Conrad and Tom were now left with one major problem.
How were they going to learn how to fight?
At the same time, they also had to keep making money.
After thinking about it, they decided to get rid of the hotel room and go back to their original place beneath the bridge.
Yeah...
You might think that was a dumb decision.
But it wasn't.
They still had 180 dollars saved.
That was enough for them to eat a good, nutritious diet and start building their bodies.
So they came up with a new routine.
Every single day, they would run 15 kilometres.
After that, they would work on the farm together for 1 dollar per hour, putting their bodies through real physical labour.
With the money they earned, they bought raw meat, milk, eggs, and enough carbohydrates to fuel their training.
Slowly...
They started bulking up.
Getting stronger.
Their bodies were changing.
But after a week, they realized something important.
They had the physique.
They didn't have the skills.
And time was running out.
Each Ware only opened four times a year.
The next opening was only two months away.
That meant they had just two months to earn a huge amount of money...
And become strong enough to move forward.
Even people rich enough to visit brothels couldn't reach Redware.
So how could they?
What Conrad and Tom didn't know was that almost everyone living in Greenware dreamed of skipping straight to Westware or Southware, places that required immense wealth.
Very few people ever thought about Redware.
After all...
It was known as The Land of Cruelty.
People knew the name.
But almost no one in Greenware truly knew what happened there.
One afternoon, while they were out on their daily run, they noticed an old man being thrown out of his own house by his children.
Without thinking twice, Conrad and Tom rushed over.
They helped the old man up and brought him back to their little bridge bunker.
After giving him some water, Conrad asked,
"Why were you kicked out?"
The old man let out a tired smile.
"Because I don't make any money anymore."
"They think I'm nothing but a burden."
"So they threw me out."
He paused for a moment before continuing.
"And the funny thing is..."
"It isn't even their house."
"It's mine."
"But I made a promise to my wife before she died."
"I promised her I would never hit our son."
"I promised I would always let him live the life he wanted."
"I promised I would never go against him."
"So..."
"I endured everything."
"For her."
A silence filled the air.
Then the old man smiled.
"If it weren't for that promise..."
"I could put that kid on his knees in seconds."
"I used to work as a security guard in Redware."
The moment Conrad heard those words...
He looked at Tom.
Tom was already looking back at him.
Without saying a single word to each other...
They both asked at the exact same time.
"Can you teach us how to fight?"
The old man looked at the two boys in surprise.
"In return," Conrad continued, "we'll give you a place to stay and food to eat."
"My name is Conrad."
"Conrad Butcher."
"And this is Tom."
The moment the old man heard that name...
He froze.
For a brief second...
He was no longer standing beneath a bridge.
He was back in his youth.
His late wife used to call him Tom as a nickname.
His real name was Thomas Miller.
But to her...
He was always just Tom.
A small smile appeared on the old man's face.
Old Tom looked at Young Tom.
"...Alright."
"I'll teach both of you everything I know."
"You've got one month."
Without hesitation, Conrad and Tom decided to spend their remaining 180 dollars on a hotel room for Thomas and made sure he had proper food every day.
Seeing this...
Thomas became emotional.
He looked at the two boys and quietly said,
"Even my own blood couldn't bear the burden of this old man..."
"...yet two complete strangers are treating me like the parent every old man dreams of becoming."