Marvel: The other side of the double-passing door is Devouring the Stars

Chapter 484 We must seize this opportunity!
"I...I'm fine," Luo Shuang forced a smile, "It's just that work is a bit tiring."

"Luo Shuang! What are you doing? Why aren't you entertaining our guests?!" a harsh voice rang out.

A middle-aged man in his forties walked over, wearing a wrinkled shirt, with a beer belly and a fleshy face. He was the owner of the restaurant.

“Boss Wang, this is my brother,” Luo Shuang quickly explained.

"Brother? Brother is a guest too!" Boss Wang said impatiently. "Go and serve him! Don't stand here chatting!"

Luo Wen looked at the boss, his eyes gradually turning cold.

"Are you Boss Wang?" Luo Wen asked.

"What's wrong?" Boss Wang looked Luo Wen up and down, his tone very impolite.

“I am Luo Shuang’s brother,” Luo Wen said. “My sister resigned.”

"What? Resign?" Boss Wang was stunned, then his expression immediately changed. "Resignation is fine, but you need to give a month's notice! And half of this month's salary will be deducted as a penalty for breach of contract!"

"On what grounds?" Rowan sneered.

"Based on the employment contract!" Mr. Wang stated matter-of-factly. "It was clearly stated in the contract that if I didn't give a month's notice before resigning, I would have to pay a penalty for breach of contract!"

"Brother..." Luo Shuang tugged at Luo Wen's sleeve and whispered, "Forget it, let's just accept the penalty."

“No,” Rowan said coldly, looking at Boss Wang. “My sister doesn’t owe you anything. She’s worked tirelessly for you for over a year, never late or absent, never made a mistake. You’re not grateful, and you even want to deduct her wages?”

"Oh, here to stand up for your sister?" Boss Wang sneered. "Kid, don't think you can intimidate me just because you look decent enough. Let me tell you, this is my territory. If you dare cause trouble, I'll call the police!"

Luo Wen didn't say anything, but simply took out his martial arts certificate.

When the martial artist certificate was unfolded in front of Boss Wang, the seventh-level stellar level mark on it was clearly visible.

Mr. Wang's face turned deathly pale instantly.

A martial artist's certificate is a symbol of a martial artist's identity, and it has anti-counterfeiting features, making it absolutely impossible to fake. While a Stellar-level martial artist may not be considered top-tier in Donghai City, they are still a genuinely strong individual.

“Heng... Stellar level…” Mr. Wang stammered.

“Now, I’ll say it again,” Rowan said, putting away his martial arts certificate, his tone calm but authoritative, “My sister has resigned. You can’t shortchange her by a single penny this month. Understand?”

"I...I understand!" Boss Wang nodded repeatedly, cold sweat pouring down his face. "The wages will be paid in full! Settlement will be made today!"

“Also,” Rowan continued, “you have to return all the wages you withheld from her.”

“This…this isn’t quite right…” Boss Wang still tried to struggle.

Rowan didn't speak, he just looked at him.

There was no anger, no threat in his eyes, only a faint indifference—like looking at an insect that could be crushed at any moment.

Mr. Wang trembled under that gaze and quickly said, "Give it back! Give it back! Give it all back to her!"

“Very good,” Rowan nodded, “Go and calculate the money.”

Ten minutes later, Luo Shuang walked out of the restaurant with an envelope containing her wages—including this month's pay and the wages that had been withheld before.

She walked over to Rowan, her eyes already red.

"Brother..." Luo Shuang choked up, "Thank you."

"Silly girl, why are you thanking me?" Rowan ruffled her hair. "Let's go, let's find a place to have a good talk."

The two left the Golden Goblet Restaurant. Luo Shuang glanced back at the place where she had suffered so much injustice, then resolutely turned around and followed Luo Wen away.

Luo Wen led Luo Shuang to a nearby coffee shop with a nice ambiance. The shop was cozy and played soft music, a stark contrast to the noisy restaurant they had just been in.

"What would you like to drink?" Rowan asked.

“I…I’ll just drink water,” Luo Shuang said softly.

“Don’t skimp,” Rowan laughed. “Order whatever you want to drink.”

“Then… I’d like a cappuccino,” Luo Shuang said, then cautiously asked, “Will it be expensive?”

“I have money now, don’t worry,” Rowan said, then ordered her a cappuccino and a cake. “You’re too thin, eat more.”

