The Supreme Soldier in the City
Chapter 409 - 416: Do Me a Favor

Chapter 409: Chapter 416: Do Me a Favor

The two were whispering quietly in the room when the sounds of arguing suddenly erupted from outside.

"Campbell, are you still trying to bullshit me? If you don’t pay up today, I’ll skin you alive."

"I’m telling you, my son-in-law has plenty of money. That little bit of debt? I don’t even see it as worth mentioning. What are you rushing for? Give it three days tops, and I’ll pay you back."

"Do you think I’m an idiot? You used to claim your son-in-law was some big-time mob boss. Well, go ahead and have him bring a gang to take care of me! Do you know how tired I am of your bragging?"

"Ha! Campbell, if your son-in-law is so impressive, why not have him repay the debt for you then?"

"Hmph. You better not push me. I’m not bluffing—if you piss off my son-in-law, you’re going to be crawling around looking for your teeth."

A noisy group of people barged into the yard. Emma Campbell’s face grew dark again. Recently, John Brown had given her some money. She barely spent any on herself and had handed most of it to her father. That money should’ve been more than enough for him to live on. And yet, here he was, in debt again.

John Brown patted Emma Campbell’s shoulder lightly, let out a sigh, and said, "I’ll handle this for your father."

"No!" Emma Campbell immediately clung to John Brown, biting her lip as she said, "He needs to face some consequences. If you bail him out this time, he’ll only keep going, and with you as his safety net, he’ll go even further."

Emma Campbell understood her father all too well. It wasn’t that she was heartless—he had simply broken her heart too many times. This was her first time making such a bold decision.

John Brown smiled faintly and said, "Then let’s see how things go. Making him suffer a bit is fine, but we can’t let him get seriously hurt."

Emma Campbell nodded repeatedly and said, "I’ll follow your lead, Big Brother Brown."

The men shoved her father roughly into the main hall, and John Brown and Emma Campbell followed inside. There were four people in total on the other side, making seven people altogether in the somewhat cramped room.

Emma Campbell’s father forced a strange laugh at her and said, "Emma, I just went out to buy some groceries, and they blocked me on my way back. Now they’re demanding the money."

Emma Campbell replied coldly, "You borrowed the money, so pay it back."

Her father was startled. In the past, whenever he said something like this to his daughter, she would look hurt, and even if she scolded him a little, she would eventually help him—whether by borrowing money from classmates or other means, she always managed to scrape together something. But now, faced with such cold indifference, he panicked internally.

The four men demanding the money used to be her father’s friends, though they didn’t live nearby. One of them, a bald man named Bob Cooke, had recently started a business and made a bit of money. With that money came a changed perspective; he now carried himself with arrogance and was known to be a lecher. Back when he was struggling, he and Emma’s father were decent friends. That’s how her father had been able to borrow money from him in the first place.

Bob Cooke looked at Emma Campbell in surprise and remarked, "Campbell, I never would’ve guessed. A sorry-looking guy like you has such a stunning daughter."

One of the younger men behind Bob Cooke burst into laughter. "I say, Campbell, is that really your daughter? She looks nothing like you," he joked, laughing loudly.

The others joined in with raucous laughter.

Emma Campbell’s father glared at them and cursed, "You four bastards, that’s my daughter!"

Bob Cooke stole another glance at Emma Campbell, his heartbeat betraying him. Though he often chased women, his escapades were usually limited to karaoke lounges and saunas, hiring escorts. He’d entertained thoughts of keeping a mistress, but his wife controlled the finances too tightly for him to afford anything substantial. Even if he could scrape together Three Thousand Dollars a year for one, the quality he could afford wouldn’t be great.

Now, with Emma Campbell’s father owing him money, Bob Cooke saw an opportunity. If he played his cards right, he might just get Emma Campbell. A girl like her would certainly help his reputation if he took her around.

With a plan forming, Bob Cooke narrowed his eyes at Emma’s father and barked, "Campbell, I lent you that money because we’re friends. You promised to pay it back in a month. Now it’s been nearly two months, and you haven’t even paid me One Cent. A debt is a debt—when are you going to pay up?"

Emma’s father immediately turned to Emma with a pleading look. "Emma, can you help me out? I swear, I’ll never gamble again."

Though addressing Emma, he was eyeing John Brown for his reaction. He knew his daughter didn’t have money, so his only hope lay with John. Yet John’s face betrayed no intention to help.

Emma turned her head away from her father and said coldly, "I don’t have money. I’m still in college—how could I possibly pay your debts?"

