Meanwhile, in another part of the city, there existed a family that wasn't wealthy but was feared by many.It was the Hailey family.Although their estate was far smaller than those of the city's major families, nobody dared to underestimate them. The Hailey family had produced fighters for generations. Almost every member of the family had received combat training from childhood. Some became bodyguards, others mercenaries, while a few accepted dangerous assignments that ordinary people wouldn't dare touch.Unfortunately, strength alone couldn't solve everything.Over the years, the family's financial situation had deteriorated badly. Their businesses had failed one after another, and maintaining the family's operations had become increasingly difficult.That morning, the elders of the Hailey family gathered around a round table after hearing the latest rumors spreading throughout the city.One of the elders slowly spoke. "The owner of Bright Academy is rumored to be a student attendi

Nearl smiled as he looked at the two boys standing before him."You both did well," he said calmly. "Better than I expected."The two boys immediately raised their heads, relieved to hear those words.The thing was Nearl had planned all this. Since then the lady entered. He had set his eyes on her. And wanted to make a first impression. So he planned with the boys and they put on the show. Which quite works, not only even on the lady alone. But to all of them. Nearl casually dipped his hand into his pocket before bringing out a thick bundle of cash. "You earned this."He tossed it onto the table. The two boys looked down, and their eyes instantly widened."Ten... ten thousand dollars?" one of them stammered.Nearl nodded casually. "Take it."The two boys couldn't hide their excitement. They immediately bowed deeply."Thank you, Boss!""Whatever you ask us to do from today onward, we'll do it without hesitation."Nearl waved his hand dismissively."Good. Just remember one thing. Neve

Meanwhile, in another part of the city, Emma sat inside her office with Dennis. The atmosphere was unusually quiet. Ever since the incident at Future Bright Academy, Dennis had lost almost everything. His reputation had completely collapsed. Everywhere he went, people pointed fingers at him because of his family's involvement in the scandal. On top of that, his father's company had fallen into a serious financial crisis, with several businesses on the verge of collapse. He desperately needed money.Dennis placed a document on the table and gently pushed it toward Emma. "Take a look at this," he said with a calm smile. "It's a business opportunity that can benefit both of us. If this project succeeds, your company will earn even more than it already does."Emma picked up the document and carefully read through it. As she continued turning the pages, her brows slowly furrowed. The investment amount was enormous. If anything went wrong, her company could lose a huge sum of money. She slo

Riley and Mira followed the directions on their assignment sheet until they reached the neighborhood selected for the company's outreach campaign. The moment they stepped into the area, both of them froze. The place was far worse than they had imagined. Several drainage gutters had been clogged for weeks, overflowing with thick black water that barely moved. Rotten leaves, plastic bottles, food wrappers, and all kinds of waste floated on the surface. A sour, nauseating stench hung in the air, making it difficult to breathe. Swarms of flies buzzed over the filth while mosquitoes hovered above the stagnant water. Mira wrinkled her nose so hard it almost hurt. "So..." she muttered, forcing a laugh. "Whoever said community service builds character clearly never smelled this." Riley couldn't help letting out a small chuckle. "I don't think my nose is surviving today." They exchanged defeated looks before putting on their rubber gloves, masks, and boots. Armed with rakes and shovels,

The next morning, Nearl walked straight to the principal's office the moment he arrived at school. He didn't even bother going to his classroom first. After knocking once, he pushed the door open and stepped inside with an unusually dark expression. Nearl didn't sit down. His fists were still clenched from remembering yesterday's humiliation. "I don't care about anything else," he said through gritted teeth. "I want Riley expelled.” Principal Paul looked up from the documents on his desk and immediately frowned. "What the fuck?" he said, leaning back in his chair. "You've already gotten into trouble with him?" Principal Paul sighed deeply and rubbed his temples. "You know Riley?" Nearl frowned. Paul let out another sigh before shaking his head. "Riley is an insufferable poor brat. He's always picking fights with rich students. That's how he operates. Every year, it's the same thing. He always finds a way to get into conflicts with wealthy families." Nearl's expression remained co