The Supreme Soldier in the City
Chapter 430 - 437 Director Jackson Seeks Help

Chapter 430: Chapter 437 Director Jackson Seeks Help

Lucy Campbell walked over to James Brown’s side, hooked her arm around his, and smiled, "Let’s go. I’m just James’s cousin, here to join the fun today."

Hearing Lucy say this, Alice Brown and Jennifer Hog immediately realized that Lucy didn’t want to reveal her identity. They quickly nodded and followed behind James and Lucy. With Lucy around, the two of them didn’t dare to act out of line.

"Mr. Smith!" Just then, John Smith drove up in a hurry. Seeing that James and the others had already arrived, he was immediately startled. He had invited them, but he arrived late—that was certainly a breach of etiquette. Afraid that James would be displeased, he parked the car, ran over hastily, and nervously greeted him. Then, he quickly explained, "I’m not familiar with the roads in YODC City and took a wrong turn, which delayed me. Please, Mr. Brown, don’t be upset."

"John Smith!" Both Alice and Jennifer were visibly shocked when they saw him. For them, the renowned Director Jackson carried significant weight. Usually, in their interactions, Director Jackson was always pompous and domineering, but now he appeared so deferential in front of James Brown.

Yet, they quickly understood why. They knew the kind of person James was, and with Lucy here as well, even someone as influential as Director Jackson could only be considered a minor figure in comparison to these two.

After greeting James, John Smith immediately turned to Alice and Jennifer and said, "Miss Brown, Miss Johnson, hello."

This time, Alice and Jennifer were truly flabbergasted. They could understand why Director Jackson was so polite to James, but why was he speaking to them in the same accommodating tone, almost as if they were VIPs being flattered by newcomers at the television station? What game was he playing now?

James waved his hand and said, "Let’s not talk here. Let’s go inside."

John Smith promptly agreed and led the way in front, his posture hunched like a humble doorman.

"James, about this Director Jackson..." Alice, who was more familiar with James, slowed down and walked beside him, quietly asking.

James offered a faint smile and said, "Nothing serious. He’s here to apologize to Jennifer."

"Ah..." Alice softly exclaimed in surprise. She immediately understood, feeling deeply moved. Though the incident wasn’t directly related to her, Jennifer had always been her good friend. The last time Jennifer offended Director Jackson, she’d been quite shaken. Even though James had stood up for her back then, Jennifer still wouldn’t dare to trouble James with every problem she faced. Plus, she wasn’t certain if James would even bother to intervene.

But not only did James handle it, he handled it thoroughly. Director Jackson’s visit today was clearly to offer an apology.

Considering James’s status, big-name celebrities would line up just to meet him. Yet, he didn’t look down on them, even though they were only small-time local TV hosts. And whenever they encountered trouble, he would help them in this manner. Alice remembered how, the last time she offended Christopher Taylor, James had kicked him out of YODC City. What she didn’t know was that James had also broken both of Christopher’s legs. If she did, she’d feel even more gratitude.

The five of them entered a private dining room. John Smith hurried to pull out chairs for all of them, acting as an attentive servant. James and Lucy naturally took the seats at the head of the table, while Alice and Jennifer hesitated for a moment before sitting down. Being served by someone as renowned as Director Jackson was truly a satisfying feeling.

Although Alice and Jennifer were somewhat famous in YODC City—local stars in the eyes of ordinary people—the reality was that they often dined with executives or wealthy businessmen who treated them casually at best, if not inappropriately. Always being on the receiving end of flirtation and unwelcome advances made their lives difficult, and often they had no choice but to endure it.

Now, however, faced with someone they normally couldn’t even afford to offend, they were finally in a position of pride. This newfound dominance was thrilling, and all thanks to James. Even with Lucy present, they couldn’t help casting admiring glances in James’s direction every so often.

Once everyone was seated, John Smith respectfully handed the menu to James and said, "Mr. Brown, I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I didn’t dare to order first. Please, go ahead and decide."

James didn’t stand on ceremony and casually ordered a few dishes. John Smith then immediately turned to Lucy, asking her to order as well. His perceptive eyes had already taken note of the subtleties. Although James hadn’t directly introduced Lucy, her close proximity to him suggested that their relationship was far from ordinary.

