America Tycoon: The Wolf of Showbiz

The sNovelFireall studio next to the office building had also been temporarily rented by the production team for use in early actor training.

Martin clenched the bat with both hands and aimed for the custom-made plastic dummy in front of him, striking it down with a single blow that shattered the dummy's head and sent plastic fragments flying everywhere.

Action director Walter shouted, "Yes, that's the spirit! With a weapon like a bat, once you swing it, you can't quickly retrieve it for a second strike, so you must hit hard and fierce!"

He urged Martin, "Next one!"

Martin switched to holding the bat with one hand, no longer using a baseball motion but instead a one-handed hammer strike he had practiced as a stunt double; the heaviest part of the bat smashed into the dummy's shoulder, breaking off half its body.

Then, turning around, he swung the baseball bat horizontally against the dummy's chest, causing a loud thud as the dummy split in the middle.

Walter shouted, "OK! The movement's good, you've got the hang of it."

Martin checked the wooden bat, which was not damaged.

Walter said to the prop master who was watching the training, "The bats used in fighting scenes must be made of soft material to match Martin's professional movements and to avoid danger."

Martin, carrying the bat over his shoulder, though he was confident in controlling his strength, still said, "Safety first."

"Right, safety first," Walter gravely said. "Set safety is very important; this involves the union and insurance. If due to a personal issue of yours another actor gets injured, the next time you shoot an action movie, insurance companies might refuse to provide the production with accident insurance, leading the union to intervene and halting the production."

Martin nodded, "I understand."

Walter added, "Take a break for now, I will discuss your weapon issue with the props master."

Martin handed the bat to the props master and went to the resting area where his agent Thomas was waiting for him.

Thomas was still reminiscing, "With your skills, you should be in that Disneyland action movie, it would definitely be a hit."

Martin didn't take the bait and asked, "What was Walter talking about just now, about the insurance for the production?"

Thomas had heard those remarks and explained simply, "He was talking about issues with production insurance caused by an individual actor. For example, Nicole Kidman was injured filming 'Moulin Rouge,' and the insurance company had to pay out $3 million due to production delays and her personal injury insurance."

He also reminded Martin, "'Shudderspace' initially had her as the lead actress, but after a few weeks of shooting, her knee injury acted up, causing the project to be halted for a time.

The insurance company almost paid out the entire completion bond of $54 million until they convinced the production team and Jodi Foster to continue with the project, hence Nicole Kidman isn't favored by insurance companies, which also affects her standing in Hollywood."

Martin said, "I get it, use a stunt double when possible, avoid danger whenever you can."

Thomas praised his smart client, "If a stunt double gets hurt, just replace them, but if you get injured, your career could be seriously affected."

Of course, Martin was receptive to advice; his job was to move forward, while others were responsible for shouldering the burdens.

This routine, he knew it all too well.

Martin glanced at the foldable stools in the resting area, picked one up, and went to find Walter to discuss designing a scene where a foldable stool is used to brutally bludgeon a crazed demon.

After some discussion, Martin twirled the foldable stool, generating a whooshing sound with it and showing off a style reminiscent of the 18 Arhats.

At that moment, two women dressed in jeans and casual shirts entered the studio doorway.

Kelly had come from Atlanta; after landing, she first came to check out the mixed film project and brought along Louise, who supervised the post-production of "Alexander the Great," to this place.

Louise crossed her arms and watched as Martin smashed the dummy's head, "He picked the wrong role."

Kelly asked, "Why?"

"You just read the script," Louise gestured as she spoke. "Don't you think this guy would be better suited to play a psychopathic killer?"

Her indomitable spirit was surfacing again, "With an appearance that's sunny on the outside, harboring a weapon on the inside…"

"Someone is coming," Kelly reminded her.

Thomas approached to greet them with a smile, "Miss Mel, I am Thomas, Martin's agent. I have always wanted to visit, but feared being intrusive."

Louise nodded and introduced her reckless companion, "This is Kelly Gray, the CEO of Georgia's largest film enterprise."

"Hello, Mrs. Gray," Thomas quickly greeted.

In that instant, he realized, was there not one woman behind Martin Davis but two?

No, there was also the female King Kong he had met a few days before.

Thomas couldn't help feeling fortunate that such a high-quality client had fallen into his hands.

After wrapping up work for the day, Martin went to the changing room to shower and change his clothes. When he returned, he hugged Louise and Kelly in turn and then left the studio with them.

At that moment, every man's heart was cursing shamelessness.

Yet everyone envied him, wondering why couldn't that be me?

After the three of them had dinner together, Martin asked, "Where to tonight?"

Louise said, "To your place." She winked at Kelly, "Change of scenery, it's fun there, and the chubby landlord is amusing to talk to."

Martin retorted, "Last time you screamed so loudly, Antonio almost drew his gun on me."

Kelly, having had some wine and in a flirty mood, exclaimed, "Let's go, all together!"

