Chapter 539

The plane finally landed on solid ground. Ruth thanked Jack as he helped her grab her luggage from the overhead compartment.

Benji had also walked over from the first-class cabin. His tone was filled with condescension as he sneered and asked, "How was it? It must've been nice to sit next to a pretty woman on a flight for the first time."

Jack replied, "It was good. This experience has improved my impression of traveling via plane."

Benji pressed his lips together before he could call Jack a bumbling idiot. He would have done so, but Jack didn't appear to be someone who was easy to bully.

Night had fallen by the time Jack exited the airport. When he had peered below while he was still on the plane, he had seen the dazzling neon lights that lit up the entire city. When Jack looked around, he was surrounded by foreign faces, and he realized at that moment that he was truly in a strange place away from home.

This was Jack's first trip to Federia. He had trouble believing that he was currently standing in the legendary New Vork, the largest city in the world. By all appearances, the city certainly lived up to its title of the financial capital of the world.

As he stood waiting outside the airport, Ruth asked Jack curiously, "Is someone coming to pick you up?"

Jack pondered for a moment before answering, "I think so."

He had already sent Claude his flight itinerary earlier, but he had turned off his phone during the flight. Even though he had switched to a New Vork sim card, Jack wasn't sure if Claude would show up on time.

Ruth smiled at him while Benji shot him a disdainful look. He asked loudly, "Ruth, isn't Mr. Walter here yet? He's going to pick us up with the sports car, right?"

Ruth glared at Benji for being too obvious in trying to show off. Benji stuck his tongue out at her in response. He wanted Jack, who could only afford to fly economy, to understand the vast difference between them. Jack had picked up on the insult in Benji's words, but he couldn't be bothered to take the bait.

He noticed a middle-aged man sweeping the sidewalk under one of the streetlights nearby. His facial features made him look like an Everreachian.

The man noticed the pack of Red Lights that Jack was holding before he shot him a smile. He then said to Jack in fluent Zargonian, "Hi, there. Are you from Zargonia? The name's Leonard Dasher."

Jack felt a little more at ease in this foreign country after hearing Leonard speak Zargonian. He nodded and offered a cigarette to him. Leonard accepted it and looked very much like he was enjoying himself when he took a long pull. A nostalgic expression crossed his features.

Looking at Leonard's shabby appearance as he swept the streets, Jack could guess that he had led a tough life in Federia. He wondered how many people had arrived in Federia with lofty dreams only to have them shattered by the cruelness of reality.

Leonard took a long pull from the cigarette again before asking, "First time in Federia?"

Jack nodded.

Leonard was all smiles as he said, "Then, you must be here for Federia's green card. Don't worry. Although you'll be confused and suffer through many hardships since it's your first time here, everything will get better in due time.

"Everyone starts from the bottom when they first arrive in New Vork. You just have to work hard, kiddo. Since you've made the choice to leave Zargonia, you should fully enjoy this paradise of freedom. Just look at me. I may still be sweeping the streets, but I'll be able to obtain my green card soon and become a full-fledged Federian."

A proud smile stretched across Leonard's lips as he spoke, and he looked like he was waiting for Jack's praise. After all, many Zargonians who had just arrived in Federia would feel overwhelmed by being in a foreign country. Most would end up working in the bottom rungs of society, and Jack appeared to be one such person.

Jack answered calmly, "I'm not in Federia for a green card. I have some business here to attend to."

A look of disbelief crossed Leonard's face. "Who wouldn't want a green card after coming to Federia? The freedom and democracy afforded to the Federians are things you cannot possibly comprehend.

"Even though I'm just a simple street sweeper, I'll have the right to vote after obtaining the green card. With it, we can be the masters of our own lives. The lifestyle here is much better than Zargonia!"

"How long has it been since you returned to Zargonia?" Jack asked. "Our country has advanced considerably since then."

"Is that so?" Leonard asked, his tone suggesting that he didn't believe Jack. He still believed that the Zargonians were struggling with poverty while he was the one who was living in a utopia on earth.