He also noticed another detail—Lucy, such a stunningly beautiful woman, seemed completely at ease beside James. This, along with the overt respect Alice and Jennifer showed James, clearly indicated that James’s identity was extraordinary. While John Smith hadn’t uncovered James’s exact background, it was likely so powerful that even investigations bore no fruit.

Thus, John Smith wasn’t merely bowing to James out of fear; there was now a deep-rooted respect for him as well.

Before long, the food and drinks were served. John Smith quickly addressed James, "Mr. Brown, it was my unworthiness that caused offense. I sincerely apologize to you here."

James smiled faintly and said, "You didn’t offend me."

John Smith let out an awkward laugh and then turned to Jennifer, "Miss Johnson, it was terribly wrong of me to target you. Please accept this token of my remorse, and I hope you won’t hold it against me." As he spoke, he presented a box to Jennifer.

Jennifer immediately glanced at James. Receiving his approving smile and nod, she accepted the box. Upon opening it, her eyes sparkled—it was a diamond brooch.

The brooch’s highlight was its diamond, which was nearly a carat in size—a significant stone. Judging by its cut and brilliance, this diamond could easily fetch five to six hundred thousand dollars, potentially up to a million depending on its rarity, as larger diamonds are exponentially more valuable.

Though Jennifer wasn’t without financial means of her own, she would never splurge on such an extravagant piece. Even the gifts she received from others rarely exceeded thousands. Now, holding a gift worth a million dollars in her hand, she hesitated, unsure whether to accept. Instinctively, she looked at James again.

Seeing Jennifer’s hesitation, John Smith became anxious and hurriedly added, "Miss Johnson, I know this diamond brooch can’t fully make up for my mistakes. I can promise that in my next production, you’ll be the leading actress. Moreover, I guarantee that no one on set will lay a finger on you."

James chuckled lightly and said, "Since it’s Director Jackson’s kind gesture, Jennifer, you might as well accept it."

Only then did Jennifer, delighted, fully accept the brooch. If being mistreated occasionally could yield a million-dollar diamond, she thought to herself, maybe she should endure it more often. But of course, she knew that such generosity was only possible with James’s influence—it wasn’t something she could count on otherwise.

Jennifer wasn’t foolish. She quickly replied, "Director Jackson, thank you. But as for acting, I think I’ll pass. I used to want to pursue that path, but I’ve since realized how murky the waters are in this industry. I’m no longer interested. I’ll stick to hosting."

John Smith, seeing that Jennifer had accepted the gift gracefully, finally felt a bit relieved. He nodded eagerly and said, "Indeed, Miss Johnson. As you said, the entertainment industry can be treacherous. With Mr. Brown’s protection, you can achieve anything without venturing into such a perilous field."

John Smith naturally assumed Jennifer was James’s girlfriend, and Alice seemed to be in a similar position. For someone of James’s caliber, having multiple women was perfectly ordinary, so John Smith wasn’t surprised in the slightest.

Jennifer, however, was overjoyed. She glanced affectionately toward James, her gaze filled with tenderness, wishing she could throw herself into his arms.

James coughed lightly and said, "Alright, let’s eat."

But John Smith had no appetite for food. Lately, his life had been sheer torment. Even as a highly sought-after director surrounded by countless beautiful women, he’d found himself rendered powerless by a mysterious condition. Doctors and remedies, conventional or otherwise, had been useless.

Eventually, he crossed paths with someone skilled in martial arts. This person, upon examining him, expressed shock and explained that his condition was due to an inflicted injury—his meridians had been severed. While this accounted for his symptoms, the martial artist admitted that he couldn’t fix it, as only a few individuals in the world were capable of such techniques.

This revelation left John Smith drenched in cold sweat. He now fully understood just how formidable James was. Any thoughts of revenge had long since vanished, replaced by a desperate need to seek James’s forgiveness.

Yet, as James casually dined and chatted with the three women, showing no intention of addressing his predicament, John Smith’s anxiety mounted. He dared not interrupt James, though, and could only sit there, his nerves feeling as if they were being roasted over an open flame.