Soren and Jason heard their aliases mentioned and knew they had to say goodbye to Ash and head into the conference room.
The interview process was straightforward; they each had to demonstrate their skills to a panel of interviewers. Soren showcased his telekinesis, while Jason displayed the precise capabilities of his armor. The interviewers remained expressionless as they graded their performances and then deliberated for a long time before instructing them to wait outside for the results.
Soren exchanged a glance with Jason, and they obediently returned to the waiting area.
After a while, the brown-haired woman reappeared to announce the results of the interviews, and, as expected, they had not been selected.
Soren feigned a sigh of disappointment and patted Jason's arm. "Well, it seems like the two-thousand-dollar job isn't in our cards. Come on, brother, let's see if we can find something else."
As they turned to walk out toward the waiting area, Soren stayed close to Jason's side and subtly lifted his gaze to Jason as they passed through the glass door.
Jason lowered his voice. "Got it."
He slipped a hard, rectangular object into Soren's hand.
—It was the USB drive he had just lifted from the brown-haired woman.
Soren raised an eyebrow at him.
But before they could step into the elevator, a cheer erupted behind them.
—That same Ash, whom they had spoken to for only a brief moment, had unexpectedly passed the interview, catching everyone off guard.
Ash was ecstatic, pumping his fist in the air and looking around before charging over to them. "I passed! I passed! I can't believe I actually passed!"
He grabbed Soren's shoulders and shook him vigorously, leaving Soren feeling dizzy and his voice slightly unsteady. "Cong-cong-congratulations!"
Ash laughed heartily, releasing Soren and scratching his head. "What about you guys?"
Soren pretended to sigh dramatically. "Of course, we didn't pass. I'm so envious of you!"
Then he thought of something and continued, "Ash, could you give me your contact info? I want to learn from your experience and hopefully get accepted next time, just like you!"
"Of course! Here's my phone number…"
Soren jotted down Ash's phone number, said his goodbyes, and walked calmly out of the office building with Jason.
Jason remained silent as he led the way. They turned into an alley, and once Jason removed his armor, the two hopped onto a bus that had just arrived.
Once they settled into their seats, Jason finally spoke. "What do you need that guy's phone number for?"
His thick black eyebrows furrowed slightly, and his blue eyes focused on Soren.
Soren smiled faintly. "I figure he might be able to help us out soon."
He fiddled with the sweaty USB drive in his palm and turned his gaze to the news on the bus screen, which was broadcasting stories about Homelander. "We've got to go stir up some trouble for that idiot ."
July 3, 2021.
Africa, Egypt.
Under the blazing sun, a line of tourist buses parked neatly in the open area outside the Great Pyramid of Giza. Tourists from all around the world stepped off their buses, guided by their tour leaders.
Almost every visitor, the moment they descended from the bus, would lift their chins and gaze up at the silent, massive pyramid before them.
It loomed like an explosion captured on the retina; no one could tear their eyes away from this grand, magnificent structure.
The colossal pyramid towered into the clouds, standing resolutely amidst the vast yellow sands, backed by a brilliant blue sky dotted with wispy clouds.
Only by witnessing the pyramid firsthand could one truly appreciate its visual impact.
For a thousand years, it had silently stood on this land, witnessing one sunrise after another, the rise and fall of dynasties.
As people gazed up at this marvel of human civilization, an inexplicable wave of awe would well up within them, as if they could see the vast and boundless intertwining of time and space rushing past like a torrent.
A figure dressed in a white robe suddenly emerged from somewhere, briskly following behind a group of tourists, quietly attaching himself to the end of the line.
"Sir, sir, would you like something special?"
The man in white carried a portable briefcase slung across his chest. He effortlessly opened the briefcase with one hand and tapped a middle-aged man in a blue short-sleeved shirt on the shoulder, lowering his voice to ask.
The middle-aged man and his wife jumped in surprise. As they turned around, they were greeted by a glimpse of the sparkling luxury watches and various colorful handcrafted lighters inside the briefcase.
"All of these are high-quality goods imported from Dubai. No one can tell they're fake," the vendor hurriedly explained.
He picked up a dazzling Rolex with a starry face to show the couple, revealing a slender wrist beneath his robe. Partially hidden under his headscarf was a delicate and handsome face.
With Kryptonian blue eyes, he scanned the couple's expressions eagerly. "The price is absolutely cheap; just this one, what do you think?"
The vendor—Soren, a newly minted top sales genius—folded his thumb and made a "four" gesture with his fingers.
The couple from North America stared at the watch, their eyes nearly popping out. The man couldn't help but reach out to touch the watch face. "Four hundred dollars?"
"Exactly, just four hundred dollars! If you're interested in other styles, you can come to my store—by the way, are you planning to go inside the pyramid?" Soren asked casually.
The woman nodded, her gaze lingering on the assortment in Soren's briefcase. "Do you have more items? Where can we see the styles?"
Soren smiled. "Just follow me—don't go in there with them; it's crowded and smelly inside, worse than shoes that have been left out for three months."
The couple hesitated. "But… we came to Egypt to see the pyramids…"
Soren immediately lifted his briefcase, the watches and lighters inside sparkling in the sunlight like a firework display, illuminating the couple's faces.