Ironman Training Center.
The owner, Max, looked at the tall, large Caucasian youngster in front of him and said, “Mr. Payton, I’ve read your resume, and I think you are well-suited for our training center; however, our full-time coaching positions are all occupied. Would you mind trying part-time?”
“Part-time huh? Forget about it then. I’m looking for a full-time job.” Chris Payton shook his head before standing up. “Sir, since you don’t need me here at the moment, I’ll be taking my leave.”
“Mr. Payton, hold on!” Max suddenly called out to Chris Payton. “Not far from here, there’s a Coach Lee’s Physical Fitness Training Center, opened by a Chinese coach. I heard they are hiring full-time coaches, so you could go there and try.”
Chris Payton gratefully looked at Max and said in a sincere tone, “Thank you for letting me know, I’ll definitely give it a go.”
Chris Payton turned around to leave, not seeing the cold light that glinted in Max’s eyes.
By his side, a man in his forties asked, “Boss, this Chris Payton isn’t bad. He used to be a professional football player, and he also did a stint as an assistant coach in the basketball team of a university. Besides that, his asking salary wasn’t all that high. Why didn’t you keep him? Even if we don’t need him, there wasn’t any need to introduce him to Coach Lee’s physical fitness training center, was there? They are our rivals after all. And from what I heard, they have been pretty popular lately.”
“You are talking about that ‘blade warrior’ aren’t you! Indeed, this ‘blade warrior’ has been very famous lately. He actually managed to get a place in the world championship, and everyone in the US knows about him,” Max said. “I originally thought that training para-athletes would only result in losses… Who would have thought that they would pick up such an unusual runner? They aren’t located that far from us, so they definitely affect our business. However, it is precisely because they are our rivals that I advised Chris Payton to go there.”
“Is there something wrong with this Chris Payton?” the middle-aged man asked immediately.
“Of course. He sent his resume to my email earlier, and I read that he was a key player in his university football team. However, it just so happens that I know the coach of that university football team, so naturally, I asked about him,” Max explained.
“And what did he say?” the middle-aged man asked instantly.
“This Chris Payton isn’t that simple. He is the bastard son of a gang leader in Los Angeles. This gang doesn’t just smuggle firearms, they are also related to the Colombian drug cartel.” As Max said this, the side of his lips curled upwards into a smirk. He continued, “I have no intention of being involved with such a dangerous person. Since I have no time for a troublesome character like him, let’s just leave him to our rivals!”
…
Chris Payton followed the instructions of the GPS and drove towards Coach Lee’s Physical Fitness Training Center. While he was still a distance away, he saw two giant advertising posters hanging on both sides of the front door of the training center.
The poster was a picture of Phillip in mid-stride. On the side was a slogan, “Success favors the unyielding.”
That’s the “blade warrior” Barron Phillip! Is he the spokesperson of this training center? This Coach Lee’s training center is indeed strong, if they’re actually willing to sign an endorsement deal with Phillip. Chris Payton unconsciously slowed his car down.
It could be said that Phillip became famous overnight. He gained a whole lot of attention. Phillip was one of the most celebrated and popular sports stars in the US, and as such, his endorsement fee would also be over the roof.
Chris Payton parked his car and walked towards the training center with his resume in hand. As soon as he reached the door, he saw the recruitment advertisement posted on the wall.
They really are hiring! Chris Payton straightened his clothes and walked into the training center.
…
So the “blade warrior” trains here, no wonder his poster was outside! A place that cultivated the “blade warrior,” this place must be great, Chris Payton suddenly thought. The prospects for working in Coach Lee’s training center seemed much better than in the Ironman training center.
Opposite him, Dai Li read through Chris Payton’s resume in detail.
Used to be a key player in his school football team. Took part in the NFL draft after graduating but was not picked. Later went to play soccer in a low-level league. Just retired not that long ago, and worked as a fitness coach for two years. This Chris Payton used to be a professional athlete, so he is a suitable candidate for being a coach, and his asking salary isn’t that high. In Los Angeles, it’s hard to find someone this qualified at this price. Dai Li nodded his head in satisfaction.
“Mr. Payton, I can give you a full-time job, but you need to pass the probation period first,” Dai Li said.
“No problem, I’ll work hard.” Chris Payton nodded his head in enthusiasm and asked, “When can I start coming in?”
“Is tomorrow okay?” Dai Li pointed towards the training ground outside and said, “We’re kind of short on manpower. We’re already very busy as it is, so I hope you can come in as soon as possible.”
Dai Li’s business had recently improved. Phillip’s success also helped boost the name of Dai Li’s training center. As the journalists and reporters interviewed Phillip, they also interviewed Dai Li, who was his coach. The brand of Coach Lee’s Physical Fitness Training Center had become a household name throughout Los Angeles.
In Dai Li’s original plan, his primary clients were supposed to be professional or amateur athletes. However, after Dai Li gained some fame, he found out that apart from athletes, some of the more affluent residents of the city were also interested in becoming his clients.
California was a wealthy area in the US. There was no lack of rich people, and a common trait among these affluent Americans was that they had a lot of free time. In the US, a poor person might have several jobs, working from day to night just to live a better life; even the vast number of the middle-class could only relax and enjoy their lives on fixed holidays, since their nine to five jobs kept them swamped during the workweek.
Only the rich had time for entertainment, leisure, travel, and fitness training. That was why a lot of poor people were obese in the US, because they could only eat unhealthy food that was high in calories. The rich had ideal body weights because they didn’t have to spend too much time earning money, so they also had enough spare time to train their bodies.
The affluent pursued high-quality lifestyles. Even their sports had to be of high quality. Although they couldn’t spend all day in training centers like athletes, they were willing to spend money on a personal training plan, or a couple of customized training courses weekly. For Dai Li, it was a massive source of income.
With more incoming clients, Dai Li was getting stretched all by himself, and relying on part-timers wasn’t exactly a sustainable plan. That was why Dai Li began hiring full-time coaches. He had already hired two full-time coaches, so including Chris Payton who came in today, Dai Li had a total of three full-time coaches under him.
However, all three of them were still on probation, and Dai Li’s hiring plan was still ongoing. A coach was a profession very similar to that of a doctor or teacher. Experience and individual ability played equally important roles. It wasn’t a job that could be done well just by having a Master’s degree or having certain specialized technical skills. Meeting a good coach was something one could only hope for, so Dai Li’s recruitment drive had to continue.
…
Stephen hurried inside, looking extremely anxious. He saw Dai Li, and his pace increased even more as he walked towards him.
“What’s wrong?” Dai Li asked immediately.
“It’s the International Association of Athletics Federation! They might not allow Phillip to take part in the world championship,” Stephen said quickly.