Upon arriving at the apartment, there was Antonio sitting under a sun umbrella at the entrance, drinking a large bottle of cola through a straw.

He took a big gulp, and a quarter of the two-liter cola disappeared.

Seeing Martin and Louise, Antonio looked at the latter and said, "You again!"

Louise smiled, "Don't you welcome me?"

Antonio glanced at Kelly and took out a cardholder from his pocket, pulling out a card to hand to Martin, "You might find this useful."

Kelly, curious, grabbed it first, "Dr. Cole?"

Antonio replied, "Good at treating kidney failure."

Louise burst into hearty laughter, laughing so hard she leaned on Martin's shoulder.

Kelly stuffed the business card into Martin's pocket, "Keep it safe, you might need it some day."

Martin pulled the two drifters along, "Let's go, let's go."

Antonio said, "You have a package, don't forget to pick it up."

Martin entered the vestibule and took the express delivery from his mailbox, with a label on the cardboard box indicating it was from the Clayton Community.

Louise and Kelly, one on each side, linked arms with Martin and entered the apartment.

Martin discreetly placed the package in an inconspicuous spot.

But Louise noticed it, "Aren't you going to open it and see? Is it something that can't be exposed to light?"

Kelly couldn't hold her liquor as well as Martin and Louise and was somewhat drunk, the alcohol going to her head, "Sent from Atlanta, your old friends?"

"You want to see?" Martin asked.

Louise went to the fridge to get some drinks, "Of course, we want to see."

Martin seriously said, "You can look, but I'll charge a fee after you do. Whoever opens it gets to keep it."

He brought over the package, cutting the tape with a wallpaper knife and then opened it to find, just like last time, a shock absorbent cloth wrapping the item inside.

Louise took it, opened the parcel, and held the horn carving in her hands, her eyes sparkling with admiration, "It's exquisitely made."

It was a pale bluish horn carving that almost matched Martin's figure, except the face was carved into a Joker's disguise, the split wide-open mouth and red nose particularly conspicuous.

Kelly went over to grab it, "Give it to me! Let me see, the carving is not bad…"

But Louise clutched it tightly, "This is mine, Martin said, whoever opens it gets to keep it."

Kelly pounced on Louise, hands searching all over, "Hand it over quickly, or I'll make you regret it!"

Martin opened a box to the side and took out another, "Don't fight, there's one for each of you."

Kelly rolled off Louise, "You ordered these to give to us?"

Martin neither confirmed nor denied, "Made by a friend in Atlanta specifically."

Louise held the carving to her mouth, "How about we make a bet regarding the movie you're starring in?"

Martin asked, "Bet what?"

Louise proposed, "If the North American box office surpasses 10 million... no, 30 million US dollars, Kelly and I will give you a performance. If it's less than 30 million dollars, you perform for us."

Martin had a condition, "You can't drag me down."

Kelly, unsatisfied, said, "Tens of millions of dollars, are we crazy?"

Louise provoked, "Bet or not?"

Martin gritted his teeth and said, "It's a bet."

Louise, exuding a flirtatious aura, whispered to Kelly, "Let's send Martin a return gift by mail."

Kelly nodded repeatedly.

That evening, the apartment echoed with the sound of two people singing.

And Antonio's roar, "Martin Davis, I'm going to raise your rent!"

The next morning, Martin slept in, didn't take Louise and Kelly, but rested up fully and went to the Warner Bros. Studios in the afternoon to audition for another crew.

Auditions for a supporting male role in "The Summer of Jeans".

Martin met Thomas and asked, "You actually came with me?"

Thomas, convinced there must be at least three people beneath or behind Martin, elevated his level of seriousness, "I'm your agent, it's only right."

Bruce said, "Buddy, you're getting smarter."

At the studio door, Martin took out his phone and called Robert, "I'm about to audition, old pal, it's all on you now."

At the Marietta Theatre, Robert took out the successful operation guide, followed the steps precisely, placed a Coke down, said a few words of encouragement, and spoke into his phone, "Done!"

Martin's confidence surged, speaking to his two generals, "Let's land this role!"

"I've inquired about the filming schedule, it can be coordinated," said Thomas, whose salary largely depended on the percentage of the film's earnings, hoping to keep Martin's attention, "Filming for at most twenty days, the pay won't be less than 250,000 dollars."

Martin nodded, "Old Cloth, watch my back."

Finding the audition room, as usual, there were many actors there to audition, the vast majority from WMA.

Martin then saw Joe Anderson and Mike Vogel.

This was the second time in just over a month that the three were competing for the same role.

Bruce stood beside Martin, his gaze like radar, scanning for potential unfavorable circumstances.

After Thomas checked out all the actors auditioning, he said, "The director and the casting director are all agency clients, I have done plenty of work for you, you take priority over them, just perform as usual, and the role will be yours."