"Then... son-in-law... what do you think..." Emma’s father rubbed his hands together and gave John an ingratiating look. "Could you lend a hand?"

John Brown looked at him calmly and said, "I don’t have money either."

Emma’s father’s expression shifted, while Bob Cooke began eyeing John Brown. He had been wondering what kind of person Emma’s boyfriend might be. Learning now that he was only her boyfriend, he felt a growing sense of displeasure. A girl as beautiful as Emma? He was already scheming to take her for himself. Naturally, that meant getting rid of her boyfriend first.

"Campbell, didn’t you say your son-in-law was rich? Yet he can’t even come up with Twenty Thousand Dollars?" Bob Cooke puffed up his chest, sneering. "You’re really something. As her father, shouldn’t you put some thought into your daughter’s happiness? How could you approve of someone who doesn’t even have money?"

From Bob Cooke’s gaze, John Brown immediately grasped his intentions regarding Emma. His brow furrowed slightly. While he wouldn’t claim Emma as his possession, his feelings for her were strong, and he would not tolerate anyone harboring ill intentions toward her. If it were a young suitor pursuing her out of genuine admiration, John might feel awkward but wouldn’t blame them. But someone like Bob Cooke? That was absolutely unacceptable.

Emma’s father ignored Bob Cooke. Though he felt emboldened enough to speak back to John Brown now, he still feared him deep down. The beating he had received from John last time had left him bedridden for days. So, he turned again to Emma. "Emma, I know gambling is wrong. But even if I want to turn over a new leaf, I need to clear these debts first, right? Otherwise, they’ll keep coming after me, and I’ll never have a peaceful moment to change."

Emma pouted in anger. "How many times have I heard that exact same thing from you? And when have you ever followed through?"

"This time is different, isn’t it? You’re an adult now and already have a boyfriend. How could I keep acting that way? Look, I didn’t even interfere when you started dating. Don’t you know people like Mr. Qian and Manager Davis came to see me? I didn’t entertain any of them. If I really cared only for money, I could’ve agreed to them, and they’d have handed me wads of cash, wouldn’t they?"

Emma bit her lip. "I’m a person, not a commodity. Just because I’m your daughter doesn’t mean you can sell me."

Her father nodded quickly. "Yes, yes. That’s why I didn’t do that, right? Doesn’t that prove I haven’t sunk that low? You’ve got to give your old man a chance to redeem himself."

"Really? If it weren’t for Big Brother Brown last time, you would’ve sold me already," Emma sneered, her face darkening. She hadn’t wanted to bring up that incident again, but her father’s constant self-praising left her increasingly furious.

"That... wasn’t that in the past?" Emma’s father forced a laugh.

Bob Cooke’s eyes lit up at Emma’s words. If her father didn’t care about her, his plans might work out easier than expected. Though she had a boyfriend, Bob didn’t see him as much of an obstacle. If he were wealthy or powerful, surely he’d have stepped up with the money by now.

"Campbell, come on. Let’s have a chat," Bob Cooke said, slinging an arm around Emma’s father and guiding him outside.

The two stepped out, and Bob Cooke pulled out a cigarette, handing one to Campbell and even lighting it for him. This gesture flattered Emma’s father, who asked warily, "Bob, what’s this about?"

"Campbell, we’ve been friends for years. If my wife weren’t pressuring me, I wouldn’t even be here chasing you for money."

Emma’s father wasn’t a fool. He grew cautious, eyeing Bob Cooke. "Bob, cut the crap. We both know what’s what."

Bob took a drag of his cigarette, grinning. "Fine, then let’s be straight with each other. I’ve got my eye on your daughter."

"What?" Emma’s father’s eyes widened, and then he scoffed. "Cooke, you’re over forty, and you’re eyeing my daughter? You’re talking nonsense. Aren’t you afraid your wife will tear you apart?"

"What’s there to be afraid of? Every wealthy man keeps someone on the side these days. It’s not like I’m saying I’d marry her."

"Damn it, my daughter’s beautiful, and you think you—Bob Cooke—are worthy? Do you think you’re that rich?"

The insult stung, and Bob’s face darkened. "Campbell, I’m doing you a favor here. If you agree to this, I’ll write off your debt entirely. Plus, I’ll give you Three Thousand Dollars a month. On top of that, I’ll cover all of your daughter’s expenses. What more could you want?"

Emma’s father’s eyes darted around. "Fine, let’s go inside and talk to my daughter."