan.”