Two cups of coffee and a cake were quickly served. Luo Shuang held the warm coffee cup, feeling a warm glow inside.

"Brother, are you... very powerful now?" Luo Shuang asked, her eyes filled with admiration. "Seventh-tier Stellar Level. I saw it on the news; that's already a very strong martial artist."

"It's alright," Rowan chuckled, "but compared to true powerhouses, it's still far from enough."

"That's still amazing!" Luo Shuang said. "The strongest martial artist in our village is only at the planetary level. You're already at the stellar level; that's simply incredible!"

"Alright, alright, stop praising me," Rowan waved his hand, "Let's talk about your business."

Luo Shuang's expression darkened: "My situation... well, there's not much to say. I just couldn't find a suitable job after graduation, and then... it ended up like this."

“I know you had trouble finding a job before,” Rowan said, “but things are different now. I can help you.”

"Brother, what can you do to help me?" Luo Shuang asked, somewhat puzzled.

"I'll help you find a good job," Rowan said directly, "a job that truly suits you, a job that allows you to utilize your professional skills."

"Really?" Luo Shuang's eyes lit up, but then dimmed again. "But... Brother, I know you want to help me, but I don't want to cause you trouble. Besides, my own abilities... might really not be up to par."

"Who says you can't?" Rowan frowned. "Weren't your grades in your major very good in college? You even won a programming competition."

“That’s all stuff from school,” Luo Shuang said with a wry smile. “Once you start working, you realize that what you learned is simply not enough. Besides, I have no work experience, so many companies won’t hire me.”

“They’re blind,” Rowan said. “Luo Shuang, I’m asking you, what kind of job do you really want?”

“I…” Luo Shuang hesitated.

“Don’t hesitate, tell the truth,” Rowan encouraged. “Whatever you want to do, I’ll support you.”

“I studied computer science, so I should theoretically be looking for a computer-related job,” Luo Shuang said, “but actually…”

She paused for a moment, as if considering whether or not to reveal her true thoughts.

"Actually what?" Luo Wen pressed. "Actually, I don't really like programming that much," Luo Shuang said softly, lowering her head and avoiding Luo Wen's gaze. "I chose computer science because everyone said it's a good major for finding a job with a high salary. But after four years of study, I've realized I really don't enjoy writing code in front of a computer."

Rowan was somewhat surprised, but then he understood. Many people choose their major based on the expectations of their parents or society, rather than truly following their own hearts.

"So what do you like?" Rowan asked.

"I..." Luo Shuang blushed, "Don't laugh at me if I tell you."

“No, go ahead and say it,” Rowan said gently.

“I’ve always longed for the world of martial artists,” Luo Shuang said, her voice trailing off. “Although I don’t have the talent to become a martial artist myself, I’m very curious about their lives. I love hearing stories about martial artists, learning about different civilizations in the universe, and I love the adventures and legends…”

She looked up, her eyes sparkling: "So, I've always had a dream: to work in the world of martial arts. Even if I can't become a martial artist myself, at least I can have contact with this world."

"So what specific job do you want to do?" Rowan continued to ask.

Luo Shuang took a deep breath, seemingly having made up her mind: "I...I want to be a staff member of the Martial Arts Mission Hall."

"Staff from the mission hall?" Rowan was taken aback.

“Yes,” Luo Shuang nodded, her eyes full of anticipation, “I think that job is particularly interesting. Every day I can meet all kinds of martial artists, listen to their stories about the universe, and learn about the cultures and legends of different planets. Although I can't go on the adventures myself, at least I can participate in the world of martial artists in this way.”

As she spoke, a smile appeared on her face that Rowan hadn't seen in a long time—a genuine smile full of hope for the future.

“Furthermore, although the staff of the Mission Hall are not martial artists, they are still part of the martial arts world,” Luo Shuang continued. “They provide martial artists with mission information and assist them in completing missions, thus having their own value within the entire martial arts system. I think this kind of work is very meaningful.”

Looking at his cousin, Luo Wen felt a surge of warmth in his heart.

He never expected that Luo Shuang's dream would be this. Not a high-paying programmer, not a respectable white-collar worker, but a staff member in the task hall—a position that might seem insignificant to an ordinary person.

But for Luo Shuang, this was her dream.

"Brother, do you think I'm stupid?" Luo Shuang asked somewhat uneasily. "A college student, actually wanting to be a staff member in the mission hall. This job doesn't require any professional knowledge, and the salary isn't high..."

