Chapter 169 We're Not Hiring

"Excuse me, do you have any job openings at your bank?"

"I'm sorry, sir, but our bank currently doesn't have any hiring plans."

On the second day of the arrival of the cursed goods, as Carter was about to enter the bank, he suddenly overheard the following conversation. This was a bit unusual! Locals wouldn't approach without a job posting. They all knew the situation at their bank and knew they didn't need many people. And who from out of town would be foolish enough to apply at the wrong bank?

Curious, Carter slowed his pace and turned to look at the trio standing awkwardly in the bank lobby. Two skinny guys flanked a chubby one, quite a comical sight.

"Really? None at all? Our friend referred us here, he told us your bank was hiring. How come it's suddenly not hiring?"

"Yeah, can you please double-check, miss? We were told by a friend to come here, and it's quite a long way from where we're from."

"Alright, let me go and check."

Seeing the three embarrassed young men, the beautiful teller, Miss Greta, hesitated for a moment before deciding to help these boys who looked like they had just stepped out of school.

"Thank you so much, you're so kind."

Amidst the trio's expressions of gratitude, Greta walked over to another counter.

"Mari, is the bank hiring recently? There are three people outside who said they were referred by a friend named Paul Allen to work here."

"I haven't heard anything about it! Usually, when we're hiring, don't we send out notifications? Could it be a scam?"

Mari put down the checks she was handling and turned to look at the three in the lobby. Upon catching Miss Mari's gaze, the trio, with their unified embarrassed expressions, blushed and then put on what they thought was a friendly, sunny smile, but to the two women, it looked quite nerdy.

"Maybe not? They sounded very sure about it, doesn't seem fake. And look at these three, they're probably fresh out of college. What scammer would be these kids?"

"Who knows, Greta! Let me remind you, don't be fooled by appearances. Look at our little boss; he may look young, but remember what happened a few months ago with that batch of cash."

Mari's hands tapped the check on the counter lightly. As she neatly organized the checks, she felt a bit sentimental and aspirational, reminding herself and her colleague.

"Alright, I understand. I'll go and ask Freya."

"Go ahead! I suggest you ask Mr. Goodman directly."

"Forget it, I don't want to bother him! If these people turn out to be scammers or if we're at the wrong place, I'll get scolded again."

With a playful farewell to Mari, Greta rushed to several more counters. The answers from the ladies at each counter were the same: no recent hiring plans at the bank.

So,

"I'm sorry, gentlemen. As you saw just now, I've asked almost all the staff, and none of them have heard of any recent hiring plans at our bank."

"Once again, thank you for your support and kindness. Now, if you'll excuse me."

Now you can leave!

The trio, hearing the meaning behind Greta's words, left the bank with dejected expressions. They squatted by the roadside.

"Jon, what do we do now? Paul wouldn't deceive us, would he?"

"I doubt it, Drew. Paul isn't like that. We've known each other for so many years; why would he deceive us? Besides, the money from our plane tickets wouldn't even go to Paul."

The two skinny guys, with worried expressions, exchanged glances, pondering where they went wrong.

"Drew, let's confirm this. When Paul mentioned it, was he talking about Black Bank in Douglas, Georgia?"

"Yes, that's the one! Absolutely. I have an excellent memory; you guys should know."

Sitting between the two, the chubby boy pushed his glasses and confidently boasted about his big brain. After all, having lived this long with such a big head, it wasn't just for show, was it?

"Could there be another Black Bank in Douglas? Gab, I asked you to buy a map at the airport, why didn't you?"

"Why bother? I've looked at it twice, and I remember the map here! There's only one Black Bank in Douglas, I can assure you we didn't go to the wrong place!"

Facing Jon's accusation, Gab, the chubby boy, felt particularly aggrieved.

"Alright, alright, let's not argue! It's almost four in the afternoon, are you guys hungry? Let's find something to eat first. Even if we have money, the restaurants are probably closed now!"

"There must be somewhere open at this hour. Besides those shady bars and nightclubs, there's only the police station."

After a moment of silence, Jon, the chubby boy, rose first and led the two towards a restaurant on the roadside. After spending a hefty $7, they filled their stomachs. Suddenly, Jon thought of a serious issue.

"By the way, do any of you remember Paul's phone number? Or his company's number?"

"I don't know, we're all from Seattle. Paul notified us. Ask Gab; he's from California, he might know."

"Who remembers phone numbers? Usually, Paul contacts me. Not just him, anyone contacts me, I always wait. And you guys?!"

Gab, lounging with his legs crossed, rubbed his belly comfortably, indicating that geniuses like him never initiate contact; others always contact him first. Just as he was feeling smug, his face suddenly changed.

The three wise youths exchanged glances, an awkward atmosphere enveloping them momentarily.

"Hehehe, guys, you won't leave me behind, will you?"

On the first night in Douglas, the three squeezed in a chilly motel room. The next afternoon, after another fruitless visit to Black Bank, the trio sat on park benches, tears of sorrow streaming down their empty stomachs.

"I can't take it anymore! I'm starving! I'm going to starve to death!"

"You're hungry, and so are we! You always eat the most, Gab. Stop whining. We're out of money! And even if we had money, the restaurants are closed now!"

"There must be somewhere open. Let's just find some cookies or something!"

"At this hour, aside from those dubious bars and nightclubs, only the police station is open."