“No, I don’t think I’m stupid,” Rowan interrupted her, speaking earnestly. “I think you’re great. At least you know what you really want.”

"Really?" Luo Shuang's eyes lit up.

“Of course it’s true,” Rowan laughed. “And you know what? Your dream is far too easy for me.”

"What do you mean?" Luo Shuang asked, puzzled.

“What I mean,” Rowan said, his tone confident, “is that I can help you achieve this dream. And it will be much easier than you think.”

“But… jobs in the mission hall aren’t easy to find, are they?” Luo Shuang said. “I thought about applying before, but I heard the competition is fierce, and you need to go through rigorous training and assessments.”

“It wouldn’t be easy for an ordinary person,” Rowan said, “but you have me as your brother.”

He took out his phone, pulled up his virtual universe company identity information, and handed it to Luo Shuang to look at.

Luo Shuang stared at the information on the screen, her eyes widening: "Brother, you...you're a member of Virtual Universe Company?!"

“That’s right,” Rowan nodded, “so arranging a position for you as a staff member in the mission hall is a piece of cake for me.”

"But... wouldn't this be going through the back door?" Luo Shuang hesitated.

“How could you call it backdoor admission?” Rowan laughed. “First of all, the staff in the mission hall mainly need a service-oriented mindset and learning ability; they don’t need a particularly specialized technical background. You, a university graduate, perfectly meet the recruitment requirements.”

“Secondly,” Rowan continued, “you have experience in the service industry—albeit as a waiter in a restaurant, which is actually an advantage. You know how to deal with customers and how to handle unexpected situations, qualities that are essential for staff in the mission hall.”

"Finally," Rowan said, "while I can help you with the introductions, whether you can ultimately do this job well depends on yourself. If you don't perform well, the company will still fire you. So, this isn't about using connections; it's just giving you a chance to showcase yourself."

Luo Shuang's eyes gradually welled up with tears as she listened to her brother's words.

“Brother…” she choked out, “you’ve been so good to me.”

"Silly girl," Rowan ruffled her hair, "we're family. Besides, how could I, as your older brother, ignore you suffering in that shabby restaurant?"

"But...can I really do it well?" Luo Shuang was still somewhat unsure. "I'm worried I'll mess it up and embarrass my brother."

“No,” Rowan said firmly. “I know you. You’ve been kind, hardworking, and responsible since you were little. These qualities are more important than any professional skill.”

He paused, then continued, "Furthermore, the most important aspect of working in the mission hall is service. What you need to do is treat every martial artist with care and handle every mission diligently. As long as you do these things, you will definitely succeed."

"I understand," Luo Shuang wiped away her tears, a determined look on her face. "Brother, I will try my best! I won't let you down!"

“That’s right,” Rowan laughed. “However, before you officially start, you need to rest for a few days and get yourself in shape. Looking at how haggard you are, focus on getting better first.”

“Yes!” Luo Shuang nodded vigorously.

"By the way, where are you living now?" Rowan asked.

“I rented a small apartment in an old neighborhood in the east of the city,” Luo Shuang said. “The rent isn’t expensive, but the environment isn’t very good.”

“Okay, I’ll go with you to take a look later,” Rowan said. “If the environment is too bad, I’ll find you a better place.”

"No need, brother. My place is simple, but it's habitable," Luo Shuang quickly said. "Don't let me trouble you any further."

“This isn’t a waste of money, it’s a necessary investment,” Rowan said. “You’re about to become an employee of Virtual Universe Company, how can you live in a place like that? If your colleagues see you, they’ll think the company’s benefits are bad.”

Luo Shuang was convinced by this reason and nodded.

“Then this afternoon, I’ll contact the company’s HR department,” Rowan said. “You’ll probably have an interview tomorrow. Even with my recommendation, the necessary procedures still need to be followed.”

"An interview?!" Luo Shuang tensed up. "What should I prepare?"

“Don’t be too nervous,” Rowan reassured him. “It’s just a simple interview. They mainly want to get to know your basic situation, and see your personality and attitude. With your qualifications, there won’t be any problems.”

“But I…” Luo Shuang was still worried.

“Believe me,” Rowan said, taking her hand, “and believe in yourself. You are far more capable than you think.”

Looking into her brother's determined eyes, Luo Shuang felt a surge of courage.

“Okay, I believe in you, and I believe in myself,” Luo Shuang said. “This time, I’m determined to seize this opportunity!”

(End of